DiBiase shines, Batavia rolls vs. W. Chicago
Team versatility carries the Bulldogs to 2-0 win over Wildcats
By Gary Larsen
WEST CHICAGO -- After Batavia’s 2-0 win over West Chicago on Thursday, Batavia senior Gracey DiBiase was asked what position she considers to be her own.
“Well, I’ve been mainly playing forward,” she said, “so I guess I’m a forward.”
DiBiase, who is listed as a defender on the Bulldogs’ roster, is in possession of a big left leg, and the strength and composure over the ball that marks all the best defenders, which incidentally she was during her first three seasons at Batavia.
But Bulldogs coach Mark Gianfrancesco isn’t aiming to develop forwards, midfielders, or defenders; he’s aiming to develop soccer players. And DiBiase is a soccer player.
“We wanted to incorporate some younger girls in back and that allowed me to push her up a little bit higher,” Gianfrancesco said. “Plus, we needed some goals. Since I pushed her up against Waubonsie Valley (a 1-1 tie on March 19), she scored in that game, and I think she has scored in every game since then.”
DiBiase scored a goal in the first half and her corner kick set up a goal from Rachel Polignone in the second, as Batavia (6-1-1) stayed in control most of the day at West Chicago (5-4-1) in an Upstate Eight Conference crossover game.
The host Wildcats have always aimed to play a certain way under coach Cesar Gomez, but on Thursday they struggled to apply their preferred style.
“Our main focus has always been to possess the ball, but we were outpossessed today by Batavia,” Gomez said. “They controlled the tempo of the game and had chances to
score in the first half. In the second half, for about 12 or 15 minutes, we kind of got it together but in the first half I don’t think we crossed midfield.”
Through 30 minutes, West Chicago keeper Haley Rich, and a defense that welcomed Vanessa Montenegro back from injury, kept the slate clean. But DiBiase scored from inside the penalty area before halftime to give Batavia a payoff for its first half effort.
DiBiase has settled into her attacking role this season.
“I picked it up pretty quickly,” she said. “You’ve got to adapt to any position. Anyone on this team can adapt to where they’re played, and it’s all about stepping up and taking the role and just playing.”
West Chicago’s attack showed more bite in the second half but with Jenna Nichols anchoring the middle of Batavia’s three-back system along with outside backs Claire Stack and Amy Ten Haken, the Bulldogs consistently stifled the Wildcats' attack.
“We moved well and communicated,” Nichols said. “When I’d go up, they’d pinch back. “We’ve combined really good up-top, going wide and finding wide players and getting the cross in early. That has really helped us. And our wing backs really get up and down the field and open up options for us.”
Gianfrancesco slid DiBiase back to help bolster the defense in the second half.
West Chicago can typically rely on good chemistry between midfielder Vivis Martinez and forward Barbie Castellanos to help spearhead the attack, but that potent mix proved elusive against Batavia.
“It looked like some of our players were kind of hurrying things up today. But you’re going to have days when that’s going to happen,” Gomez said.
“When we’re coming together we can play pretty much with anybody. Batavia outplayed us in places today, but I feel good about my team. It’s always good to see (Batavia), and we always welcome good teams for the challenge they bring.”
Both teams flirted with dangerous chances to start the second half. West Chicago found a pair of corner kicks that went for naught, and Martinez sent a free kick just high of frame from 28 yards. Goalkeeper Rich cut off a DiBiase cross at 47 minutes and Castellanos sent a shot high from distance at 52 minutes.
Batavia’s Zaira Solis reached the endline at 58 minutes that led to a shot sent high from Anna Holcombe.
Batavia found its two-goal lead at 63 minutes on a corner kick. DiBiase blistered a low ball across the goalmouth that got tipped to the far post, where Polignone teed off and stretched the back netting from eight yards.
“Normally I’d serve it back post, more of a flighted ball, but teams have trouble reading the ball hammered down,” DiBiase said.
Late in the game, DiBiase hit the crossbar with a shot and teammate Bella Zink sent one of the game’s final chances over the crossbar at 78 minutes.
Gomez appreciated the day’s work put in by Rich on Thursday, and applauded the play of outside back Luciana Balzer and forward Giselle Navejas. The Wildcats played without starting sweeper Odalis Martinez and played with a short bench against Batavia.
“We just have too many injuries right now. We had three players get injured today,” Gomez said. “But we’ll do what we have to do and keep moving on.”
Batavia played without starting midfielder Abby Zipse but Gianfrancesco lauded Zink for her play filling in for Zipse. He also liked what he got from forward CeCe Hamann “and (Nichols) was a rock today,” he said. “She won balls in the air and kept things organized for us.”
Nichols has also played multiple positions at Batavia. So while it may be true that not every player can play every position, Gianfrancesco will keep testing that theory whenever possible.
“Jenna has played center mid and now we’re playing her at center back,” Gianfrancesco said. “We need her back there. We’re playing three in back, and she anchors the whole thing.
“I’ve always looked for girls that can play four or five positions. It makes the girls more flexible and that helps when (colleges) are looking at them. It gets them on the field faster and rather than saying ‘I’m just a center mid’,” Gianfrancesco said. “Sure, you have strengths and things you have to work at but you can still move around and be a soccer ‘player.’”
Starting lineups
West Chicago
GK Haley Rich
D Patty Hernandez
D Alex Alcantar
D Ruby Lebo
D Emily Ayala
M Evelyn Hernandez
M Vivis Martinez
M Genesis Garcia
M Kayla Schwarz
F Giselle Navejas
F Barbie Castellanos
Batavia
GK Katelyn Turnquist
D Jenna Nichols
D Amy Ten Haken
D Claire Stack
M Anna Rakos
M Bella Zink
M Zaira Solis
M Anna Bross
F Anna Holcombe
F Grace Salyers
F Gracey DiBiase
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Gracey DiBiase, sr., F, Batavia
Scoring summary
First half
Batavia — DiBiase (UA), 32nd minute
Second half
Batavia — Polignone (DiBiase), 63rd minute
Team versatility carries the Bulldogs to 2-0 win over Wildcats
By Gary Larsen
WEST CHICAGO -- After Batavia’s 2-0 win over West Chicago on Thursday, Batavia senior Gracey DiBiase was asked what position she considers to be her own.
“Well, I’ve been mainly playing forward,” she said, “so I guess I’m a forward.”
DiBiase, who is listed as a defender on the Bulldogs’ roster, is in possession of a big left leg, and the strength and composure over the ball that marks all the best defenders, which incidentally she was during her first three seasons at Batavia.
But Bulldogs coach Mark Gianfrancesco isn’t aiming to develop forwards, midfielders, or defenders; he’s aiming to develop soccer players. And DiBiase is a soccer player.
“We wanted to incorporate some younger girls in back and that allowed me to push her up a little bit higher,” Gianfrancesco said. “Plus, we needed some goals. Since I pushed her up against Waubonsie Valley (a 1-1 tie on March 19), she scored in that game, and I think she has scored in every game since then.”
DiBiase scored a goal in the first half and her corner kick set up a goal from Rachel Polignone in the second, as Batavia (6-1-1) stayed in control most of the day at West Chicago (5-4-1) in an Upstate Eight Conference crossover game.
The host Wildcats have always aimed to play a certain way under coach Cesar Gomez, but on Thursday they struggled to apply their preferred style.
“Our main focus has always been to possess the ball, but we were outpossessed today by Batavia,” Gomez said. “They controlled the tempo of the game and had chances to
score in the first half. In the second half, for about 12 or 15 minutes, we kind of got it together but in the first half I don’t think we crossed midfield.”
Through 30 minutes, West Chicago keeper Haley Rich, and a defense that welcomed Vanessa Montenegro back from injury, kept the slate clean. But DiBiase scored from inside the penalty area before halftime to give Batavia a payoff for its first half effort.
DiBiase has settled into her attacking role this season.
“I picked it up pretty quickly,” she said. “You’ve got to adapt to any position. Anyone on this team can adapt to where they’re played, and it’s all about stepping up and taking the role and just playing.”
West Chicago’s attack showed more bite in the second half but with Jenna Nichols anchoring the middle of Batavia’s three-back system along with outside backs Claire Stack and Amy Ten Haken, the Bulldogs consistently stifled the Wildcats' attack.
“We moved well and communicated,” Nichols said. “When I’d go up, they’d pinch back. “We’ve combined really good up-top, going wide and finding wide players and getting the cross in early. That has really helped us. And our wing backs really get up and down the field and open up options for us.”
Gianfrancesco slid DiBiase back to help bolster the defense in the second half.
West Chicago can typically rely on good chemistry between midfielder Vivis Martinez and forward Barbie Castellanos to help spearhead the attack, but that potent mix proved elusive against Batavia.
“It looked like some of our players were kind of hurrying things up today. But you’re going to have days when that’s going to happen,” Gomez said.
“When we’re coming together we can play pretty much with anybody. Batavia outplayed us in places today, but I feel good about my team. It’s always good to see (Batavia), and we always welcome good teams for the challenge they bring.”
Both teams flirted with dangerous chances to start the second half. West Chicago found a pair of corner kicks that went for naught, and Martinez sent a free kick just high of frame from 28 yards. Goalkeeper Rich cut off a DiBiase cross at 47 minutes and Castellanos sent a shot high from distance at 52 minutes.
Batavia’s Zaira Solis reached the endline at 58 minutes that led to a shot sent high from Anna Holcombe.
Batavia found its two-goal lead at 63 minutes on a corner kick. DiBiase blistered a low ball across the goalmouth that got tipped to the far post, where Polignone teed off and stretched the back netting from eight yards.
“Normally I’d serve it back post, more of a flighted ball, but teams have trouble reading the ball hammered down,” DiBiase said.
Late in the game, DiBiase hit the crossbar with a shot and teammate Bella Zink sent one of the game’s final chances over the crossbar at 78 minutes.
Gomez appreciated the day’s work put in by Rich on Thursday, and applauded the play of outside back Luciana Balzer and forward Giselle Navejas. The Wildcats played without starting sweeper Odalis Martinez and played with a short bench against Batavia.
“We just have too many injuries right now. We had three players get injured today,” Gomez said. “But we’ll do what we have to do and keep moving on.”
Batavia played without starting midfielder Abby Zipse but Gianfrancesco lauded Zink for her play filling in for Zipse. He also liked what he got from forward CeCe Hamann “and (Nichols) was a rock today,” he said. “She won balls in the air and kept things organized for us.”
Nichols has also played multiple positions at Batavia. So while it may be true that not every player can play every position, Gianfrancesco will keep testing that theory whenever possible.
“Jenna has played center mid and now we’re playing her at center back,” Gianfrancesco said. “We need her back there. We’re playing three in back, and she anchors the whole thing.
“I’ve always looked for girls that can play four or five positions. It makes the girls more flexible and that helps when (colleges) are looking at them. It gets them on the field faster and rather than saying ‘I’m just a center mid’,” Gianfrancesco said. “Sure, you have strengths and things you have to work at but you can still move around and be a soccer ‘player.’”
Starting lineups
West Chicago
GK Haley Rich
D Patty Hernandez
D Alex Alcantar
D Ruby Lebo
D Emily Ayala
M Evelyn Hernandez
M Vivis Martinez
M Genesis Garcia
M Kayla Schwarz
F Giselle Navejas
F Barbie Castellanos
Batavia
GK Katelyn Turnquist
D Jenna Nichols
D Amy Ten Haken
D Claire Stack
M Anna Rakos
M Bella Zink
M Zaira Solis
M Anna Bross
F Anna Holcombe
F Grace Salyers
F Gracey DiBiase
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Gracey DiBiase, sr., F, Batavia
Scoring summary
First half
Batavia — DiBiase (UA), 32nd minute
Second half
Batavia — Polignone (DiBiase), 63rd minute