Fired-up Fremd burns Prospect
Lesiuk brace leads Vikings to 2-0 win in conference opener
By Ken Keenan
PALATINE -- Relentless from the get-go, Fremd topped Prospect 2-0 behind a pair of goals by senior midfielder Dorian Lesiuk in Mid-Suburban League Showcase action Friday night at Celtic Park.
Lesiuk, Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match, punched in a rebound in the 15th minute to open the scoring and added his second tally on a penalty kick with 10 minutes remaining in the second half.
"Relentless -- that's a good word to describe it," said Vikings head coach Steve Keller, whose squad improved to 2-0-0 with the win. "Relentless, yet controlled. The work rate was outstanding, and that can make the difference. It was a close game, but we did have the run of the play."
Fremd kept the Knights on their heels most of the match, whether settling the ball to mount an attack or tenaciously battling for 50/50 balls to regain possession.
"I've got to commend Fremd on their ability to move and possess the ball," said Prospect head coach Mike Andrews, who saw his team fall to 0-1-1 with the loss. "I was impressed with their control. It was hard for us to get control of the ball in the first half. They made us chase."
The Vikings drew numerous free kicks in the process, further frustrating the Knights.
"We're an aggressive team, but we need to learn to be composed at the same time," Andrews said. "I think we were much more composed in the second half."
Prospect's only scoring opportunities in the opening 40 minutes came on a 45-yard free kick by senior midfielder Joey Boduch in the third minute and a 40-yard free kick try by junior defender Jonny Keane in the 13th minute, both handled with ease by Vikings junior keeper Artur Cholewa.
Cholewa also dove at the right post to swat away a loose ball that deflected off a Prospect player following a throw-in toward the goal by Knights senior defender Jacob Keil in the 32nd minute.
Meanwhile, Fremd pushed the pace. A 15-yard strike from the right side by senior forward Connor Sapiente deflected into the arms of Prospect junior keeper Szymon Mocarski in the 14th minute. It was followed soon after by a solid 20-yard shot from junior forward Josh Bennett that sailed just high.
"When the attacking players press, it's easier to find the ball," said Fremd junior defender Jake Schoffstall, who assisted on Lesiuk's first tally.
The scoring play began with a well-placed throw-in. Junior forward Russell Beaupre found Schoffstall, who headed a shot on net that was stopped by Mocarski. But Lesiuk pounced on the loose change and finished with a bump off his knee that nipped the crossbar and fell into the left side of the net.
"I saw the the throw-in and knew Jake (Schoffstall) would be near-post, so I went back-post to clean up," Lesiuk said. "It felt great to get that goal. Our confidence level went up after that."
Lesiuk had another good look in the 35th minute, but his sneaky low shot rolled just wide of the left post. In the 37th minute, the tenacious middie fired a 20-yard rocket that sizzled over the crossbar. With less than a minute to go in the opening session, Lesiuk uncorked a 30-yard blast that also missed high.
"He's a solid player," Keller said. "He understands the game well, gets in the right spots and creates a lot of opportunities. He's just a good player -- a lot of ability, technically sound and (makes) good decisions."
Lesiuk and Co. picked up where they left off to start the second half. In the 44 minute, Lesiuk rifled a 35-yard shot that narrowly missed wide. A strong 25-yard strike by senior mid Anthony Tambellini was deflected wide in the 47th minute.
Mocarski kept the Knights in it with a trio of fine stops, nabbing a header by Tambellini in the 57th minute, leaping to make a one-handed stop on a wicked 25-yard shot by senior forward Connor Sapiente in the 61st minute and robbing Schoffstall on a blazing 35-yard free kick in the 66th minute.
"He's fantastic," Andrews said of Mocarski. "His intensity and physicality are great. I'm happy with his performance and leadership in the back."
Mocarski nearly had the answer for Lesiuk's PK try, diving valiantly to his left in a nearly successful effort to thwart a low shot that scooted in just inside the right post. Fremd senior defender Jake Scesniak earned the PK when he was fouled in the box.
"I don't think about the score," Mocarski said. "At the end of the day, it's about how you played. We played well, but there are improvements we can make."
Prospect had a handful of chances in the second half, most notably on a tip-in try by senior forward Peyton Myers in the 68th minute and a 35-yard free kick by Boduch 10 minutes later.
"We did some things well. Our midfield was better in the second half," Keil said. "But we have to work on our team game. We have to be more relaxed and get the ball to the forwards.
"Fremd was the more aggressive team tonight. They flooded the middle, and we couldn't get wide. But the difference was, they put the ball in the net. We didn't finish, and they did."
Consequently, Fremd was pumped about starting the new campaign with a pair of wins.
"It's definitely a great start to the season," Beaupre said. "It's what we want to do game by game -- come out and play hard."
Starting lineups
Prospect
G: Szymon Mocarski
D: Jacob Keil
D: Edmund Conroy
D: Jonny Keane
D: Colin Sand
M: Joey Boduch
M: Tengis Tulga
M: Krystian Potapa
F: Declan Flanagan
F: Patrick Limanowka
F: Alex Predescu
Fremd
G: Artur Cholewa
D: Jake Scesniak
D: Jake Schoffstall
D: Cole Jackson
D: CJ Williams
M: Anthony Tambellini
M: Dorian Lesiuk
M: Vince Daidone
F: Connor Sapiente
F: Russell Beaupre
F: Josh Bennett
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Dorian Lesiuk, sr., M, Fremd
Officials: Trevor Fulk, Reza Ayrempour, Amir Zahirovic
Scoring summary
First half
Fremd: Dorian Lesiuk (assisted by Jake Schoffstall), 16th minute
Second half
Fremd: Lesiuk PK, 70th minute
Lesiuk brace leads Vikings to 2-0 win in conference opener
By Ken Keenan
PALATINE -- Relentless from the get-go, Fremd topped Prospect 2-0 behind a pair of goals by senior midfielder Dorian Lesiuk in Mid-Suburban League Showcase action Friday night at Celtic Park.
Lesiuk, Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match, punched in a rebound in the 15th minute to open the scoring and added his second tally on a penalty kick with 10 minutes remaining in the second half.
"Relentless -- that's a good word to describe it," said Vikings head coach Steve Keller, whose squad improved to 2-0-0 with the win. "Relentless, yet controlled. The work rate was outstanding, and that can make the difference. It was a close game, but we did have the run of the play."
Fremd kept the Knights on their heels most of the match, whether settling the ball to mount an attack or tenaciously battling for 50/50 balls to regain possession.
"I've got to commend Fremd on their ability to move and possess the ball," said Prospect head coach Mike Andrews, who saw his team fall to 0-1-1 with the loss. "I was impressed with their control. It was hard for us to get control of the ball in the first half. They made us chase."
The Vikings drew numerous free kicks in the process, further frustrating the Knights.
"We're an aggressive team, but we need to learn to be composed at the same time," Andrews said. "I think we were much more composed in the second half."
Prospect's only scoring opportunities in the opening 40 minutes came on a 45-yard free kick by senior midfielder Joey Boduch in the third minute and a 40-yard free kick try by junior defender Jonny Keane in the 13th minute, both handled with ease by Vikings junior keeper Artur Cholewa.
Cholewa also dove at the right post to swat away a loose ball that deflected off a Prospect player following a throw-in toward the goal by Knights senior defender Jacob Keil in the 32nd minute.
Meanwhile, Fremd pushed the pace. A 15-yard strike from the right side by senior forward Connor Sapiente deflected into the arms of Prospect junior keeper Szymon Mocarski in the 14th minute. It was followed soon after by a solid 20-yard shot from junior forward Josh Bennett that sailed just high.
"When the attacking players press, it's easier to find the ball," said Fremd junior defender Jake Schoffstall, who assisted on Lesiuk's first tally.
The scoring play began with a well-placed throw-in. Junior forward Russell Beaupre found Schoffstall, who headed a shot on net that was stopped by Mocarski. But Lesiuk pounced on the loose change and finished with a bump off his knee that nipped the crossbar and fell into the left side of the net.
"I saw the the throw-in and knew Jake (Schoffstall) would be near-post, so I went back-post to clean up," Lesiuk said. "It felt great to get that goal. Our confidence level went up after that."
Lesiuk had another good look in the 35th minute, but his sneaky low shot rolled just wide of the left post. In the 37th minute, the tenacious middie fired a 20-yard rocket that sizzled over the crossbar. With less than a minute to go in the opening session, Lesiuk uncorked a 30-yard blast that also missed high.
"He's a solid player," Keller said. "He understands the game well, gets in the right spots and creates a lot of opportunities. He's just a good player -- a lot of ability, technically sound and (makes) good decisions."
Lesiuk and Co. picked up where they left off to start the second half. In the 44 minute, Lesiuk rifled a 35-yard shot that narrowly missed wide. A strong 25-yard strike by senior mid Anthony Tambellini was deflected wide in the 47th minute.
Mocarski kept the Knights in it with a trio of fine stops, nabbing a header by Tambellini in the 57th minute, leaping to make a one-handed stop on a wicked 25-yard shot by senior forward Connor Sapiente in the 61st minute and robbing Schoffstall on a blazing 35-yard free kick in the 66th minute.
"He's fantastic," Andrews said of Mocarski. "His intensity and physicality are great. I'm happy with his performance and leadership in the back."
Mocarski nearly had the answer for Lesiuk's PK try, diving valiantly to his left in a nearly successful effort to thwart a low shot that scooted in just inside the right post. Fremd senior defender Jake Scesniak earned the PK when he was fouled in the box.
"I don't think about the score," Mocarski said. "At the end of the day, it's about how you played. We played well, but there are improvements we can make."
Prospect had a handful of chances in the second half, most notably on a tip-in try by senior forward Peyton Myers in the 68th minute and a 35-yard free kick by Boduch 10 minutes later.
"We did some things well. Our midfield was better in the second half," Keil said. "But we have to work on our team game. We have to be more relaxed and get the ball to the forwards.
"Fremd was the more aggressive team tonight. They flooded the middle, and we couldn't get wide. But the difference was, they put the ball in the net. We didn't finish, and they did."
Consequently, Fremd was pumped about starting the new campaign with a pair of wins.
"It's definitely a great start to the season," Beaupre said. "It's what we want to do game by game -- come out and play hard."
Starting lineups
Prospect
G: Szymon Mocarski
D: Jacob Keil
D: Edmund Conroy
D: Jonny Keane
D: Colin Sand
M: Joey Boduch
M: Tengis Tulga
M: Krystian Potapa
F: Declan Flanagan
F: Patrick Limanowka
F: Alex Predescu
Fremd
G: Artur Cholewa
D: Jake Scesniak
D: Jake Schoffstall
D: Cole Jackson
D: CJ Williams
M: Anthony Tambellini
M: Dorian Lesiuk
M: Vince Daidone
F: Connor Sapiente
F: Russell Beaupre
F: Josh Bennett
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Dorian Lesiuk, sr., M, Fremd
Officials: Trevor Fulk, Reza Ayrempour, Amir Zahirovic
Scoring summary
First half
Fremd: Dorian Lesiuk (assisted by Jake Schoffstall), 16th minute
Second half
Fremd: Lesiuk PK, 70th minute