Downers Grove North's finishing touch finishes Plainfield East
Statistical numbers lie as Trojans best Bengals 3-0
By Steve Nemeth
PLAINFIELD – Getting soaked to the bone before Saturday’s consolation bracket match in the 2019 Plainfield Classic is something Downers Grove North’s players probably could have done without.
However, the 3-0 triumph over Plainfield East made it all much more tolerable.
“We needed this. It’s a huge win coming off two disappointing losses,” senior co-captain Alessandro Karrow said.
The Trojans – who evened their season ledger at 5-5 – began the week-long tourney with two wins and then squeezed in a West Suburban Conference Silver Division match at Glenbard West that ruined a five-match win streak.
Worse yet, they couldn’t shake that bitter taste of defeat and got edged (3-2) by Oswego East thereby missing a chance for a semifinal berth. Instead it was relegation to the consolation round.
“I’m most pleased that we bounced back from the last two matches and grinded out a win,” DGN coach Mike Schmitt said. “We’re probably on the bottom side of the statistics today, but the victory says we had the extra effort needed on defense or to score.”
Schmitt was right. Plainfield East completed the match with a 13-9 advantage for overall attempts and a 9-7 edge in shots on goal, plus a 6-4 tally for corner kicks.
And yet, North’s offensive efficiency was there with all five first half shots finding the frame and three reaching the back of the net. Plus the defense made that halftime lead stand up to the final whistle.
The match actually began with Plainfield East – now 3-7-1 despite having won two of three prior to facing DGN – making Trojans starting goalie Gavin Crowson make a diving save just under two minutes after the opening whistle.
The break through on the scoreboard belonged to North as senior co-captain Samuel Bull used a forward ball from Trygve Hansen to set up Mason Roberts on the left wing for a 22-yard blast at 11:59.
“Seeing Sam making his run down the side I knew he’d be making a cross, and so I just had to wait for his pass," Roberts said. "Really the only decision I had to make was whether to make it a one or two-touch play.”
The Bengals' try for an equalizer forced Crowson to go high in the air in order to tip a ball wide and end a dangerous situation.
A loose ball opportunity at the opposite end enabled Hansen to drill that chance into the left side of the net for his sixth goal of the season. His play earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match status.
“Trygve is a very talented player from a technical standpoint and is very involved in getting himself and teammates chances,” Schmitt said. “He really is smart and a driving force for our offense.”
“There was a big touch that basically came to me at the top of the box,” Hansen said. “And being 1-v.-1 with the goalie, I just had to strike it cleanly.”
That 2-0 lead came after 25:28. With the Trojans on an emotional high, the margin jumped to three at 26:35. That’s when Karrow set a 44-yard cracker inside the far right post.
“Most of the game to that point I noticed the keeper was often a little out of position so I figured to take a chance,” Karrow said. “Having time and space, it was just one of those shots you can’t pass up. As soon as I hit it I knew it was going in.”
Jason Pluister took over the Trojans’ net for the second half. The result was he and Crowson sharing a clean-sheet for the second time this year. Crowson did a solo effort to account for North’s third shutout thus far.
Even with the three-goal deficit, Plainfield East continually used its speed to keep North from taking it easy for the final 40 minutes.
Just over four minutes into the second half, a Kolin Goss corner kick enabled Charlie Stulter to force Pluister into a save. Joe Duarte had a 21-yard direct kick that also required a save with 28:59 remaining.
With just over 18 minutes left, the Trojans were fortunate none of the Bengals could get to a loose ball near the left post.
East’s Jose Angel Fernandez had a pair of direct kicks that kept rising and sailed over the goal.
With six minutes still to go, Giovanni Zuniga also had a 23-yard kick fly over the crossbar.
Now both sides turn their attention to conference competition. Downers Grove North visits Oak Park and River Forest on Tuesday for a 4:45 p.m. West Suburban Conference Silver Division meeting and a chance to improve on a 1-1 league ledger.
That same day the Bengals visit Plainfield South for a 4:30 p.m. SPC encounter and a chance to better an 0-3 loop mark. East is back home on Thursday as an SPC host to Joliet Central.
Starting lineups
Downers Grove North
GK Gavin Crowson
D Samuel Bull
D Owen Lesley
D Brian Benton
D Devon Pounds
M Alessandro Karrow
M Andrew Janowiak
M Trygve Hansen
M Peter Bednar
F Eddie Ursulica
F Jose Perez
Plainfield East
GK Ryan Sidman
D Alejandro Barriga
D Charlie Stulter
D Andrew Dennis
D Ricardo Medina
D 1Brayden Saunders
M Joe Duarte
M Jose Angel Fernandez
M Alan Saldivar
F Kolin Goss
F Nathan Robinson
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Trygve Hansen, jr. MF, Downers Grove North
Referees: Raul Andrade (center), Ken Beland, Vince DeFranco
Game Summary
Downers Grove North 3, Plainfield East 0
DGN 3 0 – 3 (5-5-0)
Plainfield E 0 0 – 0 (3-7-1)
Scoring
First Half
DGN: Roberts 22-yard left wing blast (Bull assist), 11:59 gone
DGN: Hansen opportunistic left side loose ball strike (unassisted), 13:45 gone
DGN: Karrow 44-yard heat-seeking missile inside far right (unassisted), 26:35 gone
Second half
No scoring
Shots
DGN 5 – 4 – 9
PE 3 – 10 – 13
Shots on goal
DGN 5 – 2 – 7
PE 3 – 6 – 9
Saves (goalie)
DGN (Crowson 3) 3 – (Pluister 6) 6 – 9
PE (Sidman 2) 2 – (Chavira 2) 2 – 4
Corner kicks
DGN 4 – 0 – 4
PE 3 – 3 – 6
Offsides
DGN 1 – 1 – 2
PE 1 – 0 – 1
Statistical numbers lie as Trojans best Bengals 3-0
By Steve Nemeth
PLAINFIELD – Getting soaked to the bone before Saturday’s consolation bracket match in the 2019 Plainfield Classic is something Downers Grove North’s players probably could have done without.
However, the 3-0 triumph over Plainfield East made it all much more tolerable.
“We needed this. It’s a huge win coming off two disappointing losses,” senior co-captain Alessandro Karrow said.
The Trojans – who evened their season ledger at 5-5 – began the week-long tourney with two wins and then squeezed in a West Suburban Conference Silver Division match at Glenbard West that ruined a five-match win streak.
Worse yet, they couldn’t shake that bitter taste of defeat and got edged (3-2) by Oswego East thereby missing a chance for a semifinal berth. Instead it was relegation to the consolation round.
“I’m most pleased that we bounced back from the last two matches and grinded out a win,” DGN coach Mike Schmitt said. “We’re probably on the bottom side of the statistics today, but the victory says we had the extra effort needed on defense or to score.”
Schmitt was right. Plainfield East completed the match with a 13-9 advantage for overall attempts and a 9-7 edge in shots on goal, plus a 6-4 tally for corner kicks.
And yet, North’s offensive efficiency was there with all five first half shots finding the frame and three reaching the back of the net. Plus the defense made that halftime lead stand up to the final whistle.
The match actually began with Plainfield East – now 3-7-1 despite having won two of three prior to facing DGN – making Trojans starting goalie Gavin Crowson make a diving save just under two minutes after the opening whistle.
The break through on the scoreboard belonged to North as senior co-captain Samuel Bull used a forward ball from Trygve Hansen to set up Mason Roberts on the left wing for a 22-yard blast at 11:59.
“Seeing Sam making his run down the side I knew he’d be making a cross, and so I just had to wait for his pass," Roberts said. "Really the only decision I had to make was whether to make it a one or two-touch play.”
The Bengals' try for an equalizer forced Crowson to go high in the air in order to tip a ball wide and end a dangerous situation.
A loose ball opportunity at the opposite end enabled Hansen to drill that chance into the left side of the net for his sixth goal of the season. His play earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match status.
“Trygve is a very talented player from a technical standpoint and is very involved in getting himself and teammates chances,” Schmitt said. “He really is smart and a driving force for our offense.”
“There was a big touch that basically came to me at the top of the box,” Hansen said. “And being 1-v.-1 with the goalie, I just had to strike it cleanly.”
That 2-0 lead came after 25:28. With the Trojans on an emotional high, the margin jumped to three at 26:35. That’s when Karrow set a 44-yard cracker inside the far right post.
“Most of the game to that point I noticed the keeper was often a little out of position so I figured to take a chance,” Karrow said. “Having time and space, it was just one of those shots you can’t pass up. As soon as I hit it I knew it was going in.”
Jason Pluister took over the Trojans’ net for the second half. The result was he and Crowson sharing a clean-sheet for the second time this year. Crowson did a solo effort to account for North’s third shutout thus far.
Even with the three-goal deficit, Plainfield East continually used its speed to keep North from taking it easy for the final 40 minutes.
Just over four minutes into the second half, a Kolin Goss corner kick enabled Charlie Stulter to force Pluister into a save. Joe Duarte had a 21-yard direct kick that also required a save with 28:59 remaining.
With just over 18 minutes left, the Trojans were fortunate none of the Bengals could get to a loose ball near the left post.
East’s Jose Angel Fernandez had a pair of direct kicks that kept rising and sailed over the goal.
With six minutes still to go, Giovanni Zuniga also had a 23-yard kick fly over the crossbar.
Now both sides turn their attention to conference competition. Downers Grove North visits Oak Park and River Forest on Tuesday for a 4:45 p.m. West Suburban Conference Silver Division meeting and a chance to improve on a 1-1 league ledger.
That same day the Bengals visit Plainfield South for a 4:30 p.m. SPC encounter and a chance to better an 0-3 loop mark. East is back home on Thursday as an SPC host to Joliet Central.
Starting lineups
Downers Grove North
GK Gavin Crowson
D Samuel Bull
D Owen Lesley
D Brian Benton
D Devon Pounds
M Alessandro Karrow
M Andrew Janowiak
M Trygve Hansen
M Peter Bednar
F Eddie Ursulica
F Jose Perez
Plainfield East
GK Ryan Sidman
D Alejandro Barriga
D Charlie Stulter
D Andrew Dennis
D Ricardo Medina
D 1Brayden Saunders
M Joe Duarte
M Jose Angel Fernandez
M Alan Saldivar
F Kolin Goss
F Nathan Robinson
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Trygve Hansen, jr. MF, Downers Grove North
Referees: Raul Andrade (center), Ken Beland, Vince DeFranco
Game Summary
Downers Grove North 3, Plainfield East 0
DGN 3 0 – 3 (5-5-0)
Plainfield E 0 0 – 0 (3-7-1)
Scoring
First Half
DGN: Roberts 22-yard left wing blast (Bull assist), 11:59 gone
DGN: Hansen opportunistic left side loose ball strike (unassisted), 13:45 gone
DGN: Karrow 44-yard heat-seeking missile inside far right (unassisted), 26:35 gone
Second half
No scoring
Shots
DGN 5 – 4 – 9
PE 3 – 10 – 13
Shots on goal
DGN 5 – 2 – 7
PE 3 – 6 – 9
Saves (goalie)
DGN (Crowson 3) 3 – (Pluister 6) 6 – 9
PE (Sidman 2) 2 – (Chavira 2) 2 – 4
Corner kicks
DGN 4 – 0 – 4
PE 3 – 3 – 6
Offsides
DGN 1 – 1 – 2
PE 1 – 0 – 1