0-0 tie gives Batavia title over Buffalo Grove
Bulldogs win Frizzelle Memorial on tiebreaker
By Chris Walker
ROSELLE – Batavia controlled most of the game against Buffalo Grove in the Chris Frizzelle Memorial Tournament on Thursday at Lake Park's West Campus in Roselle.
The Bulldogs created far more scoring chances, dominated possessions and limited any scoring opportunities for the Bison.
Despite all that, they had to battle for 80 nerve-wracking minutes realizing that one slip-up, just one mistake in the course of a great evening of soccer, could cost them a game as well as a possible tournament title.
Batavia made sure that wouldn’t happen, and while it didn’t earn a victory against Buffalo Grove – a program that has been its nemesis during this tournament in prior years – it left as the winner because it was awarded the tournament title by goal differential.
Batavia didn’t allow goals in victories against Lake Park and Cary-Grove earlier in the tournament and has yet to allow one this season.
“I think for the girls with the 0-0 (tie), it’s satisfaction that you won the tournament, especially because they didn’t know that coming out,” Bulldogs coach Mark Gianfrancesco said.
“They had no idea they had the won the tournament, but I knew what the tiebreakers were. But just like at the end of the day, like when we tied Oswego at our place, the kids were upset and quiet because they just didn’t score and had chances.”
Buffalo Grove (4-1-1) nearly broke the tie early in the second half when senior forward Sara Busse got a decent open look but had her shot denied by Batavia keeper Jenny Scara.
Batavia (3-0-2) nearly got a breakaway goal from Karina Rosales with 32:13 remaining, but she misfired to the right.
The Bulldogs got a free kick from about 20 yards away from Alexis Bryl with 30:40 left, but she shot just a bit too high.
With 24:17 left, Bryl displayed a fantastic touch with a great pass to Rosales, but her shot was snagged by Buffalo Grove’s junior keeper Cassie Berman, who never truly got much time to take a breath during the game’s 80 minutes.
Berman, who was seen lying on her back near the team’s bench after the game, was also battling an illness and frequently directed her teammates to do what they could to keep Batavia from finding the back of the net.
Despite playing while under the weather, Berman was able to communicate with her teammates and keep Batavia off the scoreboard to earn the draw. For her wonderful effort, she was named the Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
“It was pretty constant out there with breakaways, but it keeps you on your toes,” Berman said. “This was our third game in a row, so that’s tough. You have to be able to stay in shape for this and to communicate. I can’t be sure they hear me well, so I shout and use my arms.”
The Bison had one last good chance with just under 10 minutes remaining to take the lead. Busse took a free kick from 25 yards away and struck it well, but got a little too much under her kick. She sent it off the yellow crossbar of the football goal post, briefly confusing fans who were looking for one of her teammates to pounce on the rebound and send it in.
“We didn’t get as many chances as we wanted. We were playing for the counter tonight and got some in the first half,” Buffalo Grove coach Patrick Dudle said. “In the second half, Batavia was even stronger defensively. They didn’t give up much.”
Despite failing to repeat as champs after a 2-0-1 record and one goal allowed in the tournament, Dudle was pleased from what he saw his team do in Roselle as well as throughout the week.
“We were without a few players, and Batavia is a great team, so to tie them, I was pleased,” Dudle said. “Every time out we’re getting better and better. Our chemistry is better, and our defense is playing well. We’re communicating better, so that’s great to see at this time of the year.”
Batavia’s sideline was filled with smiling players afterward, especially its nine seniors, who have played in this tournament before but never left with a championship plaque.
“It means a lot. It was one of the goals we had at the beginning of the season, and it was one of our big ones,” Batavia junior Carly Simonian said. “We wish we could’ve won the game, but winning the tournament was enough.”
Rosales agreed. “Buffalo Grove is very good, and I think we came into this with a positive mentality,” she said. “We wanted to win this tournament and worked pretty hard to do it.
"We have the mentality that if we do something we’re going to go in hard and do whatever we can. We didn’t win, but I think we outplayed every team in the tournament, so we have reason to leave here happy.”
Batavia will travel to Metea Valley on Monday for a rescheduled game and will take the field with a clean sheet on the season.
“The midfielders have really stepped up,” Gianfrancesco said. “Olivia Callipari, Keegan (Maris), Alexis Bryl. They’re winning 50-50 balls, they’re composed and they’re communicating with each other. That’s solidifying the center for us and helps our wingback be able to get up in the attack.”
Batavia is optimistic that those chances will ultimately arrive. For now, the Bulldogs enjoyed a scoreless evening that still netted them a championship.
“It felt great to win,” Rosales said. “Last year we weren’t as successful as we thought we could be, so to get this tournament win means a lot. Hopefully we’re just starting to bring it all together.”
Bonus note: It proved to be a fantastic night overall for Batavia. Its junior varsity team beat Lake Park 4-0 to win the JV championship.
Starting lineups
Batavia
GK: Jenny Scara
D: Alison Grimm
D: Rachel Reinecke
D: Kayla Stolfa
MF: Alexis Bryl
MF: Olivia Callipari
MF: Karina Rosales
F: Lexi Slome
F: Megan McEachern
F: Carly Simonian
F: Keegan Maris
Buffalo Grove
GK: Cassie Berman
D: Dani Bleichman
D: Gina Bolis
D: Sarah Cain
D: Brittany Lee
MF: Kaylee Gerhardt
MF: Courtney Lee
MF: Georgette Topalis
F: Maria Hamilton
F: Sarah O’Connor
F: Sara Busse
MVP of the Match: Cassie Berman, Buffalo Grove
Officials: Jim Egeberg, Jim Franklin, Marcin Sierak
Bulldogs win Frizzelle Memorial on tiebreaker
By Chris Walker
ROSELLE – Batavia controlled most of the game against Buffalo Grove in the Chris Frizzelle Memorial Tournament on Thursday at Lake Park's West Campus in Roselle.
The Bulldogs created far more scoring chances, dominated possessions and limited any scoring opportunities for the Bison.
Despite all that, they had to battle for 80 nerve-wracking minutes realizing that one slip-up, just one mistake in the course of a great evening of soccer, could cost them a game as well as a possible tournament title.
Batavia made sure that wouldn’t happen, and while it didn’t earn a victory against Buffalo Grove – a program that has been its nemesis during this tournament in prior years – it left as the winner because it was awarded the tournament title by goal differential.
Batavia didn’t allow goals in victories against Lake Park and Cary-Grove earlier in the tournament and has yet to allow one this season.
“I think for the girls with the 0-0 (tie), it’s satisfaction that you won the tournament, especially because they didn’t know that coming out,” Bulldogs coach Mark Gianfrancesco said.
“They had no idea they had the won the tournament, but I knew what the tiebreakers were. But just like at the end of the day, like when we tied Oswego at our place, the kids were upset and quiet because they just didn’t score and had chances.”
Buffalo Grove (4-1-1) nearly broke the tie early in the second half when senior forward Sara Busse got a decent open look but had her shot denied by Batavia keeper Jenny Scara.
Batavia (3-0-2) nearly got a breakaway goal from Karina Rosales with 32:13 remaining, but she misfired to the right.
The Bulldogs got a free kick from about 20 yards away from Alexis Bryl with 30:40 left, but she shot just a bit too high.
With 24:17 left, Bryl displayed a fantastic touch with a great pass to Rosales, but her shot was snagged by Buffalo Grove’s junior keeper Cassie Berman, who never truly got much time to take a breath during the game’s 80 minutes.
Berman, who was seen lying on her back near the team’s bench after the game, was also battling an illness and frequently directed her teammates to do what they could to keep Batavia from finding the back of the net.
Despite playing while under the weather, Berman was able to communicate with her teammates and keep Batavia off the scoreboard to earn the draw. For her wonderful effort, she was named the Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
“It was pretty constant out there with breakaways, but it keeps you on your toes,” Berman said. “This was our third game in a row, so that’s tough. You have to be able to stay in shape for this and to communicate. I can’t be sure they hear me well, so I shout and use my arms.”
The Bison had one last good chance with just under 10 minutes remaining to take the lead. Busse took a free kick from 25 yards away and struck it well, but got a little too much under her kick. She sent it off the yellow crossbar of the football goal post, briefly confusing fans who were looking for one of her teammates to pounce on the rebound and send it in.
“We didn’t get as many chances as we wanted. We were playing for the counter tonight and got some in the first half,” Buffalo Grove coach Patrick Dudle said. “In the second half, Batavia was even stronger defensively. They didn’t give up much.”
Despite failing to repeat as champs after a 2-0-1 record and one goal allowed in the tournament, Dudle was pleased from what he saw his team do in Roselle as well as throughout the week.
“We were without a few players, and Batavia is a great team, so to tie them, I was pleased,” Dudle said. “Every time out we’re getting better and better. Our chemistry is better, and our defense is playing well. We’re communicating better, so that’s great to see at this time of the year.”
Batavia’s sideline was filled with smiling players afterward, especially its nine seniors, who have played in this tournament before but never left with a championship plaque.
“It means a lot. It was one of the goals we had at the beginning of the season, and it was one of our big ones,” Batavia junior Carly Simonian said. “We wish we could’ve won the game, but winning the tournament was enough.”
Rosales agreed. “Buffalo Grove is very good, and I think we came into this with a positive mentality,” she said. “We wanted to win this tournament and worked pretty hard to do it.
"We have the mentality that if we do something we’re going to go in hard and do whatever we can. We didn’t win, but I think we outplayed every team in the tournament, so we have reason to leave here happy.”
Batavia will travel to Metea Valley on Monday for a rescheduled game and will take the field with a clean sheet on the season.
“The midfielders have really stepped up,” Gianfrancesco said. “Olivia Callipari, Keegan (Maris), Alexis Bryl. They’re winning 50-50 balls, they’re composed and they’re communicating with each other. That’s solidifying the center for us and helps our wingback be able to get up in the attack.”
Batavia is optimistic that those chances will ultimately arrive. For now, the Bulldogs enjoyed a scoreless evening that still netted them a championship.
“It felt great to win,” Rosales said. “Last year we weren’t as successful as we thought we could be, so to get this tournament win means a lot. Hopefully we’re just starting to bring it all together.”
Bonus note: It proved to be a fantastic night overall for Batavia. Its junior varsity team beat Lake Park 4-0 to win the JV championship.
Starting lineups
Batavia
GK: Jenny Scara
D: Alison Grimm
D: Rachel Reinecke
D: Kayla Stolfa
MF: Alexis Bryl
MF: Olivia Callipari
MF: Karina Rosales
F: Lexi Slome
F: Megan McEachern
F: Carly Simonian
F: Keegan Maris
Buffalo Grove
GK: Cassie Berman
D: Dani Bleichman
D: Gina Bolis
D: Sarah Cain
D: Brittany Lee
MF: Kaylee Gerhardt
MF: Courtney Lee
MF: Georgette Topalis
F: Maria Hamilton
F: Sarah O’Connor
F: Sara Busse
MVP of the Match: Cassie Berman, Buffalo Grove
Officials: Jim Egeberg, Jim Franklin, Marcin Sierak