St. Francis upended by late Stevenson rush
Spartans play big against Class 3A foe
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Stevenson was an open book waiting to figure out the contours and shape of its own story. Heading into the start of pool play at the North Shore Invite here Saturday, the Patriots had only managed to play one game.
“We are a very new team, not with a lot of returning senior starters,” senior star forward Jillian Steinbrink said. “Games are practice for other games, and it’s always frustrating when you don’t get the opportunity to get your games in. We were still out this whole week, even in the rain and bad weather. I think it was good to have a week of practice to get ready for this tournament.”
Steinbrink created high drama and a deft finish in scoring a goal and facilitating the game-winner in the 79th minute as the Patriots rallied for the 2-1 victory over St. Francis in the North Shore Invitational on Saturday afternoon at New Trier.
Steinbrink earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match distinction for her superb play, but the win was hardly hers alone. Senior Patriots’ keeper Hannah Petrich was spectacular in depriving the high-scoring Spartans.
As the only Class 2A program in the loaded, two-pool field, St. Francis affirmed the Spartans are capable of playing with anybody. Stevenson (1-0-1) made two great offensive plays. St. Francis was right there, going toe to toe.
Stevenson’s enrollment 04 3,984 is four times that of the Spartans.
“I think this is just going to make us better,” Spartans’ star junior forward Kendra Pasquake said. “Playing in this tournament really does challenge us. What team does not want to be challenged? As great as it is to win games 8-1, I think these games are where we really learn where we are as a team.”
Stevenson had the wind in the first half, but the Spartans’ suffocating back proved stellar.
“We had the better play, I think, in the first half, but we could not get close to the goal,” Stevenson coach Kevin Heffernan said. “It was very tough to break them down.
“With the wind in the first half, those passes were a little long. We told them to be ready for the shorter passes in the second half.”
The first half ended scoreless, largely because of the thrilling work of Stevenson senior keeper Hannah Petrich. Twice she made brilliant denials of Pasquale off of corner kicks.
“We heard about (Pasquale) before the game,” Petrich said. “I had a lot of help I front, and I was just doing my job. Being the keeper, I am always patient and try to take the time to read the play. I know if I read it right, I take away their angle, and they have to make a great shot to score. If they do I’d rather live with that than go too early and be upset with my decision.”
Petrich had seven saves.
Senior Spartans’ keeper Tammy Syron also impressed with her aggressive and athletic performance. Remarkably, she is the only senior starter on a team loaded with returning players from last year’s Class 2A fourth place finishers.
Some of the team’s top juniors, like Pasquale, arrived just moments before the start because they took the ACT test earlier that morning.
“Even with the newcomers, everybody loves each other and gets along very well,” Pasquale said. “We all know how each other plays. Our chemistry is good.”
St. Francis (3-1-1) broke through in the 52nd minute. Their constant pressure unnerved the Patriots, resulting in a Stevenson defender committing a foul near the top of the box that occasioned a penalty kick opportunity for Pasquale.
She buried the ball in the left corner for the Patriots’ 1-0 advantage.
Stevenson fought through the adversity, the deficit and trying to mount an attack into the hard wind.
“In the first half we were overhitting a lot of balls, and the weight was wrong,” Steinbrink said. “In the second half, because of the wind, a lot of our balls were being underhit, but I think it worked better because we were able to chase them down.”
In the 69th minute, Steinbrink seized her opportunity. Running on the left edge, she secured a through-ball from midfielder Camryn Cadz and broke free into space. Forcing Syron’s hand, who moved out of the box to cut off her angle, Steinbrink finished inside the far post.
Suddenly it was a new game.
“I think we are a team that works well with momentum,” Steinbrink said. “We scored that one, and then we realized we could get up and attack. It was easier to score the second one after we got going.”
Stevenson maintained the attack. Steinbrink was again at the center of events. In the 79th minute, she raced the ball down the right edge and delivered a sharp cross that sophomore midfielder Katherine Sakshaug put past the once again rushing Syron.
“Jillian played the ball through, and I was wide open,” Sakshaug said. “The keeper saw that and came out at me. I think when she came out like that it just told me I had to get the ball to the side.”
Trailing for the first time, St. Francis worked furiously for the equalizer. In the final seconds, the Spartans had one great final chance on a free kick from about 25 yards out on the right edge.
Pasquale hit a great ball that just eluded Peck.
“Communication is a big thing, and we have been struggling with it a little,” Pasquale said. “I think overall we stayed composed the whole match. There were a couple of moments today we were late (defensively). Going forward, we know we have to be involved in every moment.”
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK: Tammy Syron
D: Lauren Douglass
D: Alex Preusser
D: Elle Curtis
D: Julia Mills
MF: Claire Hensley
MF: Jill DiTusa
MF: Kaitlin Joniak
F: Erin Peck
F: Hannah Rittenhouse
F: Catherine McKee
Stevenson
GK: Hannah Petrich
D: Emma Murphy
D: Lauren Micek
D: Paige Copeland
MF: Camryn Cadiz
MF: Jennifer Staten
MF: Hannah Lapeire
MF: Katherine Sakshaug
F: Jill Steinbrink
F: Kirsten Kendler
F: Brianna Van Zanten
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jillian Steinbrink, sr., F, Stevenson
Spartans play big against Class 3A foe
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Stevenson was an open book waiting to figure out the contours and shape of its own story. Heading into the start of pool play at the North Shore Invite here Saturday, the Patriots had only managed to play one game.
“We are a very new team, not with a lot of returning senior starters,” senior star forward Jillian Steinbrink said. “Games are practice for other games, and it’s always frustrating when you don’t get the opportunity to get your games in. We were still out this whole week, even in the rain and bad weather. I think it was good to have a week of practice to get ready for this tournament.”
Steinbrink created high drama and a deft finish in scoring a goal and facilitating the game-winner in the 79th minute as the Patriots rallied for the 2-1 victory over St. Francis in the North Shore Invitational on Saturday afternoon at New Trier.
Steinbrink earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match distinction for her superb play, but the win was hardly hers alone. Senior Patriots’ keeper Hannah Petrich was spectacular in depriving the high-scoring Spartans.
As the only Class 2A program in the loaded, two-pool field, St. Francis affirmed the Spartans are capable of playing with anybody. Stevenson (1-0-1) made two great offensive plays. St. Francis was right there, going toe to toe.
Stevenson’s enrollment 04 3,984 is four times that of the Spartans.
“I think this is just going to make us better,” Spartans’ star junior forward Kendra Pasquake said. “Playing in this tournament really does challenge us. What team does not want to be challenged? As great as it is to win games 8-1, I think these games are where we really learn where we are as a team.”
Stevenson had the wind in the first half, but the Spartans’ suffocating back proved stellar.
“We had the better play, I think, in the first half, but we could not get close to the goal,” Stevenson coach Kevin Heffernan said. “It was very tough to break them down.
“With the wind in the first half, those passes were a little long. We told them to be ready for the shorter passes in the second half.”
The first half ended scoreless, largely because of the thrilling work of Stevenson senior keeper Hannah Petrich. Twice she made brilliant denials of Pasquale off of corner kicks.
“We heard about (Pasquale) before the game,” Petrich said. “I had a lot of help I front, and I was just doing my job. Being the keeper, I am always patient and try to take the time to read the play. I know if I read it right, I take away their angle, and they have to make a great shot to score. If they do I’d rather live with that than go too early and be upset with my decision.”
Petrich had seven saves.
Senior Spartans’ keeper Tammy Syron also impressed with her aggressive and athletic performance. Remarkably, she is the only senior starter on a team loaded with returning players from last year’s Class 2A fourth place finishers.
Some of the team’s top juniors, like Pasquale, arrived just moments before the start because they took the ACT test earlier that morning.
“Even with the newcomers, everybody loves each other and gets along very well,” Pasquale said. “We all know how each other plays. Our chemistry is good.”
St. Francis (3-1-1) broke through in the 52nd minute. Their constant pressure unnerved the Patriots, resulting in a Stevenson defender committing a foul near the top of the box that occasioned a penalty kick opportunity for Pasquale.
She buried the ball in the left corner for the Patriots’ 1-0 advantage.
Stevenson fought through the adversity, the deficit and trying to mount an attack into the hard wind.
“In the first half we were overhitting a lot of balls, and the weight was wrong,” Steinbrink said. “In the second half, because of the wind, a lot of our balls were being underhit, but I think it worked better because we were able to chase them down.”
In the 69th minute, Steinbrink seized her opportunity. Running on the left edge, she secured a through-ball from midfielder Camryn Cadz and broke free into space. Forcing Syron’s hand, who moved out of the box to cut off her angle, Steinbrink finished inside the far post.
Suddenly it was a new game.
“I think we are a team that works well with momentum,” Steinbrink said. “We scored that one, and then we realized we could get up and attack. It was easier to score the second one after we got going.”
Stevenson maintained the attack. Steinbrink was again at the center of events. In the 79th minute, she raced the ball down the right edge and delivered a sharp cross that sophomore midfielder Katherine Sakshaug put past the once again rushing Syron.
“Jillian played the ball through, and I was wide open,” Sakshaug said. “The keeper saw that and came out at me. I think when she came out like that it just told me I had to get the ball to the side.”
Trailing for the first time, St. Francis worked furiously for the equalizer. In the final seconds, the Spartans had one great final chance on a free kick from about 25 yards out on the right edge.
Pasquale hit a great ball that just eluded Peck.
“Communication is a big thing, and we have been struggling with it a little,” Pasquale said. “I think overall we stayed composed the whole match. There were a couple of moments today we were late (defensively). Going forward, we know we have to be involved in every moment.”
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK: Tammy Syron
D: Lauren Douglass
D: Alex Preusser
D: Elle Curtis
D: Julia Mills
MF: Claire Hensley
MF: Jill DiTusa
MF: Kaitlin Joniak
F: Erin Peck
F: Hannah Rittenhouse
F: Catherine McKee
Stevenson
GK: Hannah Petrich
D: Emma Murphy
D: Lauren Micek
D: Paige Copeland
MF: Camryn Cadiz
MF: Jennifer Staten
MF: Hannah Lapeire
MF: Katherine Sakshaug
F: Jill Steinbrink
F: Kirsten Kendler
F: Brianna Van Zanten
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jillian Steinbrink, sr., F, Stevenson