Stagg out-PKs Fenwick for Windy City title
Undefeated Chargers post 3-1 edge, give Friars first loss
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BRIDGEVIEW -- Every part of the championship game of the Windy City Ram Classic is amplified. The title is staged on the massive and pristine grass field at Toyota Park.
As the deciding match of a five-game format 32-team field, the tournament is both exhilarating and exhausting. Emotions are deep. The game is significant. The achievement transcends the final result.
“Honestly, just being here with my team was amazing,” Fenwick junior midfielder Anissa Nourse said. “It was a great experience for all of us.”
The final is always subject to chance. The bracket is created from a blind draw. It is not out of the realm of the possible for the two best teams to meet in the first round. This time everything worked to perfection, a scintillating title game showcased the two best teams in the field.
Not surprisingly the drama of the title game was like a dance, buoyant and rhapsodic. Fenwick enjoyed the better play, Stagg generated the best scoring chances. It was a classic match, back and forth, tense and thrilling. The specially formatted rules with two 35-minute halves and two five-minute overtime periods yielded a scoreless draw.
The conclusion was the logical and necessary outgrowth of the game as Stagg junior keeper Sydney Downs made a crucial stop and forced Fenwick into two errant attempts as the no. 12 Chargers outlasted the no. 16 Friars 3-1 in the deciding shootout to capturing their first Windy City Ram Classic tournament title Sunday afternoon.
Angelina Kosmas, Ally Mussallem and Maja Persa converted PKs for the Chargers (6-0-0). Fenwick shot first. The Friars’ first two shooters missed -- the first attempt hit off the far post, and the second shot was pushed wide right.
Conversely, Kosmas hit a rocket shot that Friars’ keeper McKenzie Blaze made a partial deflection on but the force of the momentum carried the ball into the goal. Persa, a senior defender, drilled her ball into the lower left corner. She was formally credited with the goal.
Persa admitted to having a different approach to penalty kicks.
“A lot of people have a specific strategy, but surprisingly I don’t,” she said. “I just walk up and pick a spot at the last minute. It’s kind of scary. I see where the goalie likes to go, and I just go for it.”
A junior, Downs has started since her freshman year. She has been majestic for the Chargers. She played a flawless tournament, refusing to concede a goal in any of the five games nor the Chargers’ other game.
“Sydney is always talking to us in the back, telling us where to go, when to stop, reminding us if we miss something,” Persa said. “This is the real team aspect that helps us.”
The dynamic between shooter and keeper is a riveting one.
“With (penalty kicks) I am just trying to figure out the players, their numbers from the game and just try to figure out their tendencies and where they like to shoot,” Downs said. “I try to guess where they’re going. You just have to commit to one side and get there as fast as you can.”
Any shootout is nerve-wracking for either side. The players fell tremendous internal pressure. The keeper is loose, knowing she just has to make one stop to seize the momentum. After Fenwick missed its first two attempts, Downs said her confidence just soared.
“That definitely put some confidence in me,” Downs said. “I just know that coming to penalty kicks, I just have to save one. When they hit the post on that first kick, I just said we’re already one up here.”
The margin between success and failure is sometimes microscopic.
“We were a little bit unlucky there,” Fenwick coach Robert Watson said. “Shootouts can always bring a little bit of misfortune. It’s a big field, so it disconnects the game a little bit for high school players. It was windy and cold. Maybe in the beginning of the year, we’re not in the greatest physical shape, so we might have gotten tired.
“I thought we were the best team, and we probably deserved to win. That’s soccer, and the best team does not always win.”
Nourse was the best player on the field, building off her superb two-goal performance against Lincoln-Way Central in the semifinal round. She created havoc with her quickness and ability to get behind the Chargers’ backline. She has a fluid and deceptively quick first step, and she was able to repeatedly break down the Chargers.
Twice she made breathtaking crosses in front of a Chargers’ exposed goal but no Friar could get on the end of them.
“We definitely dominated the game, we just could not put it away,” Nourse said. “That’s something we definitely need to go back and work on, especially with the PKs. A couple of times there off the penetration I just did not have an angle to shoot, and I tried to pass to teammates.
“Even though we lost, it felt like we had a great game. We wanted it for ourselves, and we played for ourselves. Our team has had great chemistry. That has helped us a lot.”
Both teams unveiled their own blueprint for success. Fenwick showcased an air-tight defense and an electrifying talent in Nourse. Having the wind in the first half, Fenwick (5-1-0) had the edge in possession and opportunities.
“We only graduated one player last year,” Watson said. “There are five or six girls who have been playing for me for four years. You can see the cohesiveness is coming around, and we also have some youth. We are versatile. We have a deep, well-rounded team, and we can fill all the positions."
Downs and Nourse shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match prize. There was virtually no separation between the two.
“Sometimes it comes down to a shootout, or just one play or two plays,” Watson said. “I was really happy with the way we played. We have really been growing every day. I think if we continue going forward, we are going to be a very tough team.”
Stagg captured the first Windy City tournament title in the program’s history. In just her second year directing the team, Alison Kaim has shown herself as one of the bright up-and-coming young coaches. She made subtle though distinct changes. Mussallem, the Purdue recruit, moved from an attacking midfielder to a forward slot.
Two Stagg senior forwards, Anna Fois and Veronika Stafira, made an impact in the game. Fois had the best scoring chance in the first half, squirting through to get a one-on-one against Fenwick keeper Blaze. Stafira showed consistent moxie and daring, a physical and skilled player who took on much bigger Fenwick defenders and softened the Friars’ backline. Senior defender Grace Javaras, the team’s free kick and corner specialist, also played well.
“Talking to the girls, we we were trying to get our strategy down and looking to possess and find the seams,” Kaim said. “It took a little bit to adjust to the size of the field and playing on grass. I give it to Fenwick. They were a quality team.”
After Persa’s successful penalty kick, the Chargers froze, not realizing the game was over. Rather fittingly, Stagg seemed willing for the game to never end.
“It feels amazing,” Persa said. “I feel like it’s just the beginning for our team and the season. I think we’re going to be a real powerhouse this year. Honestly, I think we can go very far. I think ever since the preseason everybody knew Stagg was really going to be something this year. They knew we were going to be a challenge. We have the confidence in proving we are this good.
“Being a senior, it’s about going out with a bang, make history, like we did today.”
Starting lineups
Stagg
GK: Sydney Downs
D: Eilis Hannon
D: Maja Persa
D: Grace Javaras
D: Aoife Finn
MF: Faith Mariner
MF: Erini Kosmas
MF: Angelina Kosmas
MF: Agnes Lojek
F: Veronika Stafira
F: Ally Mussallem
Fenwick
GK: McKenzie Blaze
D: Lauren Miller
D: Tess Shannon
D: Margaux Shearer
MF: Kaylie Fredian
MF: Regan Hultquist
MF: Anissa Nourse
MF: Lauren Stibich
MF: Anna Waring
F: Lily Reardon
F: Morgan Hosty
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the match: Sydney Downs, jr., GK, Stagg
Anissa Nourse, jr., MF, Fenwick
Scoring summary
No goals
Penalty kick shootout
Stagg: Angelina Kosmas, Ally Mussallem, Maja Persa
Fenwick: Margaux Shearer
Undefeated Chargers post 3-1 edge, give Friars first loss
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BRIDGEVIEW -- Every part of the championship game of the Windy City Ram Classic is amplified. The title is staged on the massive and pristine grass field at Toyota Park.
As the deciding match of a five-game format 32-team field, the tournament is both exhilarating and exhausting. Emotions are deep. The game is significant. The achievement transcends the final result.
“Honestly, just being here with my team was amazing,” Fenwick junior midfielder Anissa Nourse said. “It was a great experience for all of us.”
The final is always subject to chance. The bracket is created from a blind draw. It is not out of the realm of the possible for the two best teams to meet in the first round. This time everything worked to perfection, a scintillating title game showcased the two best teams in the field.
Not surprisingly the drama of the title game was like a dance, buoyant and rhapsodic. Fenwick enjoyed the better play, Stagg generated the best scoring chances. It was a classic match, back and forth, tense and thrilling. The specially formatted rules with two 35-minute halves and two five-minute overtime periods yielded a scoreless draw.
The conclusion was the logical and necessary outgrowth of the game as Stagg junior keeper Sydney Downs made a crucial stop and forced Fenwick into two errant attempts as the no. 12 Chargers outlasted the no. 16 Friars 3-1 in the deciding shootout to capturing their first Windy City Ram Classic tournament title Sunday afternoon.
Angelina Kosmas, Ally Mussallem and Maja Persa converted PKs for the Chargers (6-0-0). Fenwick shot first. The Friars’ first two shooters missed -- the first attempt hit off the far post, and the second shot was pushed wide right.
Conversely, Kosmas hit a rocket shot that Friars’ keeper McKenzie Blaze made a partial deflection on but the force of the momentum carried the ball into the goal. Persa, a senior defender, drilled her ball into the lower left corner. She was formally credited with the goal.
Persa admitted to having a different approach to penalty kicks.
“A lot of people have a specific strategy, but surprisingly I don’t,” she said. “I just walk up and pick a spot at the last minute. It’s kind of scary. I see where the goalie likes to go, and I just go for it.”
A junior, Downs has started since her freshman year. She has been majestic for the Chargers. She played a flawless tournament, refusing to concede a goal in any of the five games nor the Chargers’ other game.
“Sydney is always talking to us in the back, telling us where to go, when to stop, reminding us if we miss something,” Persa said. “This is the real team aspect that helps us.”
The dynamic between shooter and keeper is a riveting one.
“With (penalty kicks) I am just trying to figure out the players, their numbers from the game and just try to figure out their tendencies and where they like to shoot,” Downs said. “I try to guess where they’re going. You just have to commit to one side and get there as fast as you can.”
Any shootout is nerve-wracking for either side. The players fell tremendous internal pressure. The keeper is loose, knowing she just has to make one stop to seize the momentum. After Fenwick missed its first two attempts, Downs said her confidence just soared.
“That definitely put some confidence in me,” Downs said. “I just know that coming to penalty kicks, I just have to save one. When they hit the post on that first kick, I just said we’re already one up here.”
The margin between success and failure is sometimes microscopic.
“We were a little bit unlucky there,” Fenwick coach Robert Watson said. “Shootouts can always bring a little bit of misfortune. It’s a big field, so it disconnects the game a little bit for high school players. It was windy and cold. Maybe in the beginning of the year, we’re not in the greatest physical shape, so we might have gotten tired.
“I thought we were the best team, and we probably deserved to win. That’s soccer, and the best team does not always win.”
Nourse was the best player on the field, building off her superb two-goal performance against Lincoln-Way Central in the semifinal round. She created havoc with her quickness and ability to get behind the Chargers’ backline. She has a fluid and deceptively quick first step, and she was able to repeatedly break down the Chargers.
Twice she made breathtaking crosses in front of a Chargers’ exposed goal but no Friar could get on the end of them.
“We definitely dominated the game, we just could not put it away,” Nourse said. “That’s something we definitely need to go back and work on, especially with the PKs. A couple of times there off the penetration I just did not have an angle to shoot, and I tried to pass to teammates.
“Even though we lost, it felt like we had a great game. We wanted it for ourselves, and we played for ourselves. Our team has had great chemistry. That has helped us a lot.”
Both teams unveiled their own blueprint for success. Fenwick showcased an air-tight defense and an electrifying talent in Nourse. Having the wind in the first half, Fenwick (5-1-0) had the edge in possession and opportunities.
“We only graduated one player last year,” Watson said. “There are five or six girls who have been playing for me for four years. You can see the cohesiveness is coming around, and we also have some youth. We are versatile. We have a deep, well-rounded team, and we can fill all the positions."
Downs and Nourse shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match prize. There was virtually no separation between the two.
“Sometimes it comes down to a shootout, or just one play or two plays,” Watson said. “I was really happy with the way we played. We have really been growing every day. I think if we continue going forward, we are going to be a very tough team.”
Stagg captured the first Windy City tournament title in the program’s history. In just her second year directing the team, Alison Kaim has shown herself as one of the bright up-and-coming young coaches. She made subtle though distinct changes. Mussallem, the Purdue recruit, moved from an attacking midfielder to a forward slot.
Two Stagg senior forwards, Anna Fois and Veronika Stafira, made an impact in the game. Fois had the best scoring chance in the first half, squirting through to get a one-on-one against Fenwick keeper Blaze. Stafira showed consistent moxie and daring, a physical and skilled player who took on much bigger Fenwick defenders and softened the Friars’ backline. Senior defender Grace Javaras, the team’s free kick and corner specialist, also played well.
“Talking to the girls, we we were trying to get our strategy down and looking to possess and find the seams,” Kaim said. “It took a little bit to adjust to the size of the field and playing on grass. I give it to Fenwick. They were a quality team.”
After Persa’s successful penalty kick, the Chargers froze, not realizing the game was over. Rather fittingly, Stagg seemed willing for the game to never end.
“It feels amazing,” Persa said. “I feel like it’s just the beginning for our team and the season. I think we’re going to be a real powerhouse this year. Honestly, I think we can go very far. I think ever since the preseason everybody knew Stagg was really going to be something this year. They knew we were going to be a challenge. We have the confidence in proving we are this good.
“Being a senior, it’s about going out with a bang, make history, like we did today.”
Starting lineups
Stagg
GK: Sydney Downs
D: Eilis Hannon
D: Maja Persa
D: Grace Javaras
D: Aoife Finn
MF: Faith Mariner
MF: Erini Kosmas
MF: Angelina Kosmas
MF: Agnes Lojek
F: Veronika Stafira
F: Ally Mussallem
Fenwick
GK: McKenzie Blaze
D: Lauren Miller
D: Tess Shannon
D: Margaux Shearer
MF: Kaylie Fredian
MF: Regan Hultquist
MF: Anissa Nourse
MF: Lauren Stibich
MF: Anna Waring
F: Lily Reardon
F: Morgan Hosty
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the match: Sydney Downs, jr., GK, Stagg
Anissa Nourse, jr., MF, Fenwick
Scoring summary
No goals
Penalty kick shootout
Stagg: Angelina Kosmas, Ally Mussallem, Maja Persa
Fenwick: Margaux Shearer