West Chicago misses
opportunity in "winnable" game
Falls to Schaumburg 1-0
By Dave Surico
SCHAUMBURG -- There are the games that got away, and the ones that are given away.
IWest Chicago experienced a bit of both in the Wildcats 1-0 loss at Schaumburg on Wednesday.
"Winnable games we have to win," said coach J. Cesar Gomez. "This was a winnable game for us. It's early in the season, and we cannot get frustrated. We just have to work through it. We know the blueprint. We just need to play the game."
The visitors enjoyed a majority of the possession but remained goal-less on the season. They were forced to chase Schaumburg after surrendering a penalty kick in the third minute.
"We play very well from 18 to 18. But when we get to the 18 we're impatient or run out of ideas," Gomez said. ""It's hard to play when they key on one player (forward Kayla Kirkwood), and she gets frustrated. She's has to play through that. She's a good player, but when she's out of the run we all kind of fall off a bit.
"It was a good comeback from last night (a 7-0 home loss to powerhouse Hinsdale Central). They show the stuff that we want from them. We want possession, but we need to take a shot."
Schaumburg's Brittany Reinhart had two big chances in the third minute of the game. She made up for missing the first with the penalty kick goal that set the tone for the match.
Her first try came off a West Chicago turnover just outside the box. The senior midfielder blasted a hard shot that Wildcat keeper Emma Gaggioli stopped.
"I should have scored the first one," Reinhart said. "It was a one-on-one, and I should have carried it. She had a great save. Luckily I redeemed myself and got that back."
That chance was quicly followed by the PK just 2:25 seconds into the game.
"I was trying to take a shot and the defender took out my ankles," said Reinhart. "I have a bad ankle now, but luckily I got one (goal). I go to the left mostly, go where I'm confident. I was just mad because I got taken out, and I knew I had to get that goal back.
"The goal felt so good. To get my first senior goal in and start the season off right. We were looking for that confidence and as soon as we got that goal we worked hard. It definitely picked the energy up and everybody picked up their intensity."
Schaumburg kept the pressure on after the score.
In the 10th minute, crosses on the ground from freshman forward Dana Kiszkowski and sophomore forward Samantha Tyler rolled the span of the field through the box without a Saxon to be found in the middle.
West Chicago midfielder Vicky Cantu worked back and aided her defenders with numerous clears in the middle as the energized Saxons kept the ball forward.
Schaumburg saw a strong scoring opportunity evaporate in the 25th minute when Wildcat keeper Gaggioli came out 35 yards to clear a ball in the middle of the pitch. The St. Francis transfer left her stamp on her high school and varsity debut with several big stops that kept West Chicago in the game. For her effort she earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors.
"I like to play with my feet alot. I don't like standing on my line because I don't feel involved," Gaggioli said. "I talk to my defenders. It keeps you in the game.
"Yesterday (against Hinsdale Central) there were a lot more shots. This time I feel our defense was more together, more organized. It made things a lot easier for me.
"From yesterday to today you can already tell that we're getting better, and things will get better."
The keeper didn't let the early PK unsettle her game.
"I know its my job to stop it, but if I can't get it I can't get it," she said. "I just had to keep my head up and keep moving forward rather than being hard on myself."
It showed with strong stops on Kiszkowski in the 46th minute and a sliding save at the top of the box on the freshman as the game neared the three-quarter mark.
After halftime, Schaumburg's offensive advances were few, but they did created several chances. Two dangerous opportunities came on corner kicks when its senior starters linked up.
Reinhart served two perfect balls from the right to the head of teammate Kennedy Irmen. Each found their mark, but flew just outside the left upper corner of the net.
"I thought I had the first one; I just hit it at a bad angle," said Irmen. "And I knew I was going to get the second one. I actually hit it with my face. I was like 'I'm getting my head on it,' and it just went right by the post. I was mad, but I'll get one eventually."
The central defender was a key cog in the back third, where she was a constant disrupter with numerous clears against the West Chicago attack.
"A couple of the (West Chicago) girls have really good footwork. They have really good simple passing," Irmen said. "A couple times they scared me about the ball getting through us, but luckily my defenders stayed on their marks.
"I dropped back a little farther because I didn't want to be caught flat, and I knew they could play those through balls. We definitely did a better job today -- holding them and slowing the ball down."
Saxon coach Greg Charvat was pleased with the performanced of his young club, which has only three seniors on the roster and started six sophomores and a freshman.
Besides senior stars Reinhart and Irmen, the coach commended the work of junior outside marking back Alexis Orozco and sophomore forward/midfielder Gina D'Orazio.
"Our hard work is what helped win this game tonight," Charvat said. "This was a typical early season match-up. We always play them early and they're highly skilled.
"We just work really hard and try to keep our shape. We got a penalty kick early and were able to contain West Chicago enough to not give up the equalizer.
"It was an ugly win, but we'll take any win. We're really excited about getting ourselves back to .500."
The Saxons evened their two match record at 1-1 after a season-opening 2-0 home loss to Bartlett on Monday
West Chicago's best chance to tie the game came in the 52nd minute. Alli Oglanian worked her herself free to take a 15-yard shot on the right side of the net. She picked the short side and made Schaumburg keeper Christina Kim come up with a diving save that preserved the lead and eventually the win.
West Chicago (0-2) showed numerous flashes of its individual and passing skills, but they produced few scoring chances.
Junior midfielder Maddie Aguilar used her eyecatching footwork and spin moves to shake off defenders but fell victim to the same doldrums that plagued the rest of the offense.
"I think we have trouble trying to get through the defense," she said. "We have great players like Kayla, and Katie (Reitz) and Alli with speed. I think at the final third we just freak out and don't know when to shoot or when to go in.
"We'll try to take more shots, try to get more crosses in. Our way of play is to use our sides, which we didn't do much this game. But when we use our sides and send them, and send crosses in, that's when we're more effective and dangerous."
West Chicago will get two chances to claim its first win of the season Saturday. They open the South Elgin tournament with a game against Glenbard South at 11 a.m. Saturday at Millenium Field in Streamwood. Afterward they will home for a 6 p.m. game against St. Francis.
Starting lineups
West Chicago
GK: Emma Gaggioli
D: Kimmy Diaz
D: Patty Fernandez
D: Jessie Maldonado
D: Stephanie Mata
M: Katie Reitz
M: Alexa Vega
M: Vicky Cantu
M: Maddie Aguilar
F: Kayla Kirkwood
F: Jasmine Mendoza
Barrington
GK: Christina Kim
D: Abigail Paolicchi
D: Alexis Orozco
D: Danielle Krug
D: Kennedy Irmen
M: Cassidy Watson
M: Katie Farb
M: Gina D'Orazio
M: Brittany Reinhart
F: Samantha Tyler
F: Dana Kiszkowski
MVP of the Match: Emma Gaggiolo, GK, West Chicago
opportunity in "winnable" game
Falls to Schaumburg 1-0
By Dave Surico
SCHAUMBURG -- There are the games that got away, and the ones that are given away.
IWest Chicago experienced a bit of both in the Wildcats 1-0 loss at Schaumburg on Wednesday.
"Winnable games we have to win," said coach J. Cesar Gomez. "This was a winnable game for us. It's early in the season, and we cannot get frustrated. We just have to work through it. We know the blueprint. We just need to play the game."
The visitors enjoyed a majority of the possession but remained goal-less on the season. They were forced to chase Schaumburg after surrendering a penalty kick in the third minute.
"We play very well from 18 to 18. But when we get to the 18 we're impatient or run out of ideas," Gomez said. ""It's hard to play when they key on one player (forward Kayla Kirkwood), and she gets frustrated. She's has to play through that. She's a good player, but when she's out of the run we all kind of fall off a bit.
"It was a good comeback from last night (a 7-0 home loss to powerhouse Hinsdale Central). They show the stuff that we want from them. We want possession, but we need to take a shot."
Schaumburg's Brittany Reinhart had two big chances in the third minute of the game. She made up for missing the first with the penalty kick goal that set the tone for the match.
Her first try came off a West Chicago turnover just outside the box. The senior midfielder blasted a hard shot that Wildcat keeper Emma Gaggioli stopped.
"I should have scored the first one," Reinhart said. "It was a one-on-one, and I should have carried it. She had a great save. Luckily I redeemed myself and got that back."
That chance was quicly followed by the PK just 2:25 seconds into the game.
"I was trying to take a shot and the defender took out my ankles," said Reinhart. "I have a bad ankle now, but luckily I got one (goal). I go to the left mostly, go where I'm confident. I was just mad because I got taken out, and I knew I had to get that goal back.
"The goal felt so good. To get my first senior goal in and start the season off right. We were looking for that confidence and as soon as we got that goal we worked hard. It definitely picked the energy up and everybody picked up their intensity."
Schaumburg kept the pressure on after the score.
In the 10th minute, crosses on the ground from freshman forward Dana Kiszkowski and sophomore forward Samantha Tyler rolled the span of the field through the box without a Saxon to be found in the middle.
West Chicago midfielder Vicky Cantu worked back and aided her defenders with numerous clears in the middle as the energized Saxons kept the ball forward.
Schaumburg saw a strong scoring opportunity evaporate in the 25th minute when Wildcat keeper Gaggioli came out 35 yards to clear a ball in the middle of the pitch. The St. Francis transfer left her stamp on her high school and varsity debut with several big stops that kept West Chicago in the game. For her effort she earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors.
"I like to play with my feet alot. I don't like standing on my line because I don't feel involved," Gaggioli said. "I talk to my defenders. It keeps you in the game.
"Yesterday (against Hinsdale Central) there were a lot more shots. This time I feel our defense was more together, more organized. It made things a lot easier for me.
"From yesterday to today you can already tell that we're getting better, and things will get better."
The keeper didn't let the early PK unsettle her game.
"I know its my job to stop it, but if I can't get it I can't get it," she said. "I just had to keep my head up and keep moving forward rather than being hard on myself."
It showed with strong stops on Kiszkowski in the 46th minute and a sliding save at the top of the box on the freshman as the game neared the three-quarter mark.
After halftime, Schaumburg's offensive advances were few, but they did created several chances. Two dangerous opportunities came on corner kicks when its senior starters linked up.
Reinhart served two perfect balls from the right to the head of teammate Kennedy Irmen. Each found their mark, but flew just outside the left upper corner of the net.
"I thought I had the first one; I just hit it at a bad angle," said Irmen. "And I knew I was going to get the second one. I actually hit it with my face. I was like 'I'm getting my head on it,' and it just went right by the post. I was mad, but I'll get one eventually."
The central defender was a key cog in the back third, where she was a constant disrupter with numerous clears against the West Chicago attack.
"A couple of the (West Chicago) girls have really good footwork. They have really good simple passing," Irmen said. "A couple times they scared me about the ball getting through us, but luckily my defenders stayed on their marks.
"I dropped back a little farther because I didn't want to be caught flat, and I knew they could play those through balls. We definitely did a better job today -- holding them and slowing the ball down."
Saxon coach Greg Charvat was pleased with the performanced of his young club, which has only three seniors on the roster and started six sophomores and a freshman.
Besides senior stars Reinhart and Irmen, the coach commended the work of junior outside marking back Alexis Orozco and sophomore forward/midfielder Gina D'Orazio.
"Our hard work is what helped win this game tonight," Charvat said. "This was a typical early season match-up. We always play them early and they're highly skilled.
"We just work really hard and try to keep our shape. We got a penalty kick early and were able to contain West Chicago enough to not give up the equalizer.
"It was an ugly win, but we'll take any win. We're really excited about getting ourselves back to .500."
The Saxons evened their two match record at 1-1 after a season-opening 2-0 home loss to Bartlett on Monday
West Chicago's best chance to tie the game came in the 52nd minute. Alli Oglanian worked her herself free to take a 15-yard shot on the right side of the net. She picked the short side and made Schaumburg keeper Christina Kim come up with a diving save that preserved the lead and eventually the win.
West Chicago (0-2) showed numerous flashes of its individual and passing skills, but they produced few scoring chances.
Junior midfielder Maddie Aguilar used her eyecatching footwork and spin moves to shake off defenders but fell victim to the same doldrums that plagued the rest of the offense.
"I think we have trouble trying to get through the defense," she said. "We have great players like Kayla, and Katie (Reitz) and Alli with speed. I think at the final third we just freak out and don't know when to shoot or when to go in.
"We'll try to take more shots, try to get more crosses in. Our way of play is to use our sides, which we didn't do much this game. But when we use our sides and send them, and send crosses in, that's when we're more effective and dangerous."
West Chicago will get two chances to claim its first win of the season Saturday. They open the South Elgin tournament with a game against Glenbard South at 11 a.m. Saturday at Millenium Field in Streamwood. Afterward they will home for a 6 p.m. game against St. Francis.
Starting lineups
West Chicago
GK: Emma Gaggioli
D: Kimmy Diaz
D: Patty Fernandez
D: Jessie Maldonado
D: Stephanie Mata
M: Katie Reitz
M: Alexa Vega
M: Vicky Cantu
M: Maddie Aguilar
F: Kayla Kirkwood
F: Jasmine Mendoza
Barrington
GK: Christina Kim
D: Abigail Paolicchi
D: Alexis Orozco
D: Danielle Krug
D: Kennedy Irmen
M: Cassidy Watson
M: Katie Farb
M: Gina D'Orazio
M: Brittany Reinhart
F: Samantha Tyler
F: Dana Kiszkowski
MVP of the Match: Emma Gaggiolo, GK, West Chicago