Shorthanded Young battles,
but falls at Morton
Strong defensive effort not enough in 2-0 loss
By Dave Owen
BERWYN --A taste of Pepsi came at a not-so refreshing time for Young.
With nearly half the roster missing due to spring break, the Dolphins (7-7-0) gamely battled through the adversity with a strong defensive effort in Thursday’s PepsiCo Showdown quarterfinal match of the LJ's Healing Hearts bracket at Morton (7-2-0).
But two goals by the fourth-seeded host Mustangs’ Stephanie Hernandez (including the tiebreaker just 1:48 before halftime) proved to be the difference in a 2-0 Morton win.
Fifth-seeded Young had entered the match with five wins in its last six games -– but had a daunting challenge to overcome.
“Before the game we had to cross 11 players off the roster who are gone,” Young coach Spero Mandakas said of his team’s spring break absences. “We’re working with who’s here and committed to the team during spring break.
“We started off slow, but the last 15 minutes we showed promise, getting some solid possession and getting the team into a possession phase. But we were never able to find it. We just have to regroup and get ready for Saturday.”
The spring break challenge has produced both exhaustion, and opportunities.
“It’s been a little tough,” Mandakas said. “Girls that aren’t used to playing 80 minutes are playing 80 minutes, and some of the girls who are used to coming off the bench for 15 minutes are being put into some decent roles. We’re seeing who can play in those roles, and we’ll make adjustments to the roster going forward.”
Senior co-captain Cameron Herman was one of the standouts defensively Thursday. Shifting to an unfamiliar center back position, she helped limit the damage from the persistent attacks of Morton’s speedy strikers.
“I don’t usually play that position – I’m usually an outside player,” Herman said. “I was adjusting to that, but that’s what good soccer players have to do, adjust to what you have.
“It’s spring break, so it’s a matter of trying to get in the swing of it and trying to stay composed with what we have.”
One of Herman’s strong plays came 10:45 before halftime. Off a Morton free kick from the right sideline 18 yards out, Herman blocked the attempt and triggered a counterattack by Olivia Putrim and Keila Vega that was eventually denied.
Mariah Helm was another Young defensive standout. In the 17th minute of the match, she had two-consecutive blocks on a Morton threat (the second a block and clear 10 yards out on a Nayelly Villalobos shot).
With 7:55 left in the half, Kyra Sobel broke up a threat at the top of the box, and Herman followed with a shot block and clear.
Then 2:45 before halftime, sophomore Carson Herman had a nice steal at the 40-yard line to defuse another budding Morton threat.
“What we were trying to do more of is stay behind them (the Morton attackers) and not let them turn,” Cameron Herman said. “We were trying to keep the pressure tight on their backs so they didn’t have the space to turn.
“At times we did a good job of that, but there were a few times that they got the best of us.”
One of those rare times came after 38-plus minutes of scoreless soccer.
With 1:48 left in the half, Morton’s Janette Moreno burst in up the middle, drew the defense and passed to Hernandez racing in on right wing. Hernandez’s putaway inside the right post put the Mustangs up 1-0.
“We connected, and we were doing a good job serving balls into the box and keeping them moving,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “That’s what we stress with the girls, to try to keep the ball on Janette Moreno’s foot.”
For Young, the second half produced offensive improvement, several nice saves by sophomore goalkeeper Mia Engelman – but also a frustrating momentum turn.
Engelman starred with 35:15 left in the match, leaping high to deflect Villalobos’ high 28-yard shot over the crossbar. Ellavieve McCarthy then blocked the ensuing Morton corner kick to prevent any damage on the restart.
One of many Young players taking advantage of increased playing time, Engelman has emerged as a strong complement for starting goalkeeper Sloane Kistinger (who was at the University of Colorado for new student orientation).
“Mia was our JV keeper,” Mandakas said. “She’s stepped up well for us and has played some good games – she has two shutouts on the season (on varsity).”
Young’s defense sparked its first big offensive chance of the game with 31:05 left. Off a Morton corner kick, Sarah Heise made a strong upfield send from the back post to ignite a counterattack.
Mia Lisanti took the Heise send on a long run up the sideline, and Vega sent the ensuing cross to the front just over the net.
“Sarah Heise played a really good game in the midfield,” Mandakas said. “She was able to set the tone with possession and distribution, and get herself into some good 1-v.-1 situations. She’s really stepped up with the lack of our usual center mids during spring break.”
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, their quick response on that counterattack was matched by Morton.
Just 35 seconds later (with 30:31 to go), Moreno drove up the right side and found Hernandez in front for an 8-yard shot and a 2-0 lead.
“It was me and the other forward Janette (in on goal),” Hernandez said. “She passed it to me, and I had three girls coming at me, so I just shot it, and it went it. It was so intense.
“We were trying to use teamwork, and then my finishes were really strong.”
With seven shutouts this season, the Young defense was back in top form the rest of the way Thursday.
Engelman made the save at the right post on a Jackie Murillo 15-yard shot with 29:30 to play, and Carson Herman made a nice header block of a Murillo cross to the box with 23:15 left. Engelman added two more saves on shots from inside 20 yards in the final 12:45 of play.
And at the offensive end, Young began to generate increased chances.
Lisanti had a 15-yard shot on goal (a save at the near post by Morton goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez) with 26:05 to play, and a sustained attack ended with a block at the 20 of a Sara Woods shot with 14:15 left.
Gonzalez later made saves on shots by Vega (a low skipping 20-yard try with 14:05 left) and Carina Barillas (30-yarder with 4:10 to play). Then Woods’ shot off a nice Heise cross to the front with 1:20 to go was deflected wide for a Young corner kick.
Woods’ header off the ensuing Barillas corner was cleared, and a high Woods 30-yard shot with 25 seconds left was grabbed by Gonzalez to deny the last chance in Young’s late surge.
“We just need to work on having that killer mindset,” Mandakas said. “We’re getting ourselves behind in games, and then the last 15 minutes throwing it all into it. We need to do that from the start and be the ones setting the pressure, instead of the pressure being on us and having to adjust to it.”
To Cameron Herman, better responses to adversity and a more complete roster should spark improved late-season results for the Dolphins.
“It would be nice to have our whole team back,” she said. “And we just have to work on staying composed. A lot of times when we get the first goal scored on us, we hang our heads. We need to stay in the spirit of the game and not get caught up in the score of the game.
“I know as soon as we had that first goal scored on us today, we kind of hung our heads low. Just by that last 15 minutes you could tell we had come back into it. But we have to make sure we bounce back faster.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK- Mia Engelman
D- Carson Herman
D- Mariah Helm
D- Cameron Herman
D- Kyra Sobel
M- Carina Barillas
M- Ellavieve McCarthy
M- Olivia Putrim
M- Sara Woods
F- Keila Vega
F- Mia Lisanti
Morton
GK- Dayanna Gonzalez
D- Gabriela Gamboa
D- Angie Solano
D- Jenny Gonzalez
D- Valeria Orozco
M- Jackie Murillo
M- Nayelly Villalobos
M- Anahi Aguilar
M- Stephanie Hernandez
F- Jessica Franco
F- Janette Moreno
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Stephanie Hernandez, jr. M/F, Morton
but falls at Morton
Strong defensive effort not enough in 2-0 loss
By Dave Owen
BERWYN --A taste of Pepsi came at a not-so refreshing time for Young.
With nearly half the roster missing due to spring break, the Dolphins (7-7-0) gamely battled through the adversity with a strong defensive effort in Thursday’s PepsiCo Showdown quarterfinal match of the LJ's Healing Hearts bracket at Morton (7-2-0).
But two goals by the fourth-seeded host Mustangs’ Stephanie Hernandez (including the tiebreaker just 1:48 before halftime) proved to be the difference in a 2-0 Morton win.
Fifth-seeded Young had entered the match with five wins in its last six games -– but had a daunting challenge to overcome.
“Before the game we had to cross 11 players off the roster who are gone,” Young coach Spero Mandakas said of his team’s spring break absences. “We’re working with who’s here and committed to the team during spring break.
“We started off slow, but the last 15 minutes we showed promise, getting some solid possession and getting the team into a possession phase. But we were never able to find it. We just have to regroup and get ready for Saturday.”
The spring break challenge has produced both exhaustion, and opportunities.
“It’s been a little tough,” Mandakas said. “Girls that aren’t used to playing 80 minutes are playing 80 minutes, and some of the girls who are used to coming off the bench for 15 minutes are being put into some decent roles. We’re seeing who can play in those roles, and we’ll make adjustments to the roster going forward.”
Senior co-captain Cameron Herman was one of the standouts defensively Thursday. Shifting to an unfamiliar center back position, she helped limit the damage from the persistent attacks of Morton’s speedy strikers.
“I don’t usually play that position – I’m usually an outside player,” Herman said. “I was adjusting to that, but that’s what good soccer players have to do, adjust to what you have.
“It’s spring break, so it’s a matter of trying to get in the swing of it and trying to stay composed with what we have.”
One of Herman’s strong plays came 10:45 before halftime. Off a Morton free kick from the right sideline 18 yards out, Herman blocked the attempt and triggered a counterattack by Olivia Putrim and Keila Vega that was eventually denied.
Mariah Helm was another Young defensive standout. In the 17th minute of the match, she had two-consecutive blocks on a Morton threat (the second a block and clear 10 yards out on a Nayelly Villalobos shot).
With 7:55 left in the half, Kyra Sobel broke up a threat at the top of the box, and Herman followed with a shot block and clear.
Then 2:45 before halftime, sophomore Carson Herman had a nice steal at the 40-yard line to defuse another budding Morton threat.
“What we were trying to do more of is stay behind them (the Morton attackers) and not let them turn,” Cameron Herman said. “We were trying to keep the pressure tight on their backs so they didn’t have the space to turn.
“At times we did a good job of that, but there were a few times that they got the best of us.”
One of those rare times came after 38-plus minutes of scoreless soccer.
With 1:48 left in the half, Morton’s Janette Moreno burst in up the middle, drew the defense and passed to Hernandez racing in on right wing. Hernandez’s putaway inside the right post put the Mustangs up 1-0.
“We connected, and we were doing a good job serving balls into the box and keeping them moving,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “That’s what we stress with the girls, to try to keep the ball on Janette Moreno’s foot.”
For Young, the second half produced offensive improvement, several nice saves by sophomore goalkeeper Mia Engelman – but also a frustrating momentum turn.
Engelman starred with 35:15 left in the match, leaping high to deflect Villalobos’ high 28-yard shot over the crossbar. Ellavieve McCarthy then blocked the ensuing Morton corner kick to prevent any damage on the restart.
One of many Young players taking advantage of increased playing time, Engelman has emerged as a strong complement for starting goalkeeper Sloane Kistinger (who was at the University of Colorado for new student orientation).
“Mia was our JV keeper,” Mandakas said. “She’s stepped up well for us and has played some good games – she has two shutouts on the season (on varsity).”
Young’s defense sparked its first big offensive chance of the game with 31:05 left. Off a Morton corner kick, Sarah Heise made a strong upfield send from the back post to ignite a counterattack.
Mia Lisanti took the Heise send on a long run up the sideline, and Vega sent the ensuing cross to the front just over the net.
“Sarah Heise played a really good game in the midfield,” Mandakas said. “She was able to set the tone with possession and distribution, and get herself into some good 1-v.-1 situations. She’s really stepped up with the lack of our usual center mids during spring break.”
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, their quick response on that counterattack was matched by Morton.
Just 35 seconds later (with 30:31 to go), Moreno drove up the right side and found Hernandez in front for an 8-yard shot and a 2-0 lead.
“It was me and the other forward Janette (in on goal),” Hernandez said. “She passed it to me, and I had three girls coming at me, so I just shot it, and it went it. It was so intense.
“We were trying to use teamwork, and then my finishes were really strong.”
With seven shutouts this season, the Young defense was back in top form the rest of the way Thursday.
Engelman made the save at the right post on a Jackie Murillo 15-yard shot with 29:30 to play, and Carson Herman made a nice header block of a Murillo cross to the box with 23:15 left. Engelman added two more saves on shots from inside 20 yards in the final 12:45 of play.
And at the offensive end, Young began to generate increased chances.
Lisanti had a 15-yard shot on goal (a save at the near post by Morton goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez) with 26:05 to play, and a sustained attack ended with a block at the 20 of a Sara Woods shot with 14:15 left.
Gonzalez later made saves on shots by Vega (a low skipping 20-yard try with 14:05 left) and Carina Barillas (30-yarder with 4:10 to play). Then Woods’ shot off a nice Heise cross to the front with 1:20 to go was deflected wide for a Young corner kick.
Woods’ header off the ensuing Barillas corner was cleared, and a high Woods 30-yard shot with 25 seconds left was grabbed by Gonzalez to deny the last chance in Young’s late surge.
“We just need to work on having that killer mindset,” Mandakas said. “We’re getting ourselves behind in games, and then the last 15 minutes throwing it all into it. We need to do that from the start and be the ones setting the pressure, instead of the pressure being on us and having to adjust to it.”
To Cameron Herman, better responses to adversity and a more complete roster should spark improved late-season results for the Dolphins.
“It would be nice to have our whole team back,” she said. “And we just have to work on staying composed. A lot of times when we get the first goal scored on us, we hang our heads. We need to stay in the spirit of the game and not get caught up in the score of the game.
“I know as soon as we had that first goal scored on us today, we kind of hung our heads low. Just by that last 15 minutes you could tell we had come back into it. But we have to make sure we bounce back faster.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK- Mia Engelman
D- Carson Herman
D- Mariah Helm
D- Cameron Herman
D- Kyra Sobel
M- Carina Barillas
M- Ellavieve McCarthy
M- Olivia Putrim
M- Sara Woods
F- Keila Vega
F- Mia Lisanti
Morton
GK- Dayanna Gonzalez
D- Gabriela Gamboa
D- Angie Solano
D- Jenny Gonzalez
D- Valeria Orozco
M- Jackie Murillo
M- Nayelly Villalobos
M- Anahi Aguilar
M- Stephanie Hernandez
F- Jessica Franco
F- Janette Moreno
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Stephanie Hernandez, jr. M/F, Morton