Benet goes deep to edge Hinsdale C.
Quality postseason tune-up sees Redwings claim 1-0 win
By Dave Owen
HINSDALE – Distance was no deterrent for the talents of Benet’s Erin Flynn.
With her team locked in a defensive battle with Hinsdale Central on Thursday, Flynn went to great lengths to break the ice.
A foul set up a 45-yard free kick from the far left sideline with 30:30 to play, a seemingly low-potential play against a quality side such as the Red Devils.
But Flynn’s long pinpoint send connected with Mary Kate Hansen rushing the back post. Her 6-yard header goal was the difference maker in a hard-fought 1-0 win for the Redwings (16-3-1).
“On the set piece we always look for the back post,” Flynn said, “and Mary Kate Hansen is really good at making that final run in. So we always look for her head.”
Hansen’s hustle and heads-up finish produced her fourth goal of 2018.
For Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Flynn, who has seven goals and a team-high 12 assists, the play was just the latest example of her elite talents as a goal producer.
“She played a great ball in,” Hansen said. “She’s pretty consistent with those. I was just glad it took a lucky bounce and got in there.”
The great send and finish marked a rare lapse Thursday for the Red Devils (7-10-2).
“It’s kind of been the story of our season a little bit,” said Red Devils first-year coach Bryan Ciesiulka. “We play tough for the whole game, and then kind of turn off for one play.
“But a great goal. You can’t take that away. The girl (Flynn) played a great ball in, and the header was really good too.
“You hate to lose on a set piece like that,” Ciesiulka added. “We work on them all the time, and it’s something we’ll keep working on. But we’re in there. We’re all around wins, and they’ll come soon enough.”
A grueling schedule has rendered the Red Devils’ win-loss record ridiculously deceiving, as Class AA state title contender Benet can attest to first hand.
Hinsdale Central defeated Carmel 1-0 early this season. That same Corsairs’ squad, currently ranked 18th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, topped the Redwings 2-0 in Lisle.
“We lost a big game on Tuesday against Carmel, so it was good to get a win under our belts going into the playoffs,” Hansen said. “And it felt good because they (Hinsdale Central) are obviously a quality side.
"Just to get a good shutout and a good, hard-fought win – it’s good for momentum.”
No residue from the Carmel setback remained Thursday, as the Redwings were more motivated than deflated by the setback.
“We got off to a terrible start against Carmel, so it was a much better start today,” Benet coach Gerard Oconer said. “We played with a lot more energy and a lot more composure today than we did against Carmel.
“I think the nerves got to us a little bit (Tuesday), the game started a little late, and we weren’t mentally and physically ready to play that game at the beginning.”
Despite being on foreign turf, Thursday was a different story.
“I think we were more mentally prepared for this game,” Hansen said. “Obviously we really wanted the win Tuesday, but we started slow. I think we learned from that. We came out hard and didn’t give up anything easy in that first 10 minutes like we did (vs. Carmel).
“I think it just shows the learning process. We’re building towards the end of the season (the state playoffs), which is what really matters for us.”
Thursday marked Senior Night for Hinsdale Central, and its own final match before Class 3A regionals begin next Tuesday.
Matching Benet virtually toe-to-toe was a good sign.
“Benet’s a great team,” Ciesiulka said. “They’re always good; they’re fun to play against. They work really hard. So it was a good test for us.”
Among several standout performances, the Red Devils’ defense was particularly strong Thursday.
“Sam Moriarty and Sophie Simmons always play well for us, our two center backs,” Ciesiulka said. “They keep us in games. They make tackles; they win 50-50 balls. I rarely have anything bad to say about their play.”
Simmons was in the spotlight with 10:30 left in the first half, when she bravely broke up a Benet cross to the box in a collision in front. Goalkeeper Taylor Ward’s ensuing swat away. and Haley Arnold’s clear then ended the threat.
Madeline Swade (blocked shot) and Simmons (midfield steal on a Flynn rush) closed the first half with strong defensive plays, keeping Benet at bay.
And beyond those performances, senior Greta Kumskis provided the squad’s defensive play of the game with 8:30 left.
Another Benet free kick from distance, this one from 58 yards, again created havoc. Abby Casmere won the ball at the right side of the box and lined a rocket seemingly destined for the lower left corner of the net.
But Kumskis made a great sliding clear over the net just before the ball reached the goal line to keep the score 1-0.
“An awesome play by Greta, that made me so happy,” Ciesiulka said. “She’s had a couple injuries this year. So to see her get back out there and make an awesome play like that for the team, it was great to see.”
Casmere was also denied an earlier goal by an eyelash. Just 40 seconds after Hansen’s goal, she dribbled in on the right side and launched a 15-yard shot off the right post.
Benet’s defense was less tested but also exceptional. Goalkeeper Eva Frantzen made three saves en route to her 10th shutout of the season.
“Our whole backline did really well,” Oconer said. “We tried a different formation today to see if it worked, and for them to adjust to that on the fly I thought was pretty impressive with all of the people that went into the back.”
The Redwings endured a prolonged test midway through the second half, starting with an Arnold end line attack that produced a Hinsdale Central corner kick with 22:35 left.
That was the first of three corners in succession by Red Devils senior Camille Lubic. The first resulted in a Swade shot deflected wide, and the trio of threats ended with an interception by Benet’s Cami Picha with 21:40 to go that produced a brief Redwings counterattack.
The last quality threat repelled by the Redwings came with 2:30 left. Off a Kumskis throw-in 15 yards out, a blocked shot by Benet’s Mia Ullmer and a Jackie Schuman win of a loose ball sealed the shutout.
For Hinsdale Central, the solid effort against a strong opponent was also a Senior Day tribute to the Class of 2018.
“We have an awesome group of seniors,” said Ciesiulka, a former all-American midfielder at Marquette University who is in his first year as Red Devils’ coach.
“Especially being a new coach, you always want to come in and have seniors that buy into what you’re doing and also make it really fun. They made it so easy on me to be part of Hinsdale Central and take leadership of the team. They’ve been a great joy to work with all year.”
A first half leg injury forced senior and four-year varsity player Caroline Renehan to the sidelines, an added damper for a team that lost standout senior midfielder Jane Cole to injury earlier this spring.
But the Red Devils’ home finale had memorable moments and extra special meaning for seniors like Rachel Dannhausen-Brun and Kate Schroyer, who both followed older sisters into the program and made longtime varsity impacts.
Dannhausen-Brun’s three-year varsity career included one particularly memorable play. As a sophomore against Loyola, her cross set up a goal by her older sister Emma.
Schroyer complemented her own three-year varsity run on the field with volunteer work at Hinsdale Hospital. She plans to study nursing and play club soccer at Auburn this fall.
“I thought that the Benet game was very competitive, and was a really good challenge for our team to go up against,” Schroyer said.
Schroyer’s older sister Lauren was a freshman reserve on the Red Devils’ 2009 state championship squad. Kate had her own great run for the Hinsdale Central varsity, starting as a freshman in 2015.
“I’ve loved being in the Hinsdale Central program,” she said. “It’s made me a better soccer player and has introduced me to some amazing players and coaches that have pushed me to be my best.”
Great memories of high school abound for all the Red Devils’ seniors. And looking forward, Ciesiulka hopes a nice ending to 2018 awaits his squad in the impending postseason which the Red Devils open against Willowbrook on Tuesday.
“Willowbrook had a good year and won a lot of games (9-8-0 record),” he said. “We have to come ready to play and not lose sight of what we’ve been working on all year.
“Sometimes when things come up, we tend to sometimes lose our way a little bit. But if we play like Hinsdale Central is trying to play soccer, we’ll be fine.”
Benet-style soccer also bodes well for the postseason. Thursday’s win over a battle-tested quality foe only adds to that feeling.
“I think we’re feeling pretty good,” Flynn said. “We’re definitely a strong team, and we’re ready to keep on fighting for what we deserve.”
Starting lineups
Benet
GK Eva Frantzen
D Brooke Pullen
D Mary Kate Hansen
D Kate Flynn
D Claire Bumpus
M Mia Ullmer
M Jackie Schuman
M Maddie Becker
M Erin Flynn
F Abby Casmere
F Mia Tommasone
Hinsdale Central
GK Taylor Ward
D Greta Kumskis
D Sophie Simmons
D Samantha Moriarty
D Madeline Swade
M Caroline Renehan
M Jane Bibby
M Haley Paulson
M Rachel Dannhausen-Brun
F Camille Lubic
F Kate Schroyer
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Erin Flynn, sr. M, Benet
Scoring summary
Second half
Benet – Mary Kate Hansen (Erin Flynn assist), 49th minute
Quality postseason tune-up sees Redwings claim 1-0 win
By Dave Owen
HINSDALE – Distance was no deterrent for the talents of Benet’s Erin Flynn.
With her team locked in a defensive battle with Hinsdale Central on Thursday, Flynn went to great lengths to break the ice.
A foul set up a 45-yard free kick from the far left sideline with 30:30 to play, a seemingly low-potential play against a quality side such as the Red Devils.
But Flynn’s long pinpoint send connected with Mary Kate Hansen rushing the back post. Her 6-yard header goal was the difference maker in a hard-fought 1-0 win for the Redwings (16-3-1).
“On the set piece we always look for the back post,” Flynn said, “and Mary Kate Hansen is really good at making that final run in. So we always look for her head.”
Hansen’s hustle and heads-up finish produced her fourth goal of 2018.
For Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Flynn, who has seven goals and a team-high 12 assists, the play was just the latest example of her elite talents as a goal producer.
“She played a great ball in,” Hansen said. “She’s pretty consistent with those. I was just glad it took a lucky bounce and got in there.”
The great send and finish marked a rare lapse Thursday for the Red Devils (7-10-2).
“It’s kind of been the story of our season a little bit,” said Red Devils first-year coach Bryan Ciesiulka. “We play tough for the whole game, and then kind of turn off for one play.
“But a great goal. You can’t take that away. The girl (Flynn) played a great ball in, and the header was really good too.
“You hate to lose on a set piece like that,” Ciesiulka added. “We work on them all the time, and it’s something we’ll keep working on. But we’re in there. We’re all around wins, and they’ll come soon enough.”
A grueling schedule has rendered the Red Devils’ win-loss record ridiculously deceiving, as Class AA state title contender Benet can attest to first hand.
Hinsdale Central defeated Carmel 1-0 early this season. That same Corsairs’ squad, currently ranked 18th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, topped the Redwings 2-0 in Lisle.
“We lost a big game on Tuesday against Carmel, so it was good to get a win under our belts going into the playoffs,” Hansen said. “And it felt good because they (Hinsdale Central) are obviously a quality side.
"Just to get a good shutout and a good, hard-fought win – it’s good for momentum.”
No residue from the Carmel setback remained Thursday, as the Redwings were more motivated than deflated by the setback.
“We got off to a terrible start against Carmel, so it was a much better start today,” Benet coach Gerard Oconer said. “We played with a lot more energy and a lot more composure today than we did against Carmel.
“I think the nerves got to us a little bit (Tuesday), the game started a little late, and we weren’t mentally and physically ready to play that game at the beginning.”
Despite being on foreign turf, Thursday was a different story.
“I think we were more mentally prepared for this game,” Hansen said. “Obviously we really wanted the win Tuesday, but we started slow. I think we learned from that. We came out hard and didn’t give up anything easy in that first 10 minutes like we did (vs. Carmel).
“I think it just shows the learning process. We’re building towards the end of the season (the state playoffs), which is what really matters for us.”
Thursday marked Senior Night for Hinsdale Central, and its own final match before Class 3A regionals begin next Tuesday.
Matching Benet virtually toe-to-toe was a good sign.
“Benet’s a great team,” Ciesiulka said. “They’re always good; they’re fun to play against. They work really hard. So it was a good test for us.”
Among several standout performances, the Red Devils’ defense was particularly strong Thursday.
“Sam Moriarty and Sophie Simmons always play well for us, our two center backs,” Ciesiulka said. “They keep us in games. They make tackles; they win 50-50 balls. I rarely have anything bad to say about their play.”
Simmons was in the spotlight with 10:30 left in the first half, when she bravely broke up a Benet cross to the box in a collision in front. Goalkeeper Taylor Ward’s ensuing swat away. and Haley Arnold’s clear then ended the threat.
Madeline Swade (blocked shot) and Simmons (midfield steal on a Flynn rush) closed the first half with strong defensive plays, keeping Benet at bay.
And beyond those performances, senior Greta Kumskis provided the squad’s defensive play of the game with 8:30 left.
Another Benet free kick from distance, this one from 58 yards, again created havoc. Abby Casmere won the ball at the right side of the box and lined a rocket seemingly destined for the lower left corner of the net.
But Kumskis made a great sliding clear over the net just before the ball reached the goal line to keep the score 1-0.
“An awesome play by Greta, that made me so happy,” Ciesiulka said. “She’s had a couple injuries this year. So to see her get back out there and make an awesome play like that for the team, it was great to see.”
Casmere was also denied an earlier goal by an eyelash. Just 40 seconds after Hansen’s goal, she dribbled in on the right side and launched a 15-yard shot off the right post.
Benet’s defense was less tested but also exceptional. Goalkeeper Eva Frantzen made three saves en route to her 10th shutout of the season.
“Our whole backline did really well,” Oconer said. “We tried a different formation today to see if it worked, and for them to adjust to that on the fly I thought was pretty impressive with all of the people that went into the back.”
The Redwings endured a prolonged test midway through the second half, starting with an Arnold end line attack that produced a Hinsdale Central corner kick with 22:35 left.
That was the first of three corners in succession by Red Devils senior Camille Lubic. The first resulted in a Swade shot deflected wide, and the trio of threats ended with an interception by Benet’s Cami Picha with 21:40 to go that produced a brief Redwings counterattack.
The last quality threat repelled by the Redwings came with 2:30 left. Off a Kumskis throw-in 15 yards out, a blocked shot by Benet’s Mia Ullmer and a Jackie Schuman win of a loose ball sealed the shutout.
For Hinsdale Central, the solid effort against a strong opponent was also a Senior Day tribute to the Class of 2018.
“We have an awesome group of seniors,” said Ciesiulka, a former all-American midfielder at Marquette University who is in his first year as Red Devils’ coach.
“Especially being a new coach, you always want to come in and have seniors that buy into what you’re doing and also make it really fun. They made it so easy on me to be part of Hinsdale Central and take leadership of the team. They’ve been a great joy to work with all year.”
A first half leg injury forced senior and four-year varsity player Caroline Renehan to the sidelines, an added damper for a team that lost standout senior midfielder Jane Cole to injury earlier this spring.
But the Red Devils’ home finale had memorable moments and extra special meaning for seniors like Rachel Dannhausen-Brun and Kate Schroyer, who both followed older sisters into the program and made longtime varsity impacts.
Dannhausen-Brun’s three-year varsity career included one particularly memorable play. As a sophomore against Loyola, her cross set up a goal by her older sister Emma.
Schroyer complemented her own three-year varsity run on the field with volunteer work at Hinsdale Hospital. She plans to study nursing and play club soccer at Auburn this fall.
“I thought that the Benet game was very competitive, and was a really good challenge for our team to go up against,” Schroyer said.
Schroyer’s older sister Lauren was a freshman reserve on the Red Devils’ 2009 state championship squad. Kate had her own great run for the Hinsdale Central varsity, starting as a freshman in 2015.
“I’ve loved being in the Hinsdale Central program,” she said. “It’s made me a better soccer player and has introduced me to some amazing players and coaches that have pushed me to be my best.”
Great memories of high school abound for all the Red Devils’ seniors. And looking forward, Ciesiulka hopes a nice ending to 2018 awaits his squad in the impending postseason which the Red Devils open against Willowbrook on Tuesday.
“Willowbrook had a good year and won a lot of games (9-8-0 record),” he said. “We have to come ready to play and not lose sight of what we’ve been working on all year.
“Sometimes when things come up, we tend to sometimes lose our way a little bit. But if we play like Hinsdale Central is trying to play soccer, we’ll be fine.”
Benet-style soccer also bodes well for the postseason. Thursday’s win over a battle-tested quality foe only adds to that feeling.
“I think we’re feeling pretty good,” Flynn said. “We’re definitely a strong team, and we’re ready to keep on fighting for what we deserve.”
Starting lineups
Benet
GK Eva Frantzen
D Brooke Pullen
D Mary Kate Hansen
D Kate Flynn
D Claire Bumpus
M Mia Ullmer
M Jackie Schuman
M Maddie Becker
M Erin Flynn
F Abby Casmere
F Mia Tommasone
Hinsdale Central
GK Taylor Ward
D Greta Kumskis
D Sophie Simmons
D Samantha Moriarty
D Madeline Swade
M Caroline Renehan
M Jane Bibby
M Haley Paulson
M Rachel Dannhausen-Brun
F Camille Lubic
F Kate Schroyer
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Erin Flynn, sr. M, Benet
Scoring summary
Second half
Benet – Mary Kate Hansen (Erin Flynn assist), 49th minute