Wheaton Academy defeats physical Marist
Warriors pounce on defensive mistake for only goal of match
By Alison Moran
SCHAUMBURG -- It was the fourth game in five days for both Wheaton Academy and Marist, but neither team showed signs of exhaustion Saturday in a physical, defensive struggle Saturday in the Muscle Milk Consolation Pool of the PepsiCo Showdown. It ended in a 1-0 victory for the Wheaton women at Olympic Park.
Had they been drinking Muscle Milk?
Before the match, Wheaton Academy coach Dave Underwood said the teams looked "pretty evenly matched ... we've never played them before, so we have no idea what to expect."
From the start of the game, Marist used their bodies like fighters to stall the Warriors' more stylized passing offense.
A sterling example came on a hard tackle from Marist senior Kendall Boyd that left Wheaton Academy sophomore defender Izzy McNally down to the ground and delayed the game early in the first half. McNally limped off the field, her face contorted with pain.
Boyd was joined on defense by juniors Alex Lenz and Clare Collevy and senior Mary Brennan.
Coming off a stinging 3-0 shutout by PepsiCo Showdown finalist Plainfield North in the round-of-16 on Tuesday, the Wheaton Academy (7-2) wouldn't be denied. They did what Warriors do best: fight back.
"They (Wheaton Academy) double-teamed (senior) Lorna McCall, our go-to girl," said Marist head coach Jennifer Germino. At any time in the game, McCall was covered by McNally, senior defender Molly Thorson and sophomore defender/midfielder Holland Kosiek.
Midway through the first half, Wheaton Academy took advantage of a defensive mistake that ended up costing Marist the game.
Setting up a shot downfield, sophomore forward Gretchen Pearson "took a shot, laying her body out to get me the ball," said Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match, junior Jamie Netzley. "She did most of the dirty work. I had a great shot from Gretchen, and I noticed the keeper was out of position. I had a wide-open shot, so all I had to do was kick it clean."
Going into halftime, both coaches took their teams to task.
"Keep everything in front of you. Keep pushing to the outside. They don't posess well. Challenge everything!" Underwood advised his team. "You gotta keep posession!"
From Marist's side, Germino told her team, "They (Wheaton Academy) are running ... kick the ball!"
Underwood liked what he saw In the second half.
"We really turned up the (defensive) heat," he said.
Warriors goalkeeper Lianna Ledesma did her part. The junior recorded six saves to collect the clean sheet.
Marist (4-4-1) left the pitch wondering what would have happened with a few different bounces.
"We had our chances," McCall said. "You have to give credit to Wheaton. It was a pretty physical game. We're walking away with our heads held high."
Wheaton Academy junior midfielder Gabi LaMantia said the Warriors had to grind out the game mentally as well as physically.
"We had a couple of ... hits and fouls," she sayd. "(Marist) was a tough opponent."
Her coach agreed.
"Against a very tough opponent, we had to go out of our comfort zone," Underwood said. "Every win is a good win, but many of our wins were by several goals. Honestly, this was the first win in a while that was a close game."
Netzley added, "This game really prepared us for Benet Academy."
The Warriors will travel to Lisle for the 4:30 p.m. nonconference matchup Monday.
Starting lineups
Wheaton Academy
GK: Lianna Ledesma
D: Molly Thorson
D: Emmerson Fuller
D: Holland Kosiek
D: Izzy McNally
MF: Julia Della Torre
MF: Gabi LaMantia
MF: Anna Joy Setran
F: Erin Teevans
F: Gretchen Pearson
F: Jamie Netzley
Marist
Ashley Smialek
Lorna McCall
Megan Hartley
Mary Brennan
Clare Collevy
Alex Lenz
Kendall Boyd
Care Donegan
Elizabeth Paulmeyer
Clare Walsh
Demi McGill
Officials: Jordan Castellejo, Rudy Gonzalez, Julian Damian
MVP of the Match: Jamie Netzley, F, Wheaton Academy
Warriors pounce on defensive mistake for only goal of match
By Alison Moran
SCHAUMBURG -- It was the fourth game in five days for both Wheaton Academy and Marist, but neither team showed signs of exhaustion Saturday in a physical, defensive struggle Saturday in the Muscle Milk Consolation Pool of the PepsiCo Showdown. It ended in a 1-0 victory for the Wheaton women at Olympic Park.
Had they been drinking Muscle Milk?
Before the match, Wheaton Academy coach Dave Underwood said the teams looked "pretty evenly matched ... we've never played them before, so we have no idea what to expect."
From the start of the game, Marist used their bodies like fighters to stall the Warriors' more stylized passing offense.
A sterling example came on a hard tackle from Marist senior Kendall Boyd that left Wheaton Academy sophomore defender Izzy McNally down to the ground and delayed the game early in the first half. McNally limped off the field, her face contorted with pain.
Boyd was joined on defense by juniors Alex Lenz and Clare Collevy and senior Mary Brennan.
Coming off a stinging 3-0 shutout by PepsiCo Showdown finalist Plainfield North in the round-of-16 on Tuesday, the Wheaton Academy (7-2) wouldn't be denied. They did what Warriors do best: fight back.
"They (Wheaton Academy) double-teamed (senior) Lorna McCall, our go-to girl," said Marist head coach Jennifer Germino. At any time in the game, McCall was covered by McNally, senior defender Molly Thorson and sophomore defender/midfielder Holland Kosiek.
Midway through the first half, Wheaton Academy took advantage of a defensive mistake that ended up costing Marist the game.
Setting up a shot downfield, sophomore forward Gretchen Pearson "took a shot, laying her body out to get me the ball," said Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match, junior Jamie Netzley. "She did most of the dirty work. I had a great shot from Gretchen, and I noticed the keeper was out of position. I had a wide-open shot, so all I had to do was kick it clean."
Going into halftime, both coaches took their teams to task.
"Keep everything in front of you. Keep pushing to the outside. They don't posess well. Challenge everything!" Underwood advised his team. "You gotta keep posession!"
From Marist's side, Germino told her team, "They (Wheaton Academy) are running ... kick the ball!"
Underwood liked what he saw In the second half.
"We really turned up the (defensive) heat," he said.
Warriors goalkeeper Lianna Ledesma did her part. The junior recorded six saves to collect the clean sheet.
Marist (4-4-1) left the pitch wondering what would have happened with a few different bounces.
"We had our chances," McCall said. "You have to give credit to Wheaton. It was a pretty physical game. We're walking away with our heads held high."
Wheaton Academy junior midfielder Gabi LaMantia said the Warriors had to grind out the game mentally as well as physically.
"We had a couple of ... hits and fouls," she sayd. "(Marist) was a tough opponent."
Her coach agreed.
"Against a very tough opponent, we had to go out of our comfort zone," Underwood said. "Every win is a good win, but many of our wins were by several goals. Honestly, this was the first win in a while that was a close game."
Netzley added, "This game really prepared us for Benet Academy."
The Warriors will travel to Lisle for the 4:30 p.m. nonconference matchup Monday.
Starting lineups
Wheaton Academy
GK: Lianna Ledesma
D: Molly Thorson
D: Emmerson Fuller
D: Holland Kosiek
D: Izzy McNally
MF: Julia Della Torre
MF: Gabi LaMantia
MF: Anna Joy Setran
F: Erin Teevans
F: Gretchen Pearson
F: Jamie Netzley
Marist
Ashley Smialek
Lorna McCall
Megan Hartley
Mary Brennan
Clare Collevy
Alex Lenz
Kendall Boyd
Care Donegan
Elizabeth Paulmeyer
Clare Walsh
Demi McGill
Officials: Jordan Castellejo, Rudy Gonzalez, Julian Damian
MVP of the Match: Jamie Netzley, F, Wheaton Academy