Henige sisters take over,
lead Fenwick past Nazareth
Senior Kate and soph Caroline score in final 8 minutes for 2-0 win
By Michael Wojtychiw
LAGRANGE PARK - Weather for spring sports can be quite the burden on teams.
Six days after having its game against Nazareth postponed due to rain, Fenwick was able to get onto the pitch to face its west suburban rival in a nonconference match Friday.
Even though there was some light hail to start the match, followed by some light rain and extremely strong winds throughout the match, both teams fought through 71-scoreless minutes until the Friars (2-1-0) scored twice in the next four to pull out the 2-0 win over the Roadrunners.
Watching the first half, one could have envisioned early Fenwick goals and a potentially lopsided score. The Friars, ranked 25th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, controlled most of the possession and put constant pressure on the Nazareth defense but had nothing to show for it.
"At the half we really got together and started to encourage each other that we could score and do what we needed to do," Fenwick senior Kate Henige said. "We started off a little slow, had most of the possession. Once we got the momentum, we wanted to maintain it and keep it going."
Having to play the wind added a strategic shift for both teams.
"Going into the wind does help sometimes," Henige said. "It dictates where the game is played, because it's a lot harder to play the balls in the air when you're going against the wind."
After seeing its visitor take control for much of the first half, Nazareth came out after halftime looking like a team that had something to prove. The Roadrunners registered their first shot on goal 11 minutes into the second half but like the Friars in the first half couldn't break that goal seal.
"We had the wind against us in the first half, and we were defending a lot," Nazareth manager Roberto Cianci said. "Playing an opponent like Fenwick, there's that rivalry. We tried to make some adjustments in the second half to break out offensively, but it didn't happen.
"We just told the girls to play their game. They're very talented, and we are now trying to get them to play and organize as they go up the field instead of having huge gaps. And we started to do that in the second half, which was why we were able to keep the ball down on their side a little more."
Neither team really could do much until Henige took the ball down the right side for Fenwick with a little over eight minutes remaining.
The 2021 Chicagoland Soccer All-State selection then did what she does best and picked up her second tally of the year.
"I took it to the corner, cut it back,” she said. “But when the defender cut back with me, I cut it back again and just shot it left post. It hit the top corner," she said. "It kind of looked like it went just over the crossbar, but it really just went in."
Not to be outdone, her sophomore sister Caroline, who leads the team in scoring through three games, picked up her fourth goal of the year when she also slotted one past the Nazareth keeper about two-and-a-half minutes later to give the Friars their final tally.
"My calf actually cramped a little bit before the goal," Caroline said. "So, I was really focused on not worrying about my injury and came back, had my eyes on the goal and knew where I wanted to place it. And I'm really glad I finished it."
The win was a nice bounce back for the Friars, who dropped a 1-0 road heartbreaker at crosstown rival Oak Park and River Forest on Wednesday evening.
After that game, manager Craig Blazer talked about the things he liked in the loss. A lot of those same positives were on display Friday, plus how his squad took the loss in stride.
"We really played all together today. We were on the same page," he said. "In the second half, we had a couple good spells, and the goals we scored on were quality finishes. Nazareth was tough to break down, and we were going to need something special. That's what we got.
"I was really encouraged with the way we played against Oak Park. I thought we did really well, obviously disappointed with the loss but liked how we responded and what we've seen."
Caroline Henige also liked how she and her teammates fought back after the tough defeat.
"Playing OPRF really prepared us and helped us feel good about our abilities, because we were able to hold them to one goal," she said. "I think that brought us together as a team, and we knew what we had to do to win. I'm glad we were able to do that today."
For Nazareth (3-2-0), the loss ended a tough stretch that included three games in three nights.
The Roadrunners played in the Raiders Invitational the previous two nights. They beat both host school Glenbard South and Lake Park by a 1-0 tally.
Thursday's win over the Lancers also included fighting through some crazy weather and ended with a late return to campus, but Cianci was happy with how the team responded. Now they have a couple days to rest up before they meet Rosary on March 31.
"We've played some tough games in some rough elements the last couple days," Cianci said. "And we got back late last night, but it's game five of 25 this season. I think later in the year we look back at this and it helps us.
"All the girls have played big minutes, and now they get a little rest to recover and rebuild."
Fenwick’s Blazer likes what he sees from his Friars.
"The girls have really shown they're coachable and having a lot of fun," he said. "I think we're going to keep improving. We've shown that ability.
"We're heading in the right direction."
The Friars (2-1-0, 1-0-0) will look to maintain their direction and hold on to unbeaten Girls Catholic Athletic Conference mark when they host Mother McAuley at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
Starting lineups
Fenwick
GK: Audrey Hinrichs
D: Emily Ortiz
D: Abbie Rogowski
D: Lizzie Brunick
D: Gabi Kapusta
MF: Grace Kapsch
MF: Julia Cianci
MF: Anastasia Lerma
MF: Caroline Henige
MF: Natalie LoGuidico
F: Kate Henige
Nazareth
GK: Sophie Hayes
D: Evelyn Sifferman
D: Andrea Stavropoulos
D: Lilly Berner
D: Loraine Healy
MF: Izzy Strnic
MF: Trea Notz
MF: Ella O'Neil
MF: Lydia Breslow
F: Olivia Austin
F: Nikolette Weis
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Kate Henige, sr., F, Fenwick
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Fenwick - Kate Henige (Julia Cianci), 72nd minute
Fenwick - Caroline Henige (Grace Kapsch), 75th minute
lead Fenwick past Nazareth
Senior Kate and soph Caroline score in final 8 minutes for 2-0 win
By Michael Wojtychiw
LAGRANGE PARK - Weather for spring sports can be quite the burden on teams.
Six days after having its game against Nazareth postponed due to rain, Fenwick was able to get onto the pitch to face its west suburban rival in a nonconference match Friday.
Even though there was some light hail to start the match, followed by some light rain and extremely strong winds throughout the match, both teams fought through 71-scoreless minutes until the Friars (2-1-0) scored twice in the next four to pull out the 2-0 win over the Roadrunners.
Watching the first half, one could have envisioned early Fenwick goals and a potentially lopsided score. The Friars, ranked 25th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, controlled most of the possession and put constant pressure on the Nazareth defense but had nothing to show for it.
"At the half we really got together and started to encourage each other that we could score and do what we needed to do," Fenwick senior Kate Henige said. "We started off a little slow, had most of the possession. Once we got the momentum, we wanted to maintain it and keep it going."
Having to play the wind added a strategic shift for both teams.
"Going into the wind does help sometimes," Henige said. "It dictates where the game is played, because it's a lot harder to play the balls in the air when you're going against the wind."
After seeing its visitor take control for much of the first half, Nazareth came out after halftime looking like a team that had something to prove. The Roadrunners registered their first shot on goal 11 minutes into the second half but like the Friars in the first half couldn't break that goal seal.
"We had the wind against us in the first half, and we were defending a lot," Nazareth manager Roberto Cianci said. "Playing an opponent like Fenwick, there's that rivalry. We tried to make some adjustments in the second half to break out offensively, but it didn't happen.
"We just told the girls to play their game. They're very talented, and we are now trying to get them to play and organize as they go up the field instead of having huge gaps. And we started to do that in the second half, which was why we were able to keep the ball down on their side a little more."
Neither team really could do much until Henige took the ball down the right side for Fenwick with a little over eight minutes remaining.
The 2021 Chicagoland Soccer All-State selection then did what she does best and picked up her second tally of the year.
"I took it to the corner, cut it back,” she said. “But when the defender cut back with me, I cut it back again and just shot it left post. It hit the top corner," she said. "It kind of looked like it went just over the crossbar, but it really just went in."
Not to be outdone, her sophomore sister Caroline, who leads the team in scoring through three games, picked up her fourth goal of the year when she also slotted one past the Nazareth keeper about two-and-a-half minutes later to give the Friars their final tally.
"My calf actually cramped a little bit before the goal," Caroline said. "So, I was really focused on not worrying about my injury and came back, had my eyes on the goal and knew where I wanted to place it. And I'm really glad I finished it."
The win was a nice bounce back for the Friars, who dropped a 1-0 road heartbreaker at crosstown rival Oak Park and River Forest on Wednesday evening.
After that game, manager Craig Blazer talked about the things he liked in the loss. A lot of those same positives were on display Friday, plus how his squad took the loss in stride.
"We really played all together today. We were on the same page," he said. "In the second half, we had a couple good spells, and the goals we scored on were quality finishes. Nazareth was tough to break down, and we were going to need something special. That's what we got.
"I was really encouraged with the way we played against Oak Park. I thought we did really well, obviously disappointed with the loss but liked how we responded and what we've seen."
Caroline Henige also liked how she and her teammates fought back after the tough defeat.
"Playing OPRF really prepared us and helped us feel good about our abilities, because we were able to hold them to one goal," she said. "I think that brought us together as a team, and we knew what we had to do to win. I'm glad we were able to do that today."
For Nazareth (3-2-0), the loss ended a tough stretch that included three games in three nights.
The Roadrunners played in the Raiders Invitational the previous two nights. They beat both host school Glenbard South and Lake Park by a 1-0 tally.
Thursday's win over the Lancers also included fighting through some crazy weather and ended with a late return to campus, but Cianci was happy with how the team responded. Now they have a couple days to rest up before they meet Rosary on March 31.
"We've played some tough games in some rough elements the last couple days," Cianci said. "And we got back late last night, but it's game five of 25 this season. I think later in the year we look back at this and it helps us.
"All the girls have played big minutes, and now they get a little rest to recover and rebuild."
Fenwick’s Blazer likes what he sees from his Friars.
"The girls have really shown they're coachable and having a lot of fun," he said. "I think we're going to keep improving. We've shown that ability.
"We're heading in the right direction."
The Friars (2-1-0, 1-0-0) will look to maintain their direction and hold on to unbeaten Girls Catholic Athletic Conference mark when they host Mother McAuley at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
Starting lineups
Fenwick
GK: Audrey Hinrichs
D: Emily Ortiz
D: Abbie Rogowski
D: Lizzie Brunick
D: Gabi Kapusta
MF: Grace Kapsch
MF: Julia Cianci
MF: Anastasia Lerma
MF: Caroline Henige
MF: Natalie LoGuidico
F: Kate Henige
Nazareth
GK: Sophie Hayes
D: Evelyn Sifferman
D: Andrea Stavropoulos
D: Lilly Berner
D: Loraine Healy
MF: Izzy Strnic
MF: Trea Notz
MF: Ella O'Neil
MF: Lydia Breslow
F: Olivia Austin
F: Nikolette Weis
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Kate Henige, sr., F, Fenwick
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Fenwick - Kate Henige (Julia Cianci), 72nd minute
Fenwick - Caroline Henige (Grace Kapsch), 75th minute