Plainfield North seniors shine on their night
Tigers win conference finale 9-2 over Joliet West
By Steve Nemeth
PLAINFIELD -- There were six guests of honor at Plainfield North’s Senior Night, unfortunately two of them wore walking boots instead of cleats.
Despite an early goal from Joliet West that stunned the home side and its crowd, the four honorees on the field made certain the memory of a one-sided 9-2 triumph was added to the laundry baskets of treats and gifts they were given from teammates on their special night.
The only blemish to the evening was that something was missing far beyond the 17 minutes that were trimmed from the second half due to the score. The Tigers (13-5-0, 8-1-0) were denied a ninth-straight Southwest Prairie Conference crown when Minooka (9-0-0 SPC) beat Plainfield South (5-4-0) 2-1 Tuesday night.
Fifteen days before, North saw its 60-match conference win streak snapped in a 1-0 loss at Minooka. Afterward, crossed fingers and four league victories weren’t enough to keep their championship streak intact.
Nevertheless, the postgame mood was festive.
Plainfield North started quickly. Less than a minute in, the Tigers' first shot was stopped by Joliet West goalie Samantha Baloy. Minutes later, Baloy was caught well off her line, but the host's attempt rolled as if in slow motion just wide of the far right post. Then scoring leader Megan Breier sent a grounder on target that Baloy handled that with ease.
What followed next was surprising. North’s defense misplayed a ball and West’s Anessa Munoz pounced on the chance and her rocket shot from 10 yards left of center made freshman and newly minted varsity starter Ashley Clark into an unwitting spectator. Munoz’s ninth goal of the season put the visiting Tigers (4-15-1, 0-9-0), who entered the game with three-game losing skid, ahead of the hosts.
“We’ve been down several times this year, so I wasn’t as concerned about that as I was frustrated with how we came out a little too relaxed,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe admitted. “Perhaps our interest was still on Senior Night and everything that comes with that. Thankfully we responded once we adjusted to the really high-line defensive approach they took.”
Actually it took about three of what would become six offside whistles before the hosts responded with a vengeance.
Junior defender Kylee Colwell’s through-ball allowed sophomore forward Molly Grant enough open space to blast another left side try that did find the inside of the far right post. That equalizer came at 8:12. It was the first of two goals, plus an assist that earned Grant Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match recognition.
Just over three minutes later, the senior duo of Brittany Kroll and Breier combined to find Grant in position on the left side for a nine-yarder and a 2-1 lead after 11:18.
“Obviously we had the desire to negate our rough start,” Grant said. “We wanted to get as many goals as quickly as possible to prove how we could click together. Getting a goal or an assist is equally satisfying. As long as I can contribute to a score or a victory, it’s the same positive feeling.”
Grant’s textbook cross set up Breier for a six-yard finish near the right post at 12:47. Thirty seconds later Breier used a feed from Payton Strausberger to build a 4-1 lead.
However, just ahead of the mid-point of the opening half, Joliet West’s Victoria Alvarado nailed the kind of long-distance bomb the world’s best goalies could not stop. From 37 yards away, Alvarado chalked up her second goal of the season with a cannon shot that glanced off the crossbar’s underside near the upper left 90.
With their advantage narrowed to two goals, North came roaring back. A stellar cross was unfortunately launched high, a left-wing laser caromed off the outside of the left post, and another effort sailed high above the cage preceded another cluster of goals.
With 10 minutes left before halftime, Breier sent a pass forward that Victoria Thornton raced to for an 11-yard score from the right. The junior made the most of being shifted forward in the lineup from her traditional midfield slot. Twenty-eight seconds later it was a Jessica Christmas through-ball that Thornton sprinted to before juking West goalie Baloy, and then dribbling by to become North’s third player to record a brace.
“Getting those two goals was exciting. I don’t get as many opportunities to score in comparison to setting up our forwards,” Thornton noted after netting her fifth and sixth goals. Only a junior, Thornton’s skills and strong academics have earned her a future with Division I Howard.
One minute and 11 seconds elapsed before Christmas passed to Breier, who eluded the West keeper and finished into an empty net. Seventy seconds later, it was Melissa Juarez earning an assist that also capitalized on Breier’s speed to make it 8-2 seven minutes ahead of intermission.
Plainfield North came up a bit short in its hope to get a bit of a break with a 20-minute second half due a seven-goal margin, but the time-saver mercy rule did eliminate 17 minutes. Kroll made the pass that Breier used to create a 16-yard boomer from the right side that ended the scoring.
That created the following breakdown for the playing seniors: Breier, a future Polar Bear at Ohio Northern, five goals and one assist; Kroll, a Maverick for Minnesota State Mankato, two assists; two set-ups for the elder of the Christmas sisters, Jessica, a future Flame at UIC; and one assist for Juarez, who aims to help Joliet Junior College’s Wolves.
The two sidelined goalies -- Megan Donnally, an NIU Huskie to be, and Erin Kuyawa, a future Laker at Grand Valley State -- have become de facto assistant coaches. Since being sidelined for the rest of 2017, they began tutoring Clark.. For the second half, they were busy helping back-up keeper Morgan Budds protect the net. Budds stopped a pair of Joliet West tries from finding the back of the net.
“Ideally I would have preferred a shutout, but the two we gave up weren’t Ashley’s fault. That second one was just an impossible-to-stop strike,” Crowe said. “She came out because up 8-2, it was an opportunity for (Budds to get) playing time.”
For the game Joliet West had four shots on goal within its six overall attempts. The host Tigers chalked up 27 tries, 19 of which were on target.
It was a busy night for Joliet West's junior keeper. Besides 10 saves, she also posted seven defensive catches/clears on potentially dangerous balls. Both Clark and Budds earned two of those designations.
Upon returning home to Joliet, those Tigers hope to be successful in their own senior farewell match versus IMSA on Wednesday. That will be their tune-up for a daunting May 16 playoff opener against regional host Normal, which holds the top spot in the Chicagoland Soccer Illinois 10 ranking.
Unlike most programs, Plainfield North scheduled a top-flight foe for its season finale. Formerly top-ranked Naperville North, which is currently listed third in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, is Thursday’s 6:15 p.m. opponent for what will be the final appearance for any Tigers senior on the home sod. On May 15 bulldozers begin preparing the field for the installation of an artificial surface.
For the Tigers, who currently dwell in the honorable mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer rankings, Naperville North represents the sixth ranked or recognized foe of its regular season schedule.
“It’ll definitely be a challenge but we’ll try our hardest and focus on playing our best,” Thornton said.
Crowe looks forward to Thursday’s test “to see where we’re out for the intensity of the playoffs.”
More than a challenge, Grant viewed the match in light of the Tigers rank. At its apex, Plainfield North stood at no. 16 this season.
“I’m not too sure we’re credited enough for how dangerous we can be,” she said.
Starting lineups
Joliet West
GK Samantha Baloy
D Ariana Santos
D Isabelle Bohanek
D Grayson Bormel
D Emily Czyz
M Brianne Sencial
M Katie Meagher
M Victoria Alvarado
M Maite Bernal
F Shelby Flannigan
F Anessa Munoz
Plainfield North
GK Ashley Clark
D Kylee Colwell
D Payton Strausberger
D Sielle Bartz
D Makenna Woodill
M Melissa Juarez
M Victoria Thornton
M Brittaney Kroll
M Jessica Christmas
F Molly Grant
F Megan Breier
Chicago Soccer MVP of the Match: Molly Grant, so., F, Plainfield North
Officials: Gerald West (center), Michelle Balcerzak, Rene Garcia
Game summary
Plainfield North 9, Joliet West 2
1st 2nd --- F Records
Joliet West 2 0 --- 2 4-15-1/0-9-0
Plainfield North 8 1 --- 9 13-5-0/8-1-0
Scoring
JW --- Munoz pounces on defensive misplay 10-yarder from left of center (unassisted), 7:07 gone,
PN --- Grant off throughball, 22-yarder from left of center inside far right post (Colwell assist), 8:12 gone
PN --- Grant nine-yarder from left off cross following through-ball (Breier, Kroll assists), 11:18 gone
PN --- Breier six-yard finish near right poss off cross (Grant assist), 12:47 gone
PN --- Breier eight-yard strike from right side (Strausberger assist), 13:17 gone
JW --- Alvarao 37-yard bomb off underside of crossbar to upper left (unassisted), 19:23 gone
PN --- Thornton 11-yard score from right side (Breier asist), 30:00 gone
PN --- Thornton juke and dribble past outrushing keeper (Jes. Christmas assist), 30:32 gone
PN --- Breier one-touch to elude goalie and empty net finish (Jes. Christmas assist),31:43 gone
PN --- Breier left side 12-yard rocket after cutback on through-ball (Jaurez assist), 33:00 gone
PN --- Breier 16-yarder from right wing (Kroll assist after drawing two defenders), 45:18 gone
Overall shots
JW 4 – 2 --- 6
PN 19 – 8 --- 27
Shots on goal
JW 2 – 2 --- 4
PN 13 – 6 --- 19
Saves (goalie)
JW (Baloy) 5 – 5 --- 10
PN (Clark 0) 0 – (Mo. Budds 2) 2 --- 2
Tigers win conference finale 9-2 over Joliet West
By Steve Nemeth
PLAINFIELD -- There were six guests of honor at Plainfield North’s Senior Night, unfortunately two of them wore walking boots instead of cleats.
Despite an early goal from Joliet West that stunned the home side and its crowd, the four honorees on the field made certain the memory of a one-sided 9-2 triumph was added to the laundry baskets of treats and gifts they were given from teammates on their special night.
The only blemish to the evening was that something was missing far beyond the 17 minutes that were trimmed from the second half due to the score. The Tigers (13-5-0, 8-1-0) were denied a ninth-straight Southwest Prairie Conference crown when Minooka (9-0-0 SPC) beat Plainfield South (5-4-0) 2-1 Tuesday night.
Fifteen days before, North saw its 60-match conference win streak snapped in a 1-0 loss at Minooka. Afterward, crossed fingers and four league victories weren’t enough to keep their championship streak intact.
Nevertheless, the postgame mood was festive.
Plainfield North started quickly. Less than a minute in, the Tigers' first shot was stopped by Joliet West goalie Samantha Baloy. Minutes later, Baloy was caught well off her line, but the host's attempt rolled as if in slow motion just wide of the far right post. Then scoring leader Megan Breier sent a grounder on target that Baloy handled that with ease.
What followed next was surprising. North’s defense misplayed a ball and West’s Anessa Munoz pounced on the chance and her rocket shot from 10 yards left of center made freshman and newly minted varsity starter Ashley Clark into an unwitting spectator. Munoz’s ninth goal of the season put the visiting Tigers (4-15-1, 0-9-0), who entered the game with three-game losing skid, ahead of the hosts.
“We’ve been down several times this year, so I wasn’t as concerned about that as I was frustrated with how we came out a little too relaxed,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe admitted. “Perhaps our interest was still on Senior Night and everything that comes with that. Thankfully we responded once we adjusted to the really high-line defensive approach they took.”
Actually it took about three of what would become six offside whistles before the hosts responded with a vengeance.
Junior defender Kylee Colwell’s through-ball allowed sophomore forward Molly Grant enough open space to blast another left side try that did find the inside of the far right post. That equalizer came at 8:12. It was the first of two goals, plus an assist that earned Grant Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match recognition.
Just over three minutes later, the senior duo of Brittany Kroll and Breier combined to find Grant in position on the left side for a nine-yarder and a 2-1 lead after 11:18.
“Obviously we had the desire to negate our rough start,” Grant said. “We wanted to get as many goals as quickly as possible to prove how we could click together. Getting a goal or an assist is equally satisfying. As long as I can contribute to a score or a victory, it’s the same positive feeling.”
Grant’s textbook cross set up Breier for a six-yard finish near the right post at 12:47. Thirty seconds later Breier used a feed from Payton Strausberger to build a 4-1 lead.
However, just ahead of the mid-point of the opening half, Joliet West’s Victoria Alvarado nailed the kind of long-distance bomb the world’s best goalies could not stop. From 37 yards away, Alvarado chalked up her second goal of the season with a cannon shot that glanced off the crossbar’s underside near the upper left 90.
With their advantage narrowed to two goals, North came roaring back. A stellar cross was unfortunately launched high, a left-wing laser caromed off the outside of the left post, and another effort sailed high above the cage preceded another cluster of goals.
With 10 minutes left before halftime, Breier sent a pass forward that Victoria Thornton raced to for an 11-yard score from the right. The junior made the most of being shifted forward in the lineup from her traditional midfield slot. Twenty-eight seconds later it was a Jessica Christmas through-ball that Thornton sprinted to before juking West goalie Baloy, and then dribbling by to become North’s third player to record a brace.
“Getting those two goals was exciting. I don’t get as many opportunities to score in comparison to setting up our forwards,” Thornton noted after netting her fifth and sixth goals. Only a junior, Thornton’s skills and strong academics have earned her a future with Division I Howard.
One minute and 11 seconds elapsed before Christmas passed to Breier, who eluded the West keeper and finished into an empty net. Seventy seconds later, it was Melissa Juarez earning an assist that also capitalized on Breier’s speed to make it 8-2 seven minutes ahead of intermission.
Plainfield North came up a bit short in its hope to get a bit of a break with a 20-minute second half due a seven-goal margin, but the time-saver mercy rule did eliminate 17 minutes. Kroll made the pass that Breier used to create a 16-yard boomer from the right side that ended the scoring.
That created the following breakdown for the playing seniors: Breier, a future Polar Bear at Ohio Northern, five goals and one assist; Kroll, a Maverick for Minnesota State Mankato, two assists; two set-ups for the elder of the Christmas sisters, Jessica, a future Flame at UIC; and one assist for Juarez, who aims to help Joliet Junior College’s Wolves.
The two sidelined goalies -- Megan Donnally, an NIU Huskie to be, and Erin Kuyawa, a future Laker at Grand Valley State -- have become de facto assistant coaches. Since being sidelined for the rest of 2017, they began tutoring Clark.. For the second half, they were busy helping back-up keeper Morgan Budds protect the net. Budds stopped a pair of Joliet West tries from finding the back of the net.
“Ideally I would have preferred a shutout, but the two we gave up weren’t Ashley’s fault. That second one was just an impossible-to-stop strike,” Crowe said. “She came out because up 8-2, it was an opportunity for (Budds to get) playing time.”
For the game Joliet West had four shots on goal within its six overall attempts. The host Tigers chalked up 27 tries, 19 of which were on target.
It was a busy night for Joliet West's junior keeper. Besides 10 saves, she also posted seven defensive catches/clears on potentially dangerous balls. Both Clark and Budds earned two of those designations.
Upon returning home to Joliet, those Tigers hope to be successful in their own senior farewell match versus IMSA on Wednesday. That will be their tune-up for a daunting May 16 playoff opener against regional host Normal, which holds the top spot in the Chicagoland Soccer Illinois 10 ranking.
Unlike most programs, Plainfield North scheduled a top-flight foe for its season finale. Formerly top-ranked Naperville North, which is currently listed third in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, is Thursday’s 6:15 p.m. opponent for what will be the final appearance for any Tigers senior on the home sod. On May 15 bulldozers begin preparing the field for the installation of an artificial surface.
For the Tigers, who currently dwell in the honorable mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer rankings, Naperville North represents the sixth ranked or recognized foe of its regular season schedule.
“It’ll definitely be a challenge but we’ll try our hardest and focus on playing our best,” Thornton said.
Crowe looks forward to Thursday’s test “to see where we’re out for the intensity of the playoffs.”
More than a challenge, Grant viewed the match in light of the Tigers rank. At its apex, Plainfield North stood at no. 16 this season.
“I’m not too sure we’re credited enough for how dangerous we can be,” she said.
Starting lineups
Joliet West
GK Samantha Baloy
D Ariana Santos
D Isabelle Bohanek
D Grayson Bormel
D Emily Czyz
M Brianne Sencial
M Katie Meagher
M Victoria Alvarado
M Maite Bernal
F Shelby Flannigan
F Anessa Munoz
Plainfield North
GK Ashley Clark
D Kylee Colwell
D Payton Strausberger
D Sielle Bartz
D Makenna Woodill
M Melissa Juarez
M Victoria Thornton
M Brittaney Kroll
M Jessica Christmas
F Molly Grant
F Megan Breier
Chicago Soccer MVP of the Match: Molly Grant, so., F, Plainfield North
Officials: Gerald West (center), Michelle Balcerzak, Rene Garcia
Game summary
Plainfield North 9, Joliet West 2
1st 2nd --- F Records
Joliet West 2 0 --- 2 4-15-1/0-9-0
Plainfield North 8 1 --- 9 13-5-0/8-1-0
Scoring
JW --- Munoz pounces on defensive misplay 10-yarder from left of center (unassisted), 7:07 gone,
PN --- Grant off throughball, 22-yarder from left of center inside far right post (Colwell assist), 8:12 gone
PN --- Grant nine-yarder from left off cross following through-ball (Breier, Kroll assists), 11:18 gone
PN --- Breier six-yard finish near right poss off cross (Grant assist), 12:47 gone
PN --- Breier eight-yard strike from right side (Strausberger assist), 13:17 gone
JW --- Alvarao 37-yard bomb off underside of crossbar to upper left (unassisted), 19:23 gone
PN --- Thornton 11-yard score from right side (Breier asist), 30:00 gone
PN --- Thornton juke and dribble past outrushing keeper (Jes. Christmas assist), 30:32 gone
PN --- Breier one-touch to elude goalie and empty net finish (Jes. Christmas assist),31:43 gone
PN --- Breier left side 12-yard rocket after cutback on through-ball (Jaurez assist), 33:00 gone
PN --- Breier 16-yarder from right wing (Kroll assist after drawing two defenders), 45:18 gone
Overall shots
JW 4 – 2 --- 6
PN 19 – 8 --- 27
Shots on goal
JW 2 – 2 --- 4
PN 13 – 6 --- 19
Saves (goalie)
JW (Baloy) 5 – 5 --- 10
PN (Clark 0) 0 – (Mo. Budds 2) 2 --- 2