Carmel breezes to opening win
Visiting Prairie Ridge no match in season-opener
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- There are many Carmel players to keep an eye on this season. And it was only the season opener on Monday afternoon, but ... .
Senior midfielder Amanda Lasso showed what she was capable of with her play in the center of the pitch -- she led the Corsairs attack and scored two late goals in the home team's 5-1 win over Prairie Ridge.
"It's a lot of hard work, because you have to be moving the ball all around the field," Lasso said. "It's a lot of movement in the middle to find the ball. Just looking for your forwards. I play underneath the attacking forwards to get the ball to them."
The win opened the Carmel quad, which also features Hersey and defending Class 2A state champion Lake Forest.
As for the first game of the season there were some jitters to get over, and the Corsairs did just fine with them.
"Everybody did a good job. We did really well for the first game, and it all worked out," Lasso said. "We all just had a little bit of nerves, but did well together, and it looks good so far."
A good beginning, there's nothing wrong with that for a team that has a number of players returning back from a team that had a lot of success last year.
"Always nice to start with a win," Carmel coach John Halloran said. "Well, once we calmed down a little bit, we started connecting some passes. We were really anxious and maybe that was first game nerves. We were trying to play at 100 mph instead of relaxing and letting the game come to us."
The coach said this edition of Corsairs soccer is going to be different in many ways.
"We do have more natural ability for sure than last year," Halloran said. "Last year's team had some really great seniors and fantastic leadership. We just didn't get the younger kids with them.
"So this year, I definitely have a different feeling, and the commitment level is there. A lot of it will be can we jell as a team, because of how much talent we have."
Angela Salvi started the scoring for the Corsairs. She worked her way through a couple of Wolves' defenders and then found an opportunity from about 20 yards out. Her shot went up top into the corner for a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
Carmel then scored twice off corner kicks in a matter of minutes late in the first half.
Megan Runyan sent the first one in front of the goal. Kayla Handel got a touch on it around the six-yard line, and McKenzie Runyan finished it at the back post in the 35th minute.
Then a few minutes later, Megan Runyan delivered another corner that went off a head of a Prairie Ridge defender and into the goal for the 3-0 advantage.
Prairie Ridge delivered its only goal in the 53rd minute of play. Jessica Dwyer served a high kick to the far post, where Arielis Reyes knocked in to cut the lead to 3-1.
Prairie Ridge gained some momentum, but Lasso took it away with her pair of tallies. The first came in the 75th minute on a finishing kick up top and the other in the final minute off a corner kick from Megan Runyan.
New Carmel keeper Christina O'Block recorded three stops in the win.
Prairie Ridge started its season trying to figure out things and dealing with the problems Carmel presented.
"We use this tournament to find out where were at, and we're trying different formations," Prairie Ridge coach J.C. Brown said. "We found out that we've got to be at a different level with our conditioning. It was more of physicality -- (Carmel) won every single ball whether it was on the ground or in the air. Props to (Carmel), they were in shape and ready to go."
The game was Prairie Ridge's first experience outside this season.
"We've been in the gym practicing. We have to get used to the turf and getting outside," Brown said. "But there's no excuse for the physical play -- we should be in shape and ready to play. Carmel was and weren't ready to play."
Keeper Peyton Trauth provided one of the few highlights for the Wolves with a fine diving save in the first half.
The quad continues Tuesday. Carmel hosts Lake Forest at 5:15 p.m. and Prairie Ridge takes on Hersey at 6:45 p.m.
The four-team round-robin tournament finishes Thursday when Carmel meets Hersey at 4:30 and Prairie Ridge faces Lake Forest at 6:45.
Starting line-ups
Prairie Ridge
GK: Peyton Trauth
D: Mariah Truitt
D: Melissa Bear
D: Halle Simons
MF: Jessica Dwyer
MF: Cassie Warton
F: Arielis Reyes
MF: Shannon Patinella
F: Megan Walsh
MF: Ashtynn Trauth
MF: Gabrielle Fleming
Carmel
GK: Christina O'Block
D: Erin Kobitter
D: Megan Runyan
D: Haley Miller
MF: Erin Johnston
MF: Amanda Lasso
MF: Mackenzie Sheehan
MF: Kayla Handel
MF: McKenzie Runyan
MF: Angela Salvi
F: Mary Murphy
Officials: Oscar Padilla (center); Ron Sevcik; and Steve Lardner.
MVP of the Match: Amanda Lasso, MF, Carmel
Visiting Prairie Ridge no match in season-opener
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- There are many Carmel players to keep an eye on this season. And it was only the season opener on Monday afternoon, but ... .
Senior midfielder Amanda Lasso showed what she was capable of with her play in the center of the pitch -- she led the Corsairs attack and scored two late goals in the home team's 5-1 win over Prairie Ridge.
"It's a lot of hard work, because you have to be moving the ball all around the field," Lasso said. "It's a lot of movement in the middle to find the ball. Just looking for your forwards. I play underneath the attacking forwards to get the ball to them."
The win opened the Carmel quad, which also features Hersey and defending Class 2A state champion Lake Forest.
As for the first game of the season there were some jitters to get over, and the Corsairs did just fine with them.
"Everybody did a good job. We did really well for the first game, and it all worked out," Lasso said. "We all just had a little bit of nerves, but did well together, and it looks good so far."
A good beginning, there's nothing wrong with that for a team that has a number of players returning back from a team that had a lot of success last year.
"Always nice to start with a win," Carmel coach John Halloran said. "Well, once we calmed down a little bit, we started connecting some passes. We were really anxious and maybe that was first game nerves. We were trying to play at 100 mph instead of relaxing and letting the game come to us."
The coach said this edition of Corsairs soccer is going to be different in many ways.
"We do have more natural ability for sure than last year," Halloran said. "Last year's team had some really great seniors and fantastic leadership. We just didn't get the younger kids with them.
"So this year, I definitely have a different feeling, and the commitment level is there. A lot of it will be can we jell as a team, because of how much talent we have."
Angela Salvi started the scoring for the Corsairs. She worked her way through a couple of Wolves' defenders and then found an opportunity from about 20 yards out. Her shot went up top into the corner for a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
Carmel then scored twice off corner kicks in a matter of minutes late in the first half.
Megan Runyan sent the first one in front of the goal. Kayla Handel got a touch on it around the six-yard line, and McKenzie Runyan finished it at the back post in the 35th minute.
Then a few minutes later, Megan Runyan delivered another corner that went off a head of a Prairie Ridge defender and into the goal for the 3-0 advantage.
Prairie Ridge delivered its only goal in the 53rd minute of play. Jessica Dwyer served a high kick to the far post, where Arielis Reyes knocked in to cut the lead to 3-1.
Prairie Ridge gained some momentum, but Lasso took it away with her pair of tallies. The first came in the 75th minute on a finishing kick up top and the other in the final minute off a corner kick from Megan Runyan.
New Carmel keeper Christina O'Block recorded three stops in the win.
Prairie Ridge started its season trying to figure out things and dealing with the problems Carmel presented.
"We use this tournament to find out where were at, and we're trying different formations," Prairie Ridge coach J.C. Brown said. "We found out that we've got to be at a different level with our conditioning. It was more of physicality -- (Carmel) won every single ball whether it was on the ground or in the air. Props to (Carmel), they were in shape and ready to go."
The game was Prairie Ridge's first experience outside this season.
"We've been in the gym practicing. We have to get used to the turf and getting outside," Brown said. "But there's no excuse for the physical play -- we should be in shape and ready to play. Carmel was and weren't ready to play."
Keeper Peyton Trauth provided one of the few highlights for the Wolves with a fine diving save in the first half.
The quad continues Tuesday. Carmel hosts Lake Forest at 5:15 p.m. and Prairie Ridge takes on Hersey at 6:45 p.m.
The four-team round-robin tournament finishes Thursday when Carmel meets Hersey at 4:30 and Prairie Ridge faces Lake Forest at 6:45.
Starting line-ups
Prairie Ridge
GK: Peyton Trauth
D: Mariah Truitt
D: Melissa Bear
D: Halle Simons
MF: Jessica Dwyer
MF: Cassie Warton
F: Arielis Reyes
MF: Shannon Patinella
F: Megan Walsh
MF: Ashtynn Trauth
MF: Gabrielle Fleming
Carmel
GK: Christina O'Block
D: Erin Kobitter
D: Megan Runyan
D: Haley Miller
MF: Erin Johnston
MF: Amanda Lasso
MF: Mackenzie Sheehan
MF: Kayla Handel
MF: McKenzie Runyan
MF: Angela Salvi
F: Mary Murphy
Officials: Oscar Padilla (center); Ron Sevcik; and Steve Lardner.
MVP of the Match: Amanda Lasso, MF, Carmel