Bold start lifts Naperville N. over New Trier
Top-ranked Huskies hold off no. 3 Trevians in North Shore Inv.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Confronting the three-time defending state champion on its home field, Naperville North privileged the first adage of a heavyweight fight: Never spar or tap dance with a champion. Be the aggressor and establish the rules of conduct.
Fortune favors the bold.
In a magnificent game of high-level skill, athleticism and intensity, the top-ranked Huskies stunned no. 3 New Trier with two goals in the first eight minutes and subdued the Trevians’ fierce rally with spectacular defensive sequences for the 2-1 victory in the marquee game of opening day of the the inaugural North Shore Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
The game transcended the hype matching the two programs which have accounted for the last five Class 3A state championships.
“This is by far the best team we have played this year, and probably the best we will play,” Naperville North senior star keeper Elizabeth Cablk said. “It’s always great to get this kind of competition in the regular season, and beating a team as good as New Trier is awesome.”
Tactically the game was influenced by the swirling northern winds. The Huskies won the opening toss and elected to play with the wind in the first half.
“We talked at the start about jumping on them early and getting some shots on them,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said.
Naperville North (6-0-0) is a team containing multitudes capable of attacking from multiple angles. Senior forward Chloe Kotrba, an athletic and rangy talent up front, proved the early catalyst in the Huskies’ attack. She set the tone with her possession skills, cutting through the Trevians’ interior and slotting balls on the wing to junior forward Shaina Dudas.
In turn Dudas was spectacular at the start. The Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match utilized her electric speed to get open in space and made the Trevians pay twice. It resulted in a goal and assist.
“We knew we had to really come out hard to catch them off guard,” Dudas said. “Once we got a shot off in there, we made them realize they really are going to have to work. They gave me a ton of space out wide, and I knew if I got the ball I could just go and shoot from distance.
“The wind was crazy today, and you knew anything could happen.”
In the fifth minute, Kotrba split two defenders and slotted the ball wide left as Dudas engineered her run. Despite a New Trier defender riding her hip, Dudas pushed the ball down the left edge and unleashed a rocket ball that New Trier senior keeper Katy Symantiez partially deflected.
The shot had too much pace and velocity and handcuffed the New Trier keeper for the opening score.
“Chloe is really good at holding the ball, and once she got it I was screaming at her to get me the ball,” Dudas said. ‘We definitely wanted to take advantage early before they got the wind.”
In a game of this magnitude, the psychological ramifications of scoring so early are significant. Naperville North was emboldened, and hungry to build off the early momentum.
“Scoring like that pumps us up, but it also tells us that we have to keep going because we have a ton of game left,” Dundas said.
In the eighth minute, Naperville North worked the same combination as Kotrba found Dudas on the left edge and Dudas advanced the ball to a nearly identical spot for another howitzer shot. Symantiez aggressively threw her body for the diving stop. The initial stop was spectacular, but it left the goal vulnerable.
Naperville North senior midfielder Morgan Krause was the beneficiary.
“The ball popped out, and I said 'This is my ball, and I have to finish it,'” Krause said. “I snuck it past in the corner.”
A converted defender, Krause sustained her torrid offensive start. She scored her eighth goal. New Trier opened the year with six-straight shutouts and allowed a meaningless late goal against Niles West on Friday night.
“Going into the game we knew they had not given up a goal, so we wanted to get that first goal on them and to get that second goal felt really good,” Krause said.
The first 10 minutes showcased the Huskies at their finest: centering and moving the ball, fluidly switching and attacking with speed and verve. It was breathtaking, and stunning on both sides.
“Shaina did a great job of beating her defenders,” Goletz said. “When we got it switched early in the first 20 minutes, we were very dangerous with our wide players.
“At that point I think we were all a little shocked at how we came out. They responded how you’d figure they would respond. They are the three-time defending state champions for a reason. They are not going to go down easy.”
If the Trevians were left reeling by the opening salvo of the Huskies, New Trier righted itself. In an impressive and remarkable turnaround, New Trier (7-1-0) quickly regrouped and showed off its considerable skill and talent.
From the 15th minute mark, New Trier enjoyed advantage of possession and quality of play in generating multiple corner kicks that put Naperville North under considerable strain.
“In soccer if you put the ball on goal, something good is going to happen,” New Trier coach Jim Burnside said. “I thought our girls really responded well after that second goal.”
Continuity is central to the Trevians’ strength. Multiple players who were more complementary pieces a year ago have elevated their games. Avery Schuldt, a senior midfielder, is the lynchpin of the Trevians’ attack. She is quick and daring with the ball and very inventive and dangerous from multiple angles and spots in the field.
New Trier appeared to have a certain goal in the 27th minute off a corner kick by Schuldt that pulled Cablk out of position and set up a point-blank header. Naperville North junior defender Alyssa Siebers made a spectacular clearance.
Cablk made five or her nine saves in the final 26 minutes of the first half.
“Everybody says 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in soccer,” Cablk said. “As a keeper it’s my job to make sure that leads stays strong and that we don’t lose our momentum going forward. Communication and organization are very important, but also making saves when the time is there.”
Naperville North preserved the 2-0 lead moving into the second half. It was unmistakable the momentum had shifted to New Trier. North was reacting, and New Trier gained greater confidence. Naperville North was tested in a manner they had not experienced this year.
It made for some truly scintillating soccer -- New Trier desperate to score and Naperville North doing everything possible to protect the lead. Emma Weaver, New Trier’s precocious freshman midfielder, impressed mightily with her passing and ball skills. Whitney Hoban, a junior forward, found herself in the middle, creating tremendous pressure.
“Even when they did not look like great chances, I thought we did a great job,” Burnside said.
The Trevians are dynamite on set pieces. New Trier’s next superstar is Sydney Parker, a versatile and highly talented 5-9 defender. She plays all over the field. Her abilities on set pieces are unmatched.
New Trier finally broke through in the 72nd minute, just moments after Schuldt’s free kick from about 19 yards out just glanced over the top of the bar. On a re-start after a Naperville North foul, Schuldt blasted a beautiful ball that Parker timed perfectly with a left-footed touch.
“They had the better of play in the last 60, especially in the second half with the wind,” Goletz said. “They are so dangerous on re-starts. We did a great job of keeping them in check. I thought we battled as a group.
“It was not pretty as times, but anytime you can beat a team of this caliber you are pretty excited.”
Time ran out on New Trier.
“It’s really tough to give a great team like that a 2-0 cushion,” Burnside said. “We didn’t give it to them. Anytime we get a 2-0 lead I don’t say the other team gave it to us. They earned it. They created chances, and they finished them.”
Starting lineups
Naperville North
GK: Elizabth Cablk
D: Jessica Siebers
D: Emily Wilhelm
D: Alyssa Siebers
D: Morgan Lockridge
MF: Ashley Santos
MF: Katelynn Buescher
MF: Jeanine Valera
MF: Morgan Krause
F: Shaina Dudas
F: Claire Kotrba
New Trier
GK: Katy Symantiez
D: Megan Murdoch
D: Caroline Iserloth
D: Sam Urban
D: Sydney Parker
MF: Lily Conley
MF: Nicole Kaspi
MF: Emma Weaver
MF: Hannah Arment
MF: Avery Schuldt
F: Whitney Hoban
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Shaina Dudas, jr., MF, Naperville North
Top-ranked Huskies hold off no. 3 Trevians in North Shore Inv.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Confronting the three-time defending state champion on its home field, Naperville North privileged the first adage of a heavyweight fight: Never spar or tap dance with a champion. Be the aggressor and establish the rules of conduct.
Fortune favors the bold.
In a magnificent game of high-level skill, athleticism and intensity, the top-ranked Huskies stunned no. 3 New Trier with two goals in the first eight minutes and subdued the Trevians’ fierce rally with spectacular defensive sequences for the 2-1 victory in the marquee game of opening day of the the inaugural North Shore Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
The game transcended the hype matching the two programs which have accounted for the last five Class 3A state championships.
“This is by far the best team we have played this year, and probably the best we will play,” Naperville North senior star keeper Elizabeth Cablk said. “It’s always great to get this kind of competition in the regular season, and beating a team as good as New Trier is awesome.”
Tactically the game was influenced by the swirling northern winds. The Huskies won the opening toss and elected to play with the wind in the first half.
“We talked at the start about jumping on them early and getting some shots on them,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said.
Naperville North (6-0-0) is a team containing multitudes capable of attacking from multiple angles. Senior forward Chloe Kotrba, an athletic and rangy talent up front, proved the early catalyst in the Huskies’ attack. She set the tone with her possession skills, cutting through the Trevians’ interior and slotting balls on the wing to junior forward Shaina Dudas.
In turn Dudas was spectacular at the start. The Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match utilized her electric speed to get open in space and made the Trevians pay twice. It resulted in a goal and assist.
“We knew we had to really come out hard to catch them off guard,” Dudas said. “Once we got a shot off in there, we made them realize they really are going to have to work. They gave me a ton of space out wide, and I knew if I got the ball I could just go and shoot from distance.
“The wind was crazy today, and you knew anything could happen.”
In the fifth minute, Kotrba split two defenders and slotted the ball wide left as Dudas engineered her run. Despite a New Trier defender riding her hip, Dudas pushed the ball down the left edge and unleashed a rocket ball that New Trier senior keeper Katy Symantiez partially deflected.
The shot had too much pace and velocity and handcuffed the New Trier keeper for the opening score.
“Chloe is really good at holding the ball, and once she got it I was screaming at her to get me the ball,” Dudas said. ‘We definitely wanted to take advantage early before they got the wind.”
In a game of this magnitude, the psychological ramifications of scoring so early are significant. Naperville North was emboldened, and hungry to build off the early momentum.
“Scoring like that pumps us up, but it also tells us that we have to keep going because we have a ton of game left,” Dundas said.
In the eighth minute, Naperville North worked the same combination as Kotrba found Dudas on the left edge and Dudas advanced the ball to a nearly identical spot for another howitzer shot. Symantiez aggressively threw her body for the diving stop. The initial stop was spectacular, but it left the goal vulnerable.
Naperville North senior midfielder Morgan Krause was the beneficiary.
“The ball popped out, and I said 'This is my ball, and I have to finish it,'” Krause said. “I snuck it past in the corner.”
A converted defender, Krause sustained her torrid offensive start. She scored her eighth goal. New Trier opened the year with six-straight shutouts and allowed a meaningless late goal against Niles West on Friday night.
“Going into the game we knew they had not given up a goal, so we wanted to get that first goal on them and to get that second goal felt really good,” Krause said.
The first 10 minutes showcased the Huskies at their finest: centering and moving the ball, fluidly switching and attacking with speed and verve. It was breathtaking, and stunning on both sides.
“Shaina did a great job of beating her defenders,” Goletz said. “When we got it switched early in the first 20 minutes, we were very dangerous with our wide players.
“At that point I think we were all a little shocked at how we came out. They responded how you’d figure they would respond. They are the three-time defending state champions for a reason. They are not going to go down easy.”
If the Trevians were left reeling by the opening salvo of the Huskies, New Trier righted itself. In an impressive and remarkable turnaround, New Trier (7-1-0) quickly regrouped and showed off its considerable skill and talent.
From the 15th minute mark, New Trier enjoyed advantage of possession and quality of play in generating multiple corner kicks that put Naperville North under considerable strain.
“In soccer if you put the ball on goal, something good is going to happen,” New Trier coach Jim Burnside said. “I thought our girls really responded well after that second goal.”
Continuity is central to the Trevians’ strength. Multiple players who were more complementary pieces a year ago have elevated their games. Avery Schuldt, a senior midfielder, is the lynchpin of the Trevians’ attack. She is quick and daring with the ball and very inventive and dangerous from multiple angles and spots in the field.
New Trier appeared to have a certain goal in the 27th minute off a corner kick by Schuldt that pulled Cablk out of position and set up a point-blank header. Naperville North junior defender Alyssa Siebers made a spectacular clearance.
Cablk made five or her nine saves in the final 26 minutes of the first half.
“Everybody says 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in soccer,” Cablk said. “As a keeper it’s my job to make sure that leads stays strong and that we don’t lose our momentum going forward. Communication and organization are very important, but also making saves when the time is there.”
Naperville North preserved the 2-0 lead moving into the second half. It was unmistakable the momentum had shifted to New Trier. North was reacting, and New Trier gained greater confidence. Naperville North was tested in a manner they had not experienced this year.
It made for some truly scintillating soccer -- New Trier desperate to score and Naperville North doing everything possible to protect the lead. Emma Weaver, New Trier’s precocious freshman midfielder, impressed mightily with her passing and ball skills. Whitney Hoban, a junior forward, found herself in the middle, creating tremendous pressure.
“Even when they did not look like great chances, I thought we did a great job,” Burnside said.
The Trevians are dynamite on set pieces. New Trier’s next superstar is Sydney Parker, a versatile and highly talented 5-9 defender. She plays all over the field. Her abilities on set pieces are unmatched.
New Trier finally broke through in the 72nd minute, just moments after Schuldt’s free kick from about 19 yards out just glanced over the top of the bar. On a re-start after a Naperville North foul, Schuldt blasted a beautiful ball that Parker timed perfectly with a left-footed touch.
“They had the better of play in the last 60, especially in the second half with the wind,” Goletz said. “They are so dangerous on re-starts. We did a great job of keeping them in check. I thought we battled as a group.
“It was not pretty as times, but anytime you can beat a team of this caliber you are pretty excited.”
Time ran out on New Trier.
“It’s really tough to give a great team like that a 2-0 cushion,” Burnside said. “We didn’t give it to them. Anytime we get a 2-0 lead I don’t say the other team gave it to us. They earned it. They created chances, and they finished them.”
Starting lineups
Naperville North
GK: Elizabth Cablk
D: Jessica Siebers
D: Emily Wilhelm
D: Alyssa Siebers
D: Morgan Lockridge
MF: Ashley Santos
MF: Katelynn Buescher
MF: Jeanine Valera
MF: Morgan Krause
F: Shaina Dudas
F: Claire Kotrba
New Trier
GK: Katy Symantiez
D: Megan Murdoch
D: Caroline Iserloth
D: Sam Urban
D: Sydney Parker
MF: Lily Conley
MF: Nicole Kaspi
MF: Emma Weaver
MF: Hannah Arment
MF: Avery Schuldt
F: Whitney Hoban
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Shaina Dudas, jr., MF, Naperville North