Miller helps Carmel grind out big ESCC win
Senior defender breaks ice to lead Corsairs past Saint Viator 2-0
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Haley Miller has done a lot for Carmel's girls soccer team. She has focused her efforts as a consistantly strong player on the Corsairs' backline, but she has also found other ways to help out her team.
Miller uses her strength and technical ability to slow and stop opposing offenses but sometimes transitions those abilities to aid the Corsairs' attack.
There have even been a few times this season that she's been able to score goals. Those came on headers off corner kicks earlier this season against Vernon Hills and Crystal Lake South.
The senior found another way of scoring to lead Carmelm which scored twice in the second half to take down rival Saint Viator 2-0 in an East Suburban Catholic Conference match Wednesday night in Mundelein.
"It's exciting because I really never do it," said Miller, who earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her night's work. "I get to contribute, and that part is fun. I thought our offense worked hard, and it was a good night."
Miller found a way to break a scoreless battle that carried into the 52nd minute. Carmel had sustained some pressure up-top with a couple of opportunities at the Saint Viator goal. However the visitors were doing a pretty good job on defense and tried to again clear the ball out of harm's way. But Miller brought the ball down and connected on the shot for a 1-0 Corsairs' lead.
"Whenever we do that in practice, it's whatever you can do to get the ball back in," Miller said "I just got it back in. Nobody was in front of me, so I just hit it, and it went into the goal."
As usual, Miller was a big part of the Corsairs' defensive line, where she toils with Ali Cepon, Lily Sykes and Ciara Thomas
"It's always a big deal when we play Saint Viator and Benet," Miller said. "A Viator win is like two wins for anybody else. Also when you shut them out, it's like we did our job on defense. The offense scores the goals, and we don't give up any."
The Corsairs' insurance goal came 6 minutes later. Junior midfielder Riley Harmon slotted a ball off to Skyler Thomas. The sophomore forward gathered and advanced the ball, made a move to get past Saint Viator keeper Anna Johnston (4 saves) and placed the ball into the back of the open net for her eighth goal this season.
Thomas' conversion made up for a few missed opportunities in the first half, though most of the credit goes to Lions' keeper Johnston who played a bit higher in the box. That allowed her to either gather the ball or charge out and kick threats away.
"I felt like I was getting outplayed physically (in the first half)," Thomas said. "Because (Saint Viator) was really quick, and I was angry for not getting around the goalkeeper several times. And that was affecting me. At halftime, I was able to get calmed down.
"In the beginning (of the first half), there was a ball when I was first going at her (Johnston). She actually waited for me to come at her. Normally, I'm used to a goalie coming at me, so I can use the momentum to touch around them.
"But this time (in the second half), I had to be more tactical, wait for her to come out more and take her 1-v.-1. Once I got past her, I was able to put the ball into the corner."
On the opposite end of the field, Sophia Sarkis earned the clean sheet with 3 saves.
The victory for Carmel (8-4-3, 5-0-1) clinches at least a share of the ESCC title. The Corsairs can win the title outright with a victory when they host Marian (0-6-0 ESCC) on May 8. Nazareth (4-1-1 ESCC) travels to Saint Viator (7-5-1, 3-2-0) for its conference finale May 11.
Click here to see updated East Suburban Catholic Conference standings.
"It's a very, very big win, and it's toward the end of the conference," Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "It puts us in the position to win the conference. The math isn't done, because we still have to beat Marian.
"I thought our defense did a great job to earn that shutout. They were staying organized in the back. (Saint Viator) didn't have many shots or chances."
The visitors hung with Carmel beyond the scoreless first half. The Lions regrouped a bit and found some intensity opening up the second half. Saint Viator seemed to have the better of the play for about 10 minutes until the Corsairs found the opening goal.
"Carmel was a pretty good team," Saint Viator coach Mike Taylor said. "First half, we were a bit out of sync. Start of the second half we got things going. We started to put things together. But then (Miller) put the ball into the back of the net.
"We don't score a lot of goals, and then we were chasing at that point. It's hard for us to score goals."
Starting lineups
Saint Viator
GK-Anna Johnston
D-Felicia Moncada
D-Maureen McGrath
D-Sarah Schade
D-Amelia Bottcher
MF-Payton McDonnell
MF-Katherine Schade
MF-Madelyn Fitzpatrick
MF-Christina Petrillo
F-Mary Ann Castelli
F-Michaela Mueller
Carmel
GK-Sophia Sarkis
D-Lily Sykes
D-Ali Cepon
D-Haley Miller
D-Ciara Thomas
MF-Riley Harmon
MF-Grace Nolan
MF-Shanon Murphy
MF-Angie Salvi
F-Gianna Sarallo
F-Emma Heinrich
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Haley Miller, sr., D, Carmel
Senior defender breaks ice to lead Corsairs past Saint Viator 2-0
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Haley Miller has done a lot for Carmel's girls soccer team. She has focused her efforts as a consistantly strong player on the Corsairs' backline, but she has also found other ways to help out her team.
Miller uses her strength and technical ability to slow and stop opposing offenses but sometimes transitions those abilities to aid the Corsairs' attack.
There have even been a few times this season that she's been able to score goals. Those came on headers off corner kicks earlier this season against Vernon Hills and Crystal Lake South.
The senior found another way of scoring to lead Carmelm which scored twice in the second half to take down rival Saint Viator 2-0 in an East Suburban Catholic Conference match Wednesday night in Mundelein.
"It's exciting because I really never do it," said Miller, who earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her night's work. "I get to contribute, and that part is fun. I thought our offense worked hard, and it was a good night."
Miller found a way to break a scoreless battle that carried into the 52nd minute. Carmel had sustained some pressure up-top with a couple of opportunities at the Saint Viator goal. However the visitors were doing a pretty good job on defense and tried to again clear the ball out of harm's way. But Miller brought the ball down and connected on the shot for a 1-0 Corsairs' lead.
"Whenever we do that in practice, it's whatever you can do to get the ball back in," Miller said "I just got it back in. Nobody was in front of me, so I just hit it, and it went into the goal."
As usual, Miller was a big part of the Corsairs' defensive line, where she toils with Ali Cepon, Lily Sykes and Ciara Thomas
"It's always a big deal when we play Saint Viator and Benet," Miller said. "A Viator win is like two wins for anybody else. Also when you shut them out, it's like we did our job on defense. The offense scores the goals, and we don't give up any."
The Corsairs' insurance goal came 6 minutes later. Junior midfielder Riley Harmon slotted a ball off to Skyler Thomas. The sophomore forward gathered and advanced the ball, made a move to get past Saint Viator keeper Anna Johnston (4 saves) and placed the ball into the back of the open net for her eighth goal this season.
Thomas' conversion made up for a few missed opportunities in the first half, though most of the credit goes to Lions' keeper Johnston who played a bit higher in the box. That allowed her to either gather the ball or charge out and kick threats away.
"I felt like I was getting outplayed physically (in the first half)," Thomas said. "Because (Saint Viator) was really quick, and I was angry for not getting around the goalkeeper several times. And that was affecting me. At halftime, I was able to get calmed down.
"In the beginning (of the first half), there was a ball when I was first going at her (Johnston). She actually waited for me to come at her. Normally, I'm used to a goalie coming at me, so I can use the momentum to touch around them.
"But this time (in the second half), I had to be more tactical, wait for her to come out more and take her 1-v.-1. Once I got past her, I was able to put the ball into the corner."
On the opposite end of the field, Sophia Sarkis earned the clean sheet with 3 saves.
The victory for Carmel (8-4-3, 5-0-1) clinches at least a share of the ESCC title. The Corsairs can win the title outright with a victory when they host Marian (0-6-0 ESCC) on May 8. Nazareth (4-1-1 ESCC) travels to Saint Viator (7-5-1, 3-2-0) for its conference finale May 11.
Click here to see updated East Suburban Catholic Conference standings.
"It's a very, very big win, and it's toward the end of the conference," Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "It puts us in the position to win the conference. The math isn't done, because we still have to beat Marian.
"I thought our defense did a great job to earn that shutout. They were staying organized in the back. (Saint Viator) didn't have many shots or chances."
The visitors hung with Carmel beyond the scoreless first half. The Lions regrouped a bit and found some intensity opening up the second half. Saint Viator seemed to have the better of the play for about 10 minutes until the Corsairs found the opening goal.
"Carmel was a pretty good team," Saint Viator coach Mike Taylor said. "First half, we were a bit out of sync. Start of the second half we got things going. We started to put things together. But then (Miller) put the ball into the back of the net.
"We don't score a lot of goals, and then we were chasing at that point. It's hard for us to score goals."
Starting lineups
Saint Viator
GK-Anna Johnston
D-Felicia Moncada
D-Maureen McGrath
D-Sarah Schade
D-Amelia Bottcher
MF-Payton McDonnell
MF-Katherine Schade
MF-Madelyn Fitzpatrick
MF-Christina Petrillo
F-Mary Ann Castelli
F-Michaela Mueller
Carmel
GK-Sophia Sarkis
D-Lily Sykes
D-Ali Cepon
D-Haley Miller
D-Ciara Thomas
MF-Riley Harmon
MF-Grace Nolan
MF-Shanon Murphy
MF-Angie Salvi
F-Gianna Sarallo
F-Emma Heinrich
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Haley Miller, sr., D, Carmel