Reifert finish saves day for St. Ignatius, ruins it for Loyola Academy
Senior’s second-half direct kick goal sparks 2-1 win over Loyola
By Dave Owen
CHICAGO -- Taylor Reifert’s perfect aim produced a happy ending to an often-painful Thursday for Saint Ignatius.
With starting defenders Kevin Dingens and Alex Collins sidelined by first-half injuries, the host Wolfpack was locked in a 1-1 tie with Loyola Academy when Ian Waller was fouled on a shot attempt just outside the box.
Reifert took the ensuing 21-yard direct kick and somehow found open space around the Loyola Academy wall of defenders, slipping a line drive shot into the lower right hand corner of the net to produce the deciding goal in a 2-1 Saint Ignatius win.
“I would love to say it was all me. But the wall was a little askew, so I could see a pocket down there (inside the right post),” Reifert said. “The goalie kind of lined up down the middle, so I figured either way I go I’m going to try to put it around the wall. I just saw the pocket and tried to put it where it worked.”
The goal was Reifert’s sixth of the season and continued a strong trend for him.
“That’s Taylor’s second set piece goal in two games,” Wolfpack coach Ryan Kearns said. “So that was huge.”
Reifert’s game winner earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors, and helped put the Wolfpack (4-4-1, 2-1 in conference) back on track after a 4-3 upset loss at De La Salle on Tuesday.
“We had such a heart-wrenching game with De La Salle, so it feels good to be back in the win column,” Reifert said. “We always want to beat Loyola, and we’re kind of off the schnide now.”
But it wasn’t easy.
The visiting Ramblers just missed striking first when Walter Haracz lined a 30-yard shot off the crossbar with 32:15 left in the first half, followed by George Kanellitsas’ redirection of a Loyola corner kick just wide of the net four minutes later.
But even as injuries began to dent their back line, the Wolfpack began an offensive push.
A series of great chances came in a three-minute span midway through the half: Reifert was robbed on a diving save on his 12-yard blast from left of the net 23:50 before halftime, then was stopped again on a left-footed 15-yarder at 22:15. Then with 21:10 left, Lucas Kotlowitz’s 12-yard liner was blocked and covered by Loyola goalkeeper Nicholas Troiano, who charged off his line to cut down the angle.
The Wolfpack finished their next big chance on a great passing combination with 6:05 left in the half.
On a play initiated by quick passes from Diego Vazquez to Max Taylor, Ethan McManus raced to the net after his pass to Kotlowitz on the left side and one-touched Kotlowitz’s return cross into the net for a 1-0 lead.
“Once I got the ball, I turned and slotted through to Luke,” McManus said of his seventh goal. “Luke and I have been playing together since club, and we like to play up top together and pass to each other. He found me, and I just slotted it home.”
McManus and the Wolfpack nearly made it 2-0 just over a minute later, stealing the ball in the offensive zone and sending a 10-yard shot high off the post.
With the difference still just 1-0, Loyola came out of the half rejuvenated. Off a Neil Sundaram corner kick, Sean Hickey’s header was initially stopped by Wolfpack goalkeeper Bryant Hales. But in the ensuing scramble in the crease, Haracz poked in the rebound to tie the score 1-1 with 31:55 to play.
“We usually start slow and then we get back in the game,” Loyola coach Rob Etheridge said. “We were on the counter pretty quickly.
“I was pleased with the effort, just not pleased with the fact that we went in (to the half) one down. But we showed our resilience to get back into the game. I said to the kids at halftime, 'We’re going to get some chances, and we need to put one away.' I knew we’d get a goal – I’d bet my house we’d get a goal. And we did.”
Loyola nearly struck again with 26 minutes left when Hales leaped to barely deflect Haracz’s open 15-yard blast inches wide of the net. But on Saint Ignatius’ next chance, Reifert completely turned the momentum back to his team.
“We’ve talked all year about not giving anything away in the next five minutes of the game (after a goal),” Etheridge said, “and lo and behold we give away a silly free kick and they punished us. And then we didn’t really respond after that.”
Wolfpack defender Anthony DeMeo made a nice defensive play to deny a Hickey chance with18:30 to go, part of a great effort by a shorthanded Saint Ignatius defensive unit.
“Kevin (Dingens) and Alex Collins are two starting defenders (who were out),” coach Kearns said. “So we had to adjust, but we did. The guys who came in adjusted well. Conner Hatzopoulos didn’t start, but he came in off the bench and played really solid.”
Two starters also made a major impact in limiting Loyola chances.
“Chauncey Flowers always steps up out there as a defender,” Kearns said, “and I thought Randy Martinez at midfield had a great game. He’s a holding mid, and he’s probably the smartest soccer player we have on the team.”
Reifert produced another great chance with 13:40 to play, lining an 18-yard one-timer just wide right. McManus also threatened for his second goal, but his low left-footed 14-yarder with 25 seconds left was stopped by Troiano.
As it turned out, the Wolfpack had all the offense they needed in bouncing back from Tuesday’s disappointment.
“We were more effective attacking tonight,” Reifert said. “We’ve switched it up a little bit, so we’re doing a better job getting forward with numbers as opposed to individual attacks, so that’s really helped us.”
Kearns continues to seek consistency in a team that has otherwise made great strides after losing most of last year’s starting lineup to graduation.
“We’re growing every day as a group,” Kearns said. “We’re really tight knit – the boys really like hanging out with each other. But we’re still making mistakes we can’t make as we get closer to the playoffs.
“We have to take every day and improve, and that’s tough on these guys. There’s a huge learning curve from the beginning of the season forward, and they look really good on the field for probably 75 percent of the game. But we have to find that other 25 percent for a full 80 (minutes).”
Starting lineups
Loyola:
G-Nicholas Troiano
D-Neil Sundaram
D-Salim Yakubu
D-David Goristiaga
D-Sean Leider
M-Jose Escalante
M-George Kanellitsas
M-Patrick Fuller
M-Kevin Jacobs
F-Walter Haracz
F-Sean Hickey
Saint Ignatius
G-Bryant Hales
D-Chauncey Flowers
D-Kevin Dingens
D-Alex Collins
M-Max Taylor
M-Ian Waller
M-Taylor Reifert
M-Randy Martinez
M-Woo Sung Jung
F-Lucas Kotlowitz
F-Diego Vazquez
Man of the Match: Taylor Reifert, Saint Ignatius
Officials: Pat Mullane, Bill Stamper
Senior’s second-half direct kick goal sparks 2-1 win over Loyola
By Dave Owen
CHICAGO -- Taylor Reifert’s perfect aim produced a happy ending to an often-painful Thursday for Saint Ignatius.
With starting defenders Kevin Dingens and Alex Collins sidelined by first-half injuries, the host Wolfpack was locked in a 1-1 tie with Loyola Academy when Ian Waller was fouled on a shot attempt just outside the box.
Reifert took the ensuing 21-yard direct kick and somehow found open space around the Loyola Academy wall of defenders, slipping a line drive shot into the lower right hand corner of the net to produce the deciding goal in a 2-1 Saint Ignatius win.
“I would love to say it was all me. But the wall was a little askew, so I could see a pocket down there (inside the right post),” Reifert said. “The goalie kind of lined up down the middle, so I figured either way I go I’m going to try to put it around the wall. I just saw the pocket and tried to put it where it worked.”
The goal was Reifert’s sixth of the season and continued a strong trend for him.
“That’s Taylor’s second set piece goal in two games,” Wolfpack coach Ryan Kearns said. “So that was huge.”
Reifert’s game winner earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors, and helped put the Wolfpack (4-4-1, 2-1 in conference) back on track after a 4-3 upset loss at De La Salle on Tuesday.
“We had such a heart-wrenching game with De La Salle, so it feels good to be back in the win column,” Reifert said. “We always want to beat Loyola, and we’re kind of off the schnide now.”
But it wasn’t easy.
The visiting Ramblers just missed striking first when Walter Haracz lined a 30-yard shot off the crossbar with 32:15 left in the first half, followed by George Kanellitsas’ redirection of a Loyola corner kick just wide of the net four minutes later.
But even as injuries began to dent their back line, the Wolfpack began an offensive push.
A series of great chances came in a three-minute span midway through the half: Reifert was robbed on a diving save on his 12-yard blast from left of the net 23:50 before halftime, then was stopped again on a left-footed 15-yarder at 22:15. Then with 21:10 left, Lucas Kotlowitz’s 12-yard liner was blocked and covered by Loyola goalkeeper Nicholas Troiano, who charged off his line to cut down the angle.
The Wolfpack finished their next big chance on a great passing combination with 6:05 left in the half.
On a play initiated by quick passes from Diego Vazquez to Max Taylor, Ethan McManus raced to the net after his pass to Kotlowitz on the left side and one-touched Kotlowitz’s return cross into the net for a 1-0 lead.
“Once I got the ball, I turned and slotted through to Luke,” McManus said of his seventh goal. “Luke and I have been playing together since club, and we like to play up top together and pass to each other. He found me, and I just slotted it home.”
McManus and the Wolfpack nearly made it 2-0 just over a minute later, stealing the ball in the offensive zone and sending a 10-yard shot high off the post.
With the difference still just 1-0, Loyola came out of the half rejuvenated. Off a Neil Sundaram corner kick, Sean Hickey’s header was initially stopped by Wolfpack goalkeeper Bryant Hales. But in the ensuing scramble in the crease, Haracz poked in the rebound to tie the score 1-1 with 31:55 to play.
“We usually start slow and then we get back in the game,” Loyola coach Rob Etheridge said. “We were on the counter pretty quickly.
“I was pleased with the effort, just not pleased with the fact that we went in (to the half) one down. But we showed our resilience to get back into the game. I said to the kids at halftime, 'We’re going to get some chances, and we need to put one away.' I knew we’d get a goal – I’d bet my house we’d get a goal. And we did.”
Loyola nearly struck again with 26 minutes left when Hales leaped to barely deflect Haracz’s open 15-yard blast inches wide of the net. But on Saint Ignatius’ next chance, Reifert completely turned the momentum back to his team.
“We’ve talked all year about not giving anything away in the next five minutes of the game (after a goal),” Etheridge said, “and lo and behold we give away a silly free kick and they punished us. And then we didn’t really respond after that.”
Wolfpack defender Anthony DeMeo made a nice defensive play to deny a Hickey chance with18:30 to go, part of a great effort by a shorthanded Saint Ignatius defensive unit.
“Kevin (Dingens) and Alex Collins are two starting defenders (who were out),” coach Kearns said. “So we had to adjust, but we did. The guys who came in adjusted well. Conner Hatzopoulos didn’t start, but he came in off the bench and played really solid.”
Two starters also made a major impact in limiting Loyola chances.
“Chauncey Flowers always steps up out there as a defender,” Kearns said, “and I thought Randy Martinez at midfield had a great game. He’s a holding mid, and he’s probably the smartest soccer player we have on the team.”
Reifert produced another great chance with 13:40 to play, lining an 18-yard one-timer just wide right. McManus also threatened for his second goal, but his low left-footed 14-yarder with 25 seconds left was stopped by Troiano.
As it turned out, the Wolfpack had all the offense they needed in bouncing back from Tuesday’s disappointment.
“We were more effective attacking tonight,” Reifert said. “We’ve switched it up a little bit, so we’re doing a better job getting forward with numbers as opposed to individual attacks, so that’s really helped us.”
Kearns continues to seek consistency in a team that has otherwise made great strides after losing most of last year’s starting lineup to graduation.
“We’re growing every day as a group,” Kearns said. “We’re really tight knit – the boys really like hanging out with each other. But we’re still making mistakes we can’t make as we get closer to the playoffs.
“We have to take every day and improve, and that’s tough on these guys. There’s a huge learning curve from the beginning of the season forward, and they look really good on the field for probably 75 percent of the game. But we have to find that other 25 percent for a full 80 (minutes).”
Starting lineups
Loyola:
G-Nicholas Troiano
D-Neil Sundaram
D-Salim Yakubu
D-David Goristiaga
D-Sean Leider
M-Jose Escalante
M-George Kanellitsas
M-Patrick Fuller
M-Kevin Jacobs
F-Walter Haracz
F-Sean Hickey
Saint Ignatius
G-Bryant Hales
D-Chauncey Flowers
D-Kevin Dingens
D-Alex Collins
M-Max Taylor
M-Ian Waller
M-Taylor Reifert
M-Randy Martinez
M-Woo Sung Jung
F-Lucas Kotlowitz
F-Diego Vazquez
Man of the Match: Taylor Reifert, Saint Ignatius
Officials: Pat Mullane, Bill Stamper