Benet punctuates win at Carmel
Redwings score 4 in 2nd half for key 7-3 ESCC victory
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Scoring goals came more than a bit easier than expected for Benet against Carmel in an top-echelon East Suburban Catholic Conference matchup Tuesday.
A back-and-forth battle between the teams turned one-sided as Benet pulled away to win 7-3 on Tuesday afternoon on the Corsairs pitch.
The Redwings broke the game open with the first three goals of the second half after enjoying a 3-2 advantage at the break. But the most important factor over the last 40 minutes turned out to be the efforts from their goalkeeper Eva Frantzen.
The netminder made 10-of-12 stops in the second half and allowed only one goal. For her efforts the senior earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
"The first half, I wasn't anticipating where the ball would be," Frantzen said. "But in the second half, I realized they were going to spin off. So, I anticipated where their runs were going to be and thought that worked well for me."
The Redwings improved to 13-1-0 and 3-1-0 in the league with the win. Their experienced backline of Kate Flynn, Mary Kate Hansen, Brooke Pullen and Mary Kate Wilhelm, put in the work.
"My defense is really good about covering each other," Frantzen said. "Our communication is getting better, and it's really good this year. We've been playing together for so long and that helps a lot. I really don't do anything in most of the games, because they're very good."
However, even considering Carmel's high-powered offense, coach Gerard Oconer may consider a tune-up for his back four.
"This wasn't an ideal game for us," he said. "We've always prided ourselves on being good in the back. We just don't concede that many goals."
For Carmel (4-8-3, 1-3-1) the defensive lapses are more pronounced. The Corsairs have given up three-or-more goals in a game seven times this season with an 0-6-1 mark in those contests.
"With the way they play," Oconor said. "A lot of their games have been high-scoring. We knew that they had a lot of offensive talent, but we knew that our offensive talent can score when we need too. Anytime you beat Carmel at Carmel, it's always a good win."
The match started out in favor of Benet with numerous chances early around the Carmel goal, but the Redwings had difficulty finding the back of the net.
Mia Ulmer changed that in the 13th minute after taking a pass from Hansen that made the score 1-0.
Carmel's Zanaya Barnes, a Grambling commit, tied the game 1-1 with an unassisted goal in the 28th minute. She intercepted a bad pass in the back and connected on a 25-yard shot into the corner.
Not more than two minutes later, Mia Tommasone scored an unassisted goal of her own that put Benet back on top 2-1.
In the 34th minute, the Corsairs put a combination together with Lucy Tarcha sending a through-ball to Olivia Pullin. The junior midfielder put the ball into the back of the net and tied the match at 2-2.
But just 27 seconds later, the Redwings responded and took the lead for good at 3-2. Mae Tully scored her fourth goal of the season off a pass from Flynn in front of the goal.
The second half fell heavily in favor of Benet. Jaimee Cibulka scored two-consecutive goals. The first came in the 50th minute off a pass from Sarah Bozych. Then in the 55th minute, she booted home a rebound that raised the lead to 5-2.
"I think in my position, I look for the best option," said Cibulka, who now has seven goals this season. "I do try to find the through-ball, but it's also important to keep your head up and go to goal."
Cami Picha added another Benet goal in the 63rd minute off an assist from Tully for a 6-2 lead.
Carmel got a goal back in the 68th minute on a header from Tarcha that was served by Lyndsey Basara.
The Redwings added one more in the final minute when Kate Llewellyan scored on an assist from Cibulka.
The Corsairs showed fatigue in the second half. They had a lengthy, weather-delayed road trip to Joliet Catholic on Monday. Carmel ended up on the down side in a 3-2 defeat in a game shortened three minutes due to the weather.
"Our heavier legs showed," Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "We needed a better performance out of our defense. Our offense was there -- three goals against Benet should be good. It's a lesson that we're waiting to learn to not freak out and play differently.
"But, Benet was good, and we weren't that bad. We just let in a lot of goals. Benet has a lot of strength up-top. I still think a lot of girls had a good effort. It's been tough for two days in a row here."
Benet played without senior forward Abby Casmere, who missed the match because of a family obligation.
The Redwings look to continue their historic run Thursday in the Naperville Invitational. They made the quarterfinals for the first time and take on no. 2 St. Charles North in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. at Naperville Central.
Carmel gets a chance to rest and recover before it takes on Lakes in a home nonconference match at 6:30 p.m. April 29.
Starting lineups
Benet
GK-Eva Frantzen
D-Brooke Pullen
D-Kate Flynn
D-Mary Kate Hansen
D-Mary Kate Wilhelm
MF-Kayla Brannigan
MF-Nicole Burns
MF-Mia Ulmer
F-Jaimee Cibulka
F-Cami Picha
F-Mia Tommasone
Carmel
GK-Taylor Zelich
D-Morgan Smola
D-Caitlin Teehan
D-Maddy Splitt
D-Liz Galla
MF-Mia Salvi
MF-Olivia Pullin
MF-Lucy Tarcha
MF-Olivia Salvi
F-Zanaya Barnes
F-Sarah Galla
Chicagoland SoccerMVP of the Match: Eva Frantzen, sr., GK, Benet
Referee: Jay Weiss
Scoring Summary
First Half
Benet - Mia Ullmer (Mary Kate Hansen) 13'
Carmel - Zanaya Barnes (unassisted) 28'
Benet - Mia Tommasone (unassisted) 30'
Carmel - Olivia Pullin (Lucy Tarcha) 34'
Benet - Mae Tully (Kate Flynn) 35'
Second Half
Benet - Jaimee Cibulka (Sarah Bozych) 50'
Benet - Jaimee Cibulka (unassisted) 55'
Benet - Cami Picha (Mae Tully) 63'
Carmel - Lucy Tarcha (Lyndsey Basara) 68'
Benet - Katie Llewellyan (Jaimee Cibulka) 80'
Redwings score 4 in 2nd half for key 7-3 ESCC victory
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Scoring goals came more than a bit easier than expected for Benet against Carmel in an top-echelon East Suburban Catholic Conference matchup Tuesday.
A back-and-forth battle between the teams turned one-sided as Benet pulled away to win 7-3 on Tuesday afternoon on the Corsairs pitch.
The Redwings broke the game open with the first three goals of the second half after enjoying a 3-2 advantage at the break. But the most important factor over the last 40 minutes turned out to be the efforts from their goalkeeper Eva Frantzen.
The netminder made 10-of-12 stops in the second half and allowed only one goal. For her efforts the senior earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
"The first half, I wasn't anticipating where the ball would be," Frantzen said. "But in the second half, I realized they were going to spin off. So, I anticipated where their runs were going to be and thought that worked well for me."
The Redwings improved to 13-1-0 and 3-1-0 in the league with the win. Their experienced backline of Kate Flynn, Mary Kate Hansen, Brooke Pullen and Mary Kate Wilhelm, put in the work.
"My defense is really good about covering each other," Frantzen said. "Our communication is getting better, and it's really good this year. We've been playing together for so long and that helps a lot. I really don't do anything in most of the games, because they're very good."
However, even considering Carmel's high-powered offense, coach Gerard Oconer may consider a tune-up for his back four.
"This wasn't an ideal game for us," he said. "We've always prided ourselves on being good in the back. We just don't concede that many goals."
For Carmel (4-8-3, 1-3-1) the defensive lapses are more pronounced. The Corsairs have given up three-or-more goals in a game seven times this season with an 0-6-1 mark in those contests.
"With the way they play," Oconor said. "A lot of their games have been high-scoring. We knew that they had a lot of offensive talent, but we knew that our offensive talent can score when we need too. Anytime you beat Carmel at Carmel, it's always a good win."
The match started out in favor of Benet with numerous chances early around the Carmel goal, but the Redwings had difficulty finding the back of the net.
Mia Ulmer changed that in the 13th minute after taking a pass from Hansen that made the score 1-0.
Carmel's Zanaya Barnes, a Grambling commit, tied the game 1-1 with an unassisted goal in the 28th minute. She intercepted a bad pass in the back and connected on a 25-yard shot into the corner.
Not more than two minutes later, Mia Tommasone scored an unassisted goal of her own that put Benet back on top 2-1.
In the 34th minute, the Corsairs put a combination together with Lucy Tarcha sending a through-ball to Olivia Pullin. The junior midfielder put the ball into the back of the net and tied the match at 2-2.
But just 27 seconds later, the Redwings responded and took the lead for good at 3-2. Mae Tully scored her fourth goal of the season off a pass from Flynn in front of the goal.
The second half fell heavily in favor of Benet. Jaimee Cibulka scored two-consecutive goals. The first came in the 50th minute off a pass from Sarah Bozych. Then in the 55th minute, she booted home a rebound that raised the lead to 5-2.
"I think in my position, I look for the best option," said Cibulka, who now has seven goals this season. "I do try to find the through-ball, but it's also important to keep your head up and go to goal."
Cami Picha added another Benet goal in the 63rd minute off an assist from Tully for a 6-2 lead.
Carmel got a goal back in the 68th minute on a header from Tarcha that was served by Lyndsey Basara.
The Redwings added one more in the final minute when Kate Llewellyan scored on an assist from Cibulka.
The Corsairs showed fatigue in the second half. They had a lengthy, weather-delayed road trip to Joliet Catholic on Monday. Carmel ended up on the down side in a 3-2 defeat in a game shortened three minutes due to the weather.
"Our heavier legs showed," Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "We needed a better performance out of our defense. Our offense was there -- three goals against Benet should be good. It's a lesson that we're waiting to learn to not freak out and play differently.
"But, Benet was good, and we weren't that bad. We just let in a lot of goals. Benet has a lot of strength up-top. I still think a lot of girls had a good effort. It's been tough for two days in a row here."
Benet played without senior forward Abby Casmere, who missed the match because of a family obligation.
The Redwings look to continue their historic run Thursday in the Naperville Invitational. They made the quarterfinals for the first time and take on no. 2 St. Charles North in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. at Naperville Central.
Carmel gets a chance to rest and recover before it takes on Lakes in a home nonconference match at 6:30 p.m. April 29.
Starting lineups
Benet
GK-Eva Frantzen
D-Brooke Pullen
D-Kate Flynn
D-Mary Kate Hansen
D-Mary Kate Wilhelm
MF-Kayla Brannigan
MF-Nicole Burns
MF-Mia Ulmer
F-Jaimee Cibulka
F-Cami Picha
F-Mia Tommasone
Carmel
GK-Taylor Zelich
D-Morgan Smola
D-Caitlin Teehan
D-Maddy Splitt
D-Liz Galla
MF-Mia Salvi
MF-Olivia Pullin
MF-Lucy Tarcha
MF-Olivia Salvi
F-Zanaya Barnes
F-Sarah Galla
Chicagoland SoccerMVP of the Match: Eva Frantzen, sr., GK, Benet
Referee: Jay Weiss
Scoring Summary
First Half
Benet - Mia Ullmer (Mary Kate Hansen) 13'
Carmel - Zanaya Barnes (unassisted) 28'
Benet - Mia Tommasone (unassisted) 30'
Carmel - Olivia Pullin (Lucy Tarcha) 34'
Benet - Mae Tully (Kate Flynn) 35'
Second Half
Benet - Jaimee Cibulka (Sarah Bozych) 50'
Benet - Jaimee Cibulka (unassisted) 55'
Benet - Cami Picha (Mae Tully) 63'
Carmel - Lucy Tarcha (Lyndsey Basara) 68'
Benet - Katie Llewellyan (Jaimee Cibulka) 80'