Lyons roars back to beat York in shootout
Sense of urgency, composure make difference for the Lions
By Patrick Z. McGavin
ELMHURST -- The shootout conjures the most elemental aspect of the game. Two players, one shooter and one keeper.
"Comfort and confidence, it's a big part for both," says Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary.
With her team hungry to change its recent misfortune, Lyons senior star keeper Lidia Breen was in her element. Nine days earlier, she came in cold against Warren in a first-round PepsiCo Showdown match and blocked shot after shot.
"Penalty kicks are close, but they still give you enough time to react if you have that kind of speed," Breen said. "As long as you just touch it, you're going to get a save."
The Lions' keeper smothered three of York's four shooters. Meanwhile, Jenna Fuller, Margaret Lynch and Kristen Janicki converted for Lyons, which recorded a late goal and fought off the host Dukes 3-2 here Monday night.
Lyons (4-2-3, 2-0-0 West Suburban Silver) won the shootout portion 3-1, and Janicki was formally credited with the goal. The three successful shooters went to a virtually identical spot, their upper right corner, and out of the reach of York keeper Ellen Foley, who was splendid herself. Foley made a spectacular stop in the 63rd minute after the Dukes' first goal.
Lyons had gone 0-2-1 in its final three PepsiCo Showdown games after entering as the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The team was just two days removed from a dispiriting 3-1 loss against Evanston.
"On Saturday, we did not show up mentally ready to play, and I was not sure how we'd respond," Lanspeary said. "This was a great response."
York star senior forward Alyssa Kovatchis, the Dukes' second shooter, was the only one to master Breen in the shootout. Otherwise, Breen was electric, darting quickly to her right to deny York's first shooter, setting the tone.
"I am just trying to react to what they're doing because I don't have a formula," Breen said. "I guess I just got lucky, trying to make a reaction save to where they were trying to kick it."
The key, she said, was stripping away the psychology.
"There's no way to guess which way the players are going because they're trying to play mind games with you, trying to get you to guess one way and then slot it in the other side," Breen said. "I try not to pay attention if they're trying to get me (moving) one way, because clearly that's what they want."
The shootout also provided a sharp sense of relief for Breen, who took personal responsibility after the Dukes scored twice in an eight-minute burst to take a 2-1 advantage in the 70th minute.
"Obviously those goals were a little frustrating for me because I felt I overran the second one and gave them a chance to get that go-ahead goal," Breen said.
York tied the game in the 62nd minute. Dukes senior midfielder Madison Navarro initiated a header that Breen blocked. The ball slipped off a Lyons defender, and Navarro recovered to blast in the short ball for the equalizer.
Eight minutes later, senior forward Jessica Bianchi worked the ball down the right edge and lofted a cross into the box that reserve senior midfielder Juliana Salzano finished for the Dukes' short-lived advantage. Lyons had thwarted York for the first three quarters of regulation, denying the Dukes consistent offensive rhythm.
"Five minutes left and we're up," York coach Donald Vana said. "It's never over until it's over; that's one thing we have to learn from the game. I thought we moved the ball well. I think both teams struggled at times with the wind.
"You're trying to hit a through ball, and the wind just takes it away. They beat us to a lot of 50-50 balls, and they also beat us to the second ball. That hurt us with possession and our ability to control the game."
The only first-half scoring occurred on Fuller's 13-yarder from the right edge that curled inside the near post in the 19th minute, a 1-0 Lyons advantage that held until late in the second half.
After York's quick burst, Lyons junior forward Grace Salvino delivered the game's most important play, a beautiful free kick from the left wing that knotted the score and forced the two overtime periods. "She was feeling it today," Lanspeary said.
The junior leads the team in assists with nine. She took ownership of the situation.
"I wanted to step up and take a shot," said Salvino, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match. "I was going to try and go left of the wall as the other players were running in, to give a chance for a rebound, if necessary.
"It was up to me, and our team was working really hard."
Lyons played with a shrewd combination of urgency and composure at the end of regulation.
"We knew that York was a very good team," Lanspeary said. "It helped our kids to have an important conference win. Sometimes in those Pepsi games, especially after you lose, it is hard sometimes emotionally to play those (consolation) games."
The difficult loss notwithstanding, York (5-2-2, 1-1-0) also had much to get excited about. Kovatchis is one of the state's best players, and she forms a dynamic attacking top formation with senior Jessica Bianchi. The two nearly combined for a goal in the fourth minute, only for Bianchi's shot to push wide.
"We are going to be fine, and there was a lot out there to be satisfied with," Vana said. "We just have to put a couple of more shots away."
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK: Lidia Breen
D: Sheila Murphy
D: Catherine Johnson
D: Halee Stirrat
D: Izy Scott
D: Kim Vitek
M: Kristen Janicki
M: Jenna Fuller
F: Margaret Lynch
F: Keira Frese
F: Grace Salvino
York
GK: Ellen Foley
D: Annalisa Lappo
D: Emily Mueller
D: Kaylin Kenny
D: Jenna Dvorak
M: Jenna Lundgren
M: Emily Whitcomb
M: Madison Navarro
F: Jessica Bianchi
F: Madison Casey
F: Alyssa Kovatchis
MVP of the Match: Grace Salvino, F, Lyons
Sense of urgency, composure make difference for the Lions
By Patrick Z. McGavin
ELMHURST -- The shootout conjures the most elemental aspect of the game. Two players, one shooter and one keeper.
"Comfort and confidence, it's a big part for both," says Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary.
With her team hungry to change its recent misfortune, Lyons senior star keeper Lidia Breen was in her element. Nine days earlier, she came in cold against Warren in a first-round PepsiCo Showdown match and blocked shot after shot.
"Penalty kicks are close, but they still give you enough time to react if you have that kind of speed," Breen said. "As long as you just touch it, you're going to get a save."
The Lions' keeper smothered three of York's four shooters. Meanwhile, Jenna Fuller, Margaret Lynch and Kristen Janicki converted for Lyons, which recorded a late goal and fought off the host Dukes 3-2 here Monday night.
Lyons (4-2-3, 2-0-0 West Suburban Silver) won the shootout portion 3-1, and Janicki was formally credited with the goal. The three successful shooters went to a virtually identical spot, their upper right corner, and out of the reach of York keeper Ellen Foley, who was splendid herself. Foley made a spectacular stop in the 63rd minute after the Dukes' first goal.
Lyons had gone 0-2-1 in its final three PepsiCo Showdown games after entering as the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The team was just two days removed from a dispiriting 3-1 loss against Evanston.
"On Saturday, we did not show up mentally ready to play, and I was not sure how we'd respond," Lanspeary said. "This was a great response."
York star senior forward Alyssa Kovatchis, the Dukes' second shooter, was the only one to master Breen in the shootout. Otherwise, Breen was electric, darting quickly to her right to deny York's first shooter, setting the tone.
"I am just trying to react to what they're doing because I don't have a formula," Breen said. "I guess I just got lucky, trying to make a reaction save to where they were trying to kick it."
The key, she said, was stripping away the psychology.
"There's no way to guess which way the players are going because they're trying to play mind games with you, trying to get you to guess one way and then slot it in the other side," Breen said. "I try not to pay attention if they're trying to get me (moving) one way, because clearly that's what they want."
The shootout also provided a sharp sense of relief for Breen, who took personal responsibility after the Dukes scored twice in an eight-minute burst to take a 2-1 advantage in the 70th minute.
"Obviously those goals were a little frustrating for me because I felt I overran the second one and gave them a chance to get that go-ahead goal," Breen said.
York tied the game in the 62nd minute. Dukes senior midfielder Madison Navarro initiated a header that Breen blocked. The ball slipped off a Lyons defender, and Navarro recovered to blast in the short ball for the equalizer.
Eight minutes later, senior forward Jessica Bianchi worked the ball down the right edge and lofted a cross into the box that reserve senior midfielder Juliana Salzano finished for the Dukes' short-lived advantage. Lyons had thwarted York for the first three quarters of regulation, denying the Dukes consistent offensive rhythm.
"Five minutes left and we're up," York coach Donald Vana said. "It's never over until it's over; that's one thing we have to learn from the game. I thought we moved the ball well. I think both teams struggled at times with the wind.
"You're trying to hit a through ball, and the wind just takes it away. They beat us to a lot of 50-50 balls, and they also beat us to the second ball. That hurt us with possession and our ability to control the game."
The only first-half scoring occurred on Fuller's 13-yarder from the right edge that curled inside the near post in the 19th minute, a 1-0 Lyons advantage that held until late in the second half.
After York's quick burst, Lyons junior forward Grace Salvino delivered the game's most important play, a beautiful free kick from the left wing that knotted the score and forced the two overtime periods. "She was feeling it today," Lanspeary said.
The junior leads the team in assists with nine. She took ownership of the situation.
"I wanted to step up and take a shot," said Salvino, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match. "I was going to try and go left of the wall as the other players were running in, to give a chance for a rebound, if necessary.
"It was up to me, and our team was working really hard."
Lyons played with a shrewd combination of urgency and composure at the end of regulation.
"We knew that York was a very good team," Lanspeary said. "It helped our kids to have an important conference win. Sometimes in those Pepsi games, especially after you lose, it is hard sometimes emotionally to play those (consolation) games."
The difficult loss notwithstanding, York (5-2-2, 1-1-0) also had much to get excited about. Kovatchis is one of the state's best players, and she forms a dynamic attacking top formation with senior Jessica Bianchi. The two nearly combined for a goal in the fourth minute, only for Bianchi's shot to push wide.
"We are going to be fine, and there was a lot out there to be satisfied with," Vana said. "We just have to put a couple of more shots away."
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK: Lidia Breen
D: Sheila Murphy
D: Catherine Johnson
D: Halee Stirrat
D: Izy Scott
D: Kim Vitek
M: Kristen Janicki
M: Jenna Fuller
F: Margaret Lynch
F: Keira Frese
F: Grace Salvino
York
GK: Ellen Foley
D: Annalisa Lappo
D: Emily Mueller
D: Kaylin Kenny
D: Jenna Dvorak
M: Jenna Lundgren
M: Emily Whitcomb
M: Madison Navarro
F: Jessica Bianchi
F: Madison Casey
F: Alyssa Kovatchis
MVP of the Match: Grace Salvino, F, Lyons