Evanston comes on strong
to top Deerfield for CSL title
Increases 2nd half intensity, nets 2 goals to break 1-1 halftime tie
By Bobby Narang
DEERFIELD — Deerfield coach Rich Grady glanced with pride at the now, nearly empty field late Tuesday night.
Almost every single one of his current players had exited the stadium following a tough 3-1 loss to no. 5 Evanston in the Central Suburban League championship game. Emily Fox scored Deerfield’s only goal, drilling in a shot from distance off a free kick in the 32nd minute.
But a few ex-players remained, milling around the goalie box and attempting shots against each other.
The 11th-ranked Warriors entered the key battle hoping to test themselves against a top Class 3A school. The Warriors, one of the state's top Class AA teams this season, played in the conference title game for the first time since 2016, when they defeated the same Evanston program in penalty kicks. Since the series inception in 2012, the Warriors have reached the CSL title game six times.
As Grady talked about the disappointing defeat and praised his current players, he let out a half-smile while watching four former players from his 2016 team — Enya Horgan, Annie Sloan, Shae Feldman and Margot Sylvan — smiling and joking around hitting the soccer ball around the box.
The Warriors graduates attended Tuesday’s game in support of the program.
The 2016 Deerfield team (22-7-0) made an indelible mark with the best season in program history. With strong chemistry and talented play, the team embarked on a late-season run that ended with a second place finish in Class AA.
As the 2022.0 version of the Warriors (17-2-2) get set to play their final regular-season game Thursday against no. 16 Warren, Grady said he’s noticed several similarities between the two teams that could portend a strong showing in the upcoming tournament.
“We’re skilled, and we like to go attack and have fun,” Grady said. “We didn’t quite get enough goals tonight, but this is a fun group that believes in each other and works hard. They enjoy being out here.
“Every team is different, but you can see some of the girls out here from the 2016 team. They had a lot of games that year we won 1-0. We had an incredible defense. We struggled to score, so it’s a different personality.
“This (current) team scores a lot more goals. We play differently, a different formation. The 2016 team was special, because we were just a group that played together a long time and knew how to win.”
Click here to see the 2016 Deerfield team page
Like that team, the Warriors have a no. 1 sectional seed. This year's model is in the Wauconda bracket. The pole-sitter will open against either no. 16 Northtown or no. 17 North Chicago 6 p.m. on May 18 in the regional they host.
Grady said his group is moving in the right direction but there are still things to tinker with.
“This team has to learn how to win a scrappy game when we’re not scoring at our best,” he said. “I think we did that when we played Vernon Hills in our last conference game. We couldn’t put it all together, but got a goal at the end to win the game. We have to win games when we’re not at our best.”
Click here to see the 2022 Deerfield team page
Evanston (16-2-1) ended Deerfield’s 11-game unbeaten streak and extended its in-state winning streak to nine games by scoring twice in the second half to break open a 1-1 halftime stalemate. Behind five college-bound players, the Wildkits won their first CSL championship game. The first game in event was played in 2013 (the inaugural 2012 match was rained out).
Click here to see the 2022 Evanston team page
Junior midfielder Adriana Merriam, a Baylor recruit, said the Wildkits came out energized in the second half. They possessed the ball in the final third for most of the first 22-plus minutes of the second half, with Brealyn Viamille causing havoc with her next-level skill set.
“This is an incredible team, and the seniors are such special people,” Merriam said. “We’ve had a fantastic season, so this win just topped it off.
“We had more urgency in the second half. We wanted it more. It was tied at 1-1. We have high expectations. We weren’t going to lose this.
“We know we can go far. We have a whole bunch of college players, and hold us to a high standard. That’s driving us.”
In the second half, the Wildkits were a different team, playing more aggressively, attacking and pushing the tempo. Maybe it was the final few songs over the PA — “Eye of the Tiger” from Survivor or the theme song from “Rocky,” but the Wildkits pounced on the Warriors early.
Viamille started to take over the game, repeatedly relying on her ball skills and speed to get quality shots and opportunities. The Florida International recruit missed three close shots in a three-minute span early in the second half and thrilled the crowd of more than 400 fans with her skills.
She scored the first goal of the game, when she beat a defender to knock in a shot with 11:51 left until halftime.
Deerfield senior defender Emma Gassman said playing the highly talented Class 3A Wildkits was an eye-opener for the backline. Deerfield goalie Lauren Gottlieb collected seven saves, capped off by a save as the final buzzer sounded.
“We’re ready and hungry and want to go far, so a loss like tonight can show up where we’re vulnerable and allows us to fix it for the important games at the end of the playoffs,” Gassman said.
“This season, I haven’t had to defend a whole lot against individual talent running straight at me. They were fast, and big. I learned a lot about myself, getting some tackles in and getting beat sometimes.
“It showed me where I should be positioning, and to get better for the next game. There’s a lot of potential on this team. We’re all excited for the playoffs, and I’m excited to see what the team does.”
Gottlieb said Evanston is the best team she’s faced this season. She thrilled the large crowd by closing out the game with three saves in the final minutes.
“I learned that I have to stay positive after they score, and not get discouraged,” the sophomore said. “I have to look for the next play to be ready. I think they turned it up in the second half. They went hard as they could, and give us their all.”
Joselyn Leigh, off an assist from Tate Lucas, scored on a strong shot to give the Wildkits a 2-1 lead with 30:25 left. Sydney Ross wrote an insurance policy with a goal off a great pass from Leigh, just six minutes later.
Lucas and Sarah Sollinger are both Division III Denison recruits, with Nahla Dominguez headed to D I Chicago State.
“We just made some adjustments in the second half,” Evanston coach Stacy Salgado said. “We talked about our shape, and the importance of it. The girls had to remember their roles, and were locked in the second half. It was nice to win this game after losing on this field in 2016.
“We wanted a tough game coming into the playoffs. Brealyn is a very creative playmaker. We have a lot of special players at different positions. I think this team believes and has the confidence and knows the game.
“Deerfield is a strong team. They were trying to find our gaps. They did a great job of doing that in the first half. We adjusted a bit better in the second half. They have some playmakers, and they run through the ball.”
The Warriors mounted a strong attack in the final 10 minutes, but each time Evanston standout goalie Ariel Kite (eight saves) made an outstanding play to stop the threat.
Fox had a potential goal saved by Kite in the 72nd minute, Riley Schimanski booted a shot well over the goalie post in the 74th minute while Holly Deutsch’s hard-hit attempt was tapped out by Kite with 5:21 left.
With 3:30 remaining, Fox, who has a team-high 19 goals, drilled a shot that caused Kite to fall backward, but she managed to maintain the save.
“We learned that playing harder teams makes us better, even if we don’t get a good result,” Fox said. “It’s good that we played (Evanston). We can learn new things about ourselves, and maybe the other teams will be easier since we played this team.
Their goalie is really good, and they have some very talented midfielders and forwards.
“We’re ready and excited for the playoffs. We’ve been working hard for the playoffs. I think we can go far.”
Deerfield senior midfielder Erin Emory said Tuesday’s loss serves as a motivating tool for her team heading into the playoffs.
“We’ve set very high standards for ourselves,” Emory said. “We’re all very talented. Evanston is a great team with amazing individual talent. We’re very hopeful for the future, and we have big goals. “Evanston’s got some very fast players with great foot skills. They finished their chances, and we didn’t.
“We’re having an amazing season, and one to remember. We have to want it more than the other team and to stick together and be positive. This team is very close. We’re really becoming a family. I’ve never really been on a team closer than this one.”
Grady said his team learned many important lessons in the loss.
“I thought we might have a chance if we got it back to 3-2, but we kept going and playing hard right until the end,” Grady said. “Brealyn and Joselyn are really good on the ball. If you get them out in space 1-v-1, they’re going to make moves and beat people.
“Brealyn had the first goal and think beat five people. They have good players. You give them some good looks, they’re going to make some.
“We have to learn how to compete against very skilled and athletic teams. I liked how we played. I would’ve liked for us to execute better. But it was a good game. The kids played hard. I liked the effort all the way around.
“One of the things I told the girls was that if you told me at this point of the season that we would be 17-2-2, I would take that.”
Starting lineups
Evanston
GK Ariel Kite
D Lucinda Lindland
D Carly Menocal
D Ellie Oif
D Sarah Sollinger
MF Nahla Dominguez
MF Adriana Merriam
MF Anna Bergmann
MF Joselyn Leigh
F Brealyn Viamille
F Sydney Ross
Deerfield
GK Lauren Gottlieb
D Emma Gassman
D Katie Morgan
D Madeline Stevens
MF Holly Deutsch
MF Ally Linn
MF Emily Fox
MF Erin Emory
MF Jessie Fisher
F Riley Schimanski
F Ryane Emory
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match:
Jocelyn Leigh, so., MF, Evanston
Scoring summary
First half
E: Brealyn Viamille (unassisted), 29th minute
D: Emily Fox (free kick), 32nd minute
Second half
E: Joselyn Leigh (Tate Lucas), 50th minute
E: Sydney Ross (Joselyn Leigh), 56th minute
to top Deerfield for CSL title
Increases 2nd half intensity, nets 2 goals to break 1-1 halftime tie
By Bobby Narang
DEERFIELD — Deerfield coach Rich Grady glanced with pride at the now, nearly empty field late Tuesday night.
Almost every single one of his current players had exited the stadium following a tough 3-1 loss to no. 5 Evanston in the Central Suburban League championship game. Emily Fox scored Deerfield’s only goal, drilling in a shot from distance off a free kick in the 32nd minute.
But a few ex-players remained, milling around the goalie box and attempting shots against each other.
The 11th-ranked Warriors entered the key battle hoping to test themselves against a top Class 3A school. The Warriors, one of the state's top Class AA teams this season, played in the conference title game for the first time since 2016, when they defeated the same Evanston program in penalty kicks. Since the series inception in 2012, the Warriors have reached the CSL title game six times.
As Grady talked about the disappointing defeat and praised his current players, he let out a half-smile while watching four former players from his 2016 team — Enya Horgan, Annie Sloan, Shae Feldman and Margot Sylvan — smiling and joking around hitting the soccer ball around the box.
The Warriors graduates attended Tuesday’s game in support of the program.
The 2016 Deerfield team (22-7-0) made an indelible mark with the best season in program history. With strong chemistry and talented play, the team embarked on a late-season run that ended with a second place finish in Class AA.
As the 2022.0 version of the Warriors (17-2-2) get set to play their final regular-season game Thursday against no. 16 Warren, Grady said he’s noticed several similarities between the two teams that could portend a strong showing in the upcoming tournament.
“We’re skilled, and we like to go attack and have fun,” Grady said. “We didn’t quite get enough goals tonight, but this is a fun group that believes in each other and works hard. They enjoy being out here.
“Every team is different, but you can see some of the girls out here from the 2016 team. They had a lot of games that year we won 1-0. We had an incredible defense. We struggled to score, so it’s a different personality.
“This (current) team scores a lot more goals. We play differently, a different formation. The 2016 team was special, because we were just a group that played together a long time and knew how to win.”
Click here to see the 2016 Deerfield team page
Like that team, the Warriors have a no. 1 sectional seed. This year's model is in the Wauconda bracket. The pole-sitter will open against either no. 16 Northtown or no. 17 North Chicago 6 p.m. on May 18 in the regional they host.
Grady said his group is moving in the right direction but there are still things to tinker with.
“This team has to learn how to win a scrappy game when we’re not scoring at our best,” he said. “I think we did that when we played Vernon Hills in our last conference game. We couldn’t put it all together, but got a goal at the end to win the game. We have to win games when we’re not at our best.”
Click here to see the 2022 Deerfield team page
Evanston (16-2-1) ended Deerfield’s 11-game unbeaten streak and extended its in-state winning streak to nine games by scoring twice in the second half to break open a 1-1 halftime stalemate. Behind five college-bound players, the Wildkits won their first CSL championship game. The first game in event was played in 2013 (the inaugural 2012 match was rained out).
Click here to see the 2022 Evanston team page
Junior midfielder Adriana Merriam, a Baylor recruit, said the Wildkits came out energized in the second half. They possessed the ball in the final third for most of the first 22-plus minutes of the second half, with Brealyn Viamille causing havoc with her next-level skill set.
“This is an incredible team, and the seniors are such special people,” Merriam said. “We’ve had a fantastic season, so this win just topped it off.
“We had more urgency in the second half. We wanted it more. It was tied at 1-1. We have high expectations. We weren’t going to lose this.
“We know we can go far. We have a whole bunch of college players, and hold us to a high standard. That’s driving us.”
In the second half, the Wildkits were a different team, playing more aggressively, attacking and pushing the tempo. Maybe it was the final few songs over the PA — “Eye of the Tiger” from Survivor or the theme song from “Rocky,” but the Wildkits pounced on the Warriors early.
Viamille started to take over the game, repeatedly relying on her ball skills and speed to get quality shots and opportunities. The Florida International recruit missed three close shots in a three-minute span early in the second half and thrilled the crowd of more than 400 fans with her skills.
She scored the first goal of the game, when she beat a defender to knock in a shot with 11:51 left until halftime.
Deerfield senior defender Emma Gassman said playing the highly talented Class 3A Wildkits was an eye-opener for the backline. Deerfield goalie Lauren Gottlieb collected seven saves, capped off by a save as the final buzzer sounded.
“We’re ready and hungry and want to go far, so a loss like tonight can show up where we’re vulnerable and allows us to fix it for the important games at the end of the playoffs,” Gassman said.
“This season, I haven’t had to defend a whole lot against individual talent running straight at me. They were fast, and big. I learned a lot about myself, getting some tackles in and getting beat sometimes.
“It showed me where I should be positioning, and to get better for the next game. There’s a lot of potential on this team. We’re all excited for the playoffs, and I’m excited to see what the team does.”
Gottlieb said Evanston is the best team she’s faced this season. She thrilled the large crowd by closing out the game with three saves in the final minutes.
“I learned that I have to stay positive after they score, and not get discouraged,” the sophomore said. “I have to look for the next play to be ready. I think they turned it up in the second half. They went hard as they could, and give us their all.”
Joselyn Leigh, off an assist from Tate Lucas, scored on a strong shot to give the Wildkits a 2-1 lead with 30:25 left. Sydney Ross wrote an insurance policy with a goal off a great pass from Leigh, just six minutes later.
Lucas and Sarah Sollinger are both Division III Denison recruits, with Nahla Dominguez headed to D I Chicago State.
“We just made some adjustments in the second half,” Evanston coach Stacy Salgado said. “We talked about our shape, and the importance of it. The girls had to remember their roles, and were locked in the second half. It was nice to win this game after losing on this field in 2016.
“We wanted a tough game coming into the playoffs. Brealyn is a very creative playmaker. We have a lot of special players at different positions. I think this team believes and has the confidence and knows the game.
“Deerfield is a strong team. They were trying to find our gaps. They did a great job of doing that in the first half. We adjusted a bit better in the second half. They have some playmakers, and they run through the ball.”
The Warriors mounted a strong attack in the final 10 minutes, but each time Evanston standout goalie Ariel Kite (eight saves) made an outstanding play to stop the threat.
Fox had a potential goal saved by Kite in the 72nd minute, Riley Schimanski booted a shot well over the goalie post in the 74th minute while Holly Deutsch’s hard-hit attempt was tapped out by Kite with 5:21 left.
With 3:30 remaining, Fox, who has a team-high 19 goals, drilled a shot that caused Kite to fall backward, but she managed to maintain the save.
“We learned that playing harder teams makes us better, even if we don’t get a good result,” Fox said. “It’s good that we played (Evanston). We can learn new things about ourselves, and maybe the other teams will be easier since we played this team.
Their goalie is really good, and they have some very talented midfielders and forwards.
“We’re ready and excited for the playoffs. We’ve been working hard for the playoffs. I think we can go far.”
Deerfield senior midfielder Erin Emory said Tuesday’s loss serves as a motivating tool for her team heading into the playoffs.
“We’ve set very high standards for ourselves,” Emory said. “We’re all very talented. Evanston is a great team with amazing individual talent. We’re very hopeful for the future, and we have big goals. “Evanston’s got some very fast players with great foot skills. They finished their chances, and we didn’t.
“We’re having an amazing season, and one to remember. We have to want it more than the other team and to stick together and be positive. This team is very close. We’re really becoming a family. I’ve never really been on a team closer than this one.”
Grady said his team learned many important lessons in the loss.
“I thought we might have a chance if we got it back to 3-2, but we kept going and playing hard right until the end,” Grady said. “Brealyn and Joselyn are really good on the ball. If you get them out in space 1-v-1, they’re going to make moves and beat people.
“Brealyn had the first goal and think beat five people. They have good players. You give them some good looks, they’re going to make some.
“We have to learn how to compete against very skilled and athletic teams. I liked how we played. I would’ve liked for us to execute better. But it was a good game. The kids played hard. I liked the effort all the way around.
“One of the things I told the girls was that if you told me at this point of the season that we would be 17-2-2, I would take that.”
Starting lineups
Evanston
GK Ariel Kite
D Lucinda Lindland
D Carly Menocal
D Ellie Oif
D Sarah Sollinger
MF Nahla Dominguez
MF Adriana Merriam
MF Anna Bergmann
MF Joselyn Leigh
F Brealyn Viamille
F Sydney Ross
Deerfield
GK Lauren Gottlieb
D Emma Gassman
D Katie Morgan
D Madeline Stevens
MF Holly Deutsch
MF Ally Linn
MF Emily Fox
MF Erin Emory
MF Jessie Fisher
F Riley Schimanski
F Ryane Emory
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match:
Jocelyn Leigh, so., MF, Evanston
Scoring summary
First half
E: Brealyn Viamille (unassisted), 29th minute
D: Emily Fox (free kick), 32nd minute
Second half
E: Joselyn Leigh (Tate Lucas), 50th minute
E: Sydney Ross (Joselyn Leigh), 56th minute