Hinsdale Central edges
Geneva in overtime
Both teams persevere under tough conditions
By Matt Le Cren
WHEATON – Hinsdale Central wasn’t so much singing in the rain as it was breathing a sigh of relief after eking out a 1-0 double-overtime victory over Geneva on Saturday at Wheaton North’s Rexilius Field.
The Naperville Invitational group play match held no hope of advancement for either squad because both had lost to Wheaton North in their opening games.
Add to that the inclement weather, which featured a steady rain and cold temperatures, and it was easy to see why both teams were a little miserable.
“The game last night was the same,” said Geneva coach Megan Owens, whose team lost 3-0 to Wheaton North in the pouring rain Friday night. “Obviously it’s always tough to lose, but you hate to work so hard and battle all the elements and then lose at the end.
“It’s just hard to play. The ball is just bouncing around wildly. Definitely not [fun].”
Hinsdale Central at least had something to smile about after Jenny Saviski knocked home a corner kick from Lauren Cangelosi with 7:22 remaining in the second overtime. The Red Devils (9-3) made that goal stand up, controlling the possession the rest of the way.
“We kept good pressure the whole game, so we knew it was going to come eventually,” Hinsdale Central defender Erin Smith said. “So that was just a really big relief that it came right at the end.”
Smith earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her tireless efforts at controlling the action on the left flank. She moved seamlessly between left back and outside midfield.
But it was Saviski who was in the right place at the right time on the winning goal, leaning in and heading the ball out of a crowd just inside the six-yard box.
It was the first goal of the tournament for the Red Devils, who were beaten 1-0 on penalty kicks by Wheaton North on Thursday night despite having the edge in possession.
“It was coming to the near post, so the goalie was behind me and there were a lot of people coming in,” Saviski said. “So I ducked to flip it over.”
It was what hockey players call a “greasy goal” and left everyone confused about who scored it.
“It was just sloppy in the box,” Owens said. “We couldn’t see what was happening. It was on the other side of the field, so I couldn’t tell. They got lucky today, and we didn’t.”
Saviski said she screened a defender on the play and the ball got by Geneva’s
freshman goalkeeper Carrie Ostergard, who made six saves and kept the Vikings (4-7-2) in the match with her fine play.
Ostergard began the year on the junior varsity team but was called up to varsity three weeks ago when sophomore starter Emma Harkleroad suffered a broken collarbone. Harkleroad hopes to return for the playoffs, but Ostergard has played well in relief.
Ostergard made a diving stop on Maeve McLaughlin’s header late in the first half and made the save of the game with 10:05 remaining in the second half when she came out to knock away Katie Murphy’s dangerous lead pass intended for Julie Culler, then dove backward as she was retreating to grab Emma Dannhausen-Brun’s rebound shot.
“She played well,” Owens said. “It’s just unfortunate to lose your [experienced] keeper to a collarbone, but I’m very, very happy with how [Ostergard] has done.”
Though their record may not reflect it, the young Vikings are getting better despite facing a rigorous schedule. The Naperville Invitational is considered to be the toughest tournament in the state, and there are no easy games.
“I thought we played real well to hang with Hinsdale Central and keep it 0-0 through 90 minutes,” Owens said. “They had the advantage; they didn’t play last night. We played last night and didn’t get home until 10, and we got drenched.
“We were at a little disadvantage from being out in all the elements the night before but we’re playing well together as a team.”
Owens, who credited co-captains Allie Mikos and Mary Landry for their leadership, said Megan Albrecht and Megan Fitz have stepped up their play recently, and that has helped the team be more competitive.
“We’re getting to where we need to be,” Owens said. “We’ve improved leaps and bounds since the beginning of the year, and this is a good test for us. That’s why we play this tournament.
“Our schedule is loaded this year. We knew we’d be young but we did not weaken our schedule at all. We just want that challenge, and it will pay off more in the long run.”
Hinsdale Central employs the same kind of thinking but has seen better results with a more experienced lineup. The Red Devils played to their No. 4 seed at the PepsiCo Showdown by reaching the semifinals and will play four tough opponents in this tournament.
Like the Vikings, who gave up only three shots to Wheaton North but lost 3-0 on Friday, the Red Devils were coming off a frustrating loss, but were able to bounce back.
“We just tried to stay focused on the game and keep the pressure on the whole game,” Smith said. “It was important that no one ever stopped and no one ever gave up, so that’s what kept us going.
“We know each other well and know what everybody is going to do and everybody’s strengths and weaknesses, so that really helps.”
The Red Devils allowed only two shots in regulation and four overall against the Vikings. Goalie Katy Coseglia had to make just two saves, both on pot shots from long distance, to record her seventh shutout.
“In the last two games specifically we have dominated possession, but the game isn’t a possession game,” Hinsdale Central coach Michael Smith said. “You need to put points on the board, so it was good to get it, but I think moving forward it was good to see that we’re firmly establishing our possession game.
“The last few weeks I think we had lost that sense of identity of maintaining possession and controlling the game with our possession. At the same time, the best defense is when you just keep the ball and don’t let the other team have it, so going into postseason that’s something that we want to put back in our play.”
Even though the Red Devils were relegated to the consolation bracket, they will still get two more tough matchups. They will play Neuqua Valley (8-3-2) on Thursday at Naperville Central and finish up Friday with either Boylan or Palatine at Wheaton North.
Geneva will host Saint Viator on Thursday and then travel to Naperville North on Friday to finish the tournament against either Lyons or Sandburg.
Starting lineups
Hinsdale Central
GK: Katy Costeglia
D: Alix McArthur
D: Erin Smith
D: Lauren Cangelosi
D: Lizzy Nelson
M: Jenny Saviski
M: Kaitlyn Livingston
M: Maeve McLaughlin
F: Katie Murphy
F: Emma Dannhausen-Brun
F: Sydney Griffin
Geneva
GK: Carrie Ostergard
D: Quincy Swanson
D: Grace Stellick
D: Emily Hauser
M: Briar Schwardt
M: Allie Mikos
M: Megan Newingham
M: Lauren Albrecht
F: Mary Landry
F: Megan Fitz
F: Madeline Stellick
MVP of the Match: Erin Smith, D, Hinsdale Central
Geneva in overtime
Both teams persevere under tough conditions
By Matt Le Cren
WHEATON – Hinsdale Central wasn’t so much singing in the rain as it was breathing a sigh of relief after eking out a 1-0 double-overtime victory over Geneva on Saturday at Wheaton North’s Rexilius Field.
The Naperville Invitational group play match held no hope of advancement for either squad because both had lost to Wheaton North in their opening games.
Add to that the inclement weather, which featured a steady rain and cold temperatures, and it was easy to see why both teams were a little miserable.
“The game last night was the same,” said Geneva coach Megan Owens, whose team lost 3-0 to Wheaton North in the pouring rain Friday night. “Obviously it’s always tough to lose, but you hate to work so hard and battle all the elements and then lose at the end.
“It’s just hard to play. The ball is just bouncing around wildly. Definitely not [fun].”
Hinsdale Central at least had something to smile about after Jenny Saviski knocked home a corner kick from Lauren Cangelosi with 7:22 remaining in the second overtime. The Red Devils (9-3) made that goal stand up, controlling the possession the rest of the way.
“We kept good pressure the whole game, so we knew it was going to come eventually,” Hinsdale Central defender Erin Smith said. “So that was just a really big relief that it came right at the end.”
Smith earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her tireless efforts at controlling the action on the left flank. She moved seamlessly between left back and outside midfield.
But it was Saviski who was in the right place at the right time on the winning goal, leaning in and heading the ball out of a crowd just inside the six-yard box.
It was the first goal of the tournament for the Red Devils, who were beaten 1-0 on penalty kicks by Wheaton North on Thursday night despite having the edge in possession.
“It was coming to the near post, so the goalie was behind me and there were a lot of people coming in,” Saviski said. “So I ducked to flip it over.”
It was what hockey players call a “greasy goal” and left everyone confused about who scored it.
“It was just sloppy in the box,” Owens said. “We couldn’t see what was happening. It was on the other side of the field, so I couldn’t tell. They got lucky today, and we didn’t.”
Saviski said she screened a defender on the play and the ball got by Geneva’s
freshman goalkeeper Carrie Ostergard, who made six saves and kept the Vikings (4-7-2) in the match with her fine play.
Ostergard began the year on the junior varsity team but was called up to varsity three weeks ago when sophomore starter Emma Harkleroad suffered a broken collarbone. Harkleroad hopes to return for the playoffs, but Ostergard has played well in relief.
Ostergard made a diving stop on Maeve McLaughlin’s header late in the first half and made the save of the game with 10:05 remaining in the second half when she came out to knock away Katie Murphy’s dangerous lead pass intended for Julie Culler, then dove backward as she was retreating to grab Emma Dannhausen-Brun’s rebound shot.
“She played well,” Owens said. “It’s just unfortunate to lose your [experienced] keeper to a collarbone, but I’m very, very happy with how [Ostergard] has done.”
Though their record may not reflect it, the young Vikings are getting better despite facing a rigorous schedule. The Naperville Invitational is considered to be the toughest tournament in the state, and there are no easy games.
“I thought we played real well to hang with Hinsdale Central and keep it 0-0 through 90 minutes,” Owens said. “They had the advantage; they didn’t play last night. We played last night and didn’t get home until 10, and we got drenched.
“We were at a little disadvantage from being out in all the elements the night before but we’re playing well together as a team.”
Owens, who credited co-captains Allie Mikos and Mary Landry for their leadership, said Megan Albrecht and Megan Fitz have stepped up their play recently, and that has helped the team be more competitive.
“We’re getting to where we need to be,” Owens said. “We’ve improved leaps and bounds since the beginning of the year, and this is a good test for us. That’s why we play this tournament.
“Our schedule is loaded this year. We knew we’d be young but we did not weaken our schedule at all. We just want that challenge, and it will pay off more in the long run.”
Hinsdale Central employs the same kind of thinking but has seen better results with a more experienced lineup. The Red Devils played to their No. 4 seed at the PepsiCo Showdown by reaching the semifinals and will play four tough opponents in this tournament.
Like the Vikings, who gave up only three shots to Wheaton North but lost 3-0 on Friday, the Red Devils were coming off a frustrating loss, but were able to bounce back.
“We just tried to stay focused on the game and keep the pressure on the whole game,” Smith said. “It was important that no one ever stopped and no one ever gave up, so that’s what kept us going.
“We know each other well and know what everybody is going to do and everybody’s strengths and weaknesses, so that really helps.”
The Red Devils allowed only two shots in regulation and four overall against the Vikings. Goalie Katy Coseglia had to make just two saves, both on pot shots from long distance, to record her seventh shutout.
“In the last two games specifically we have dominated possession, but the game isn’t a possession game,” Hinsdale Central coach Michael Smith said. “You need to put points on the board, so it was good to get it, but I think moving forward it was good to see that we’re firmly establishing our possession game.
“The last few weeks I think we had lost that sense of identity of maintaining possession and controlling the game with our possession. At the same time, the best defense is when you just keep the ball and don’t let the other team have it, so going into postseason that’s something that we want to put back in our play.”
Even though the Red Devils were relegated to the consolation bracket, they will still get two more tough matchups. They will play Neuqua Valley (8-3-2) on Thursday at Naperville Central and finish up Friday with either Boylan or Palatine at Wheaton North.
Geneva will host Saint Viator on Thursday and then travel to Naperville North on Friday to finish the tournament against either Lyons or Sandburg.
Starting lineups
Hinsdale Central
GK: Katy Costeglia
D: Alix McArthur
D: Erin Smith
D: Lauren Cangelosi
D: Lizzy Nelson
M: Jenny Saviski
M: Kaitlyn Livingston
M: Maeve McLaughlin
F: Katie Murphy
F: Emma Dannhausen-Brun
F: Sydney Griffin
Geneva
GK: Carrie Ostergard
D: Quincy Swanson
D: Grace Stellick
D: Emily Hauser
M: Briar Schwardt
M: Allie Mikos
M: Megan Newingham
M: Lauren Albrecht
F: Mary Landry
F: Megan Fitz
F: Madeline Stellick
MVP of the Match: Erin Smith, D, Hinsdale Central