Porta pushes Glenbrook North past Lane
Leads Spartans to 2-0 win in ranked battle
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Lane worked to be as motivated, sharp and ready as it could be.
“We had a really intense practice Friday, and everybody talked about how important this week was,” senior midfielder Scout Murray said.
Lane is preparing to play its two most challenging Chicago Public League Premier Division matches in road games at Jones and Young to start the week.
The beautiful prelude was a showdown of powerhouses with Glenbrook North, which also entered the game unbeaten and unscored upon.
The hosts also wanted to settle a score with the Spartans, who beat them last season in the opener and a Class 3A regional final.
“This year we have already proven more than last year, and we still have a lot to show,” Murray said.
Glenbrook North coach Tony Valsamis has been pointing toward this season.
In his debut campaign three years ago, he started five freshmen.
With those gifted and precocious young players, the Spartans rose to elite status.
That quintet are now the linchpin of the Spartans.
“I think we have many really key players who have been starting since their freshman year,” Spartans’ midfielder Margy Porta said.
“We had to mature from a young age, and I think that’s a contagious aspect that has now been passed onto the younger girls on our team.
“That has created a super-strong, mature and elite team that is ready to compete against any team at any time.”
Porta scored a goal and contributed a late assist to Lilly Denk as Glenbrook North, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, captured an impressive 2-0 victory over no. 13 Lane on Saturday night.
The game marked the culmination of an unofficial Central Suburban League South Division-CPL Premier Division throwdown. Unranked Young played no. 8 Evanston to a 3-3 tie Saturday afternoon.
Glenbrook North and Lane echoed each other, with each holding a 20-0 scoring differential through four games.
“This was a really great test for us,” Valsamis. “They’re a very good team, a tough test, and we could definitely play them again later in the season.”
Lane entered the game off a historic first-time victory over perennial power Loyola.
“Outside of the Loyola game, we have not really been challenged or had as much competition,” Murray said.
“We knew we had to come out like we did the Loyola game.”
Glenbrook North had not played in two weeks after a game Wednesday was postponed, so there was little rust shown Saturday.
“We were getting a lot of crosses early in the game,” Porta said. “Unfortunately, our first touches were off.
“We just kept the energy and the work rate high, and we got the first finish and then the second one.”
The first half demonstrated the strong capabilities from each side. Glenbrook North had the wind advantage, and pushed numbers forward.
Midfielder Morrisa Lambert was dangerous in her free and corner kicks.
Porta had a ball hit off the post in the first half. Dank also generated repeated pressure operating from the left edge.
The first half proved a dynamic clash with the Spartans’ forays producing a cumulative pressure.
Lane was better in the counterattack and generated superb chances in the first half.
Midfielder Maya Martinez-Bates was repeatedly dangerous, creating some nice combinations with Murray.
Midfielders Dale Sink and forwards Mary Rau and Gabriel Pop also got to the edge.
Glenbrook North keeper Taylor Brocato made five saves.
“We had a couple of different opportunities that we could have capitalized on,” Lane coach Michelle Vale said.
“Unfortunately, they had a really strong defensive backline.”
Lane’s Murray is a marked player.
The Chicagoland Soccer all-state talent is a lethal scorer.
Now her reputation precedes her.
Glenbrook North’s physical style and aggressive play sent multiple defenders at her, repeatedly looking to stymie her in space.
She was knocked hard to the ground on a couple of plays.
“I think it is getting frustrating,” Murray said. “I know it’s also really important to stay strong. The first half I was having a really hard time staying mentally focused.
“I had a talk with myself at halftime and came out in the second half knowing what I had to do.”
Lane’s second-year starting keeper Siena Belko has quietly been a solid presence.
The junior has shown great reaction skills and poise inside the box. She repeatedly denied Loyola’s attacking players the week before.
Belko demonstrated the same grace and style under pressure.
She finished with seven saves. The snow, rain and wind from earlier in the day created some highly difficult conditions in handling the ball.
Lane’s athletic and physical back of Jocelyn Ramirez and Sawyer Mills on the edges and Maya Warkentin and Olivia Schmit in the center has also shown great cohesion and toughness.
Glenbrook North (5-0-0) broke through off a counter in the 54th minute. Defender Kat Sellas controlled a through-ball on the right edge and sent in a beautiful ball to Porta.
Porta controlled the ball, wheeled and fired in a left-footed blast from about 14 yards.
“Our touches were off at the start with the wet surface and the conditions, but we kept playing the ball to our feet and playing the ball to each other,” Porta said.
Vale said the pressure placed on her defense was just too great.
“I felt we had our defense tried and tried again,” she said. “It’s a lot to ask of those defenders to constantly have to step up.”
Lane showed poise and toughness. Among their several solid chances. Martinez-Bates had two rocket balls from just outside the box.
Trying to equalize in the final 10 minutes, Lane went all-in, creating a late opportunity for Porta to shut the door on a comeback.
Porta got the right edge and connected with Denk on a beautiful cross.
“Even though we got the first goal, we kept the mentality of always pushing, making runs and finishing because you never know what might happen,” Denk said.
Lane (4-1-0) fought until the end.
“That first goal was a little discouraging, and I thought we might have been able to finish some of our other chances we had, but our passes or shots were off,” Martinez-Bates said.
Martinez-Bates pointed out, between the Loyola victory and the Glenbrook North game, Lane won games by respective scores of 9-0 and 8-0.
“This was a really important test for us, and I thought we played well,” she said. “I liked the fact that we played really hard until the end.
“Now we have these really important games with Jones and then Whitney Young on Wednesday. Even though we lost, this game will get us ready.”
Starting lineups
Glenbrook North
GK: Taylor Brocato
D: Nayia Sellas
D: Annie Philbin
D: Kat Sellas
MF: Dani Gichner
MF: Rachel Leiter
MF: Margy Porta
MF: Morissa Lambert
F: Ella Panek
F: Lilly Denk
F: Kate Leverenz
Lane
GK: Siena Belko
D: Jocelyn Ramirez
D: Maya Warkentin
D: Olivia Schmit
D: Sawyer Mills
MF: Dale Sink
MF: Kristiyanan Sevona
MF: Maya Martinez-Bates
MF: Scout Murray
F: Mary Rau
F: Gabriela Pop
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Margy Porta, sr., MF, Glenbrook North
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Glenbrook North—Margy Porta (Kat Sellas), 54th minute
Glenbrook North—Lilly Denk (Porta), 75th minute
Leads Spartans to 2-0 win in ranked battle
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Lane worked to be as motivated, sharp and ready as it could be.
“We had a really intense practice Friday, and everybody talked about how important this week was,” senior midfielder Scout Murray said.
Lane is preparing to play its two most challenging Chicago Public League Premier Division matches in road games at Jones and Young to start the week.
The beautiful prelude was a showdown of powerhouses with Glenbrook North, which also entered the game unbeaten and unscored upon.
The hosts also wanted to settle a score with the Spartans, who beat them last season in the opener and a Class 3A regional final.
“This year we have already proven more than last year, and we still have a lot to show,” Murray said.
Glenbrook North coach Tony Valsamis has been pointing toward this season.
In his debut campaign three years ago, he started five freshmen.
With those gifted and precocious young players, the Spartans rose to elite status.
That quintet are now the linchpin of the Spartans.
“I think we have many really key players who have been starting since their freshman year,” Spartans’ midfielder Margy Porta said.
“We had to mature from a young age, and I think that’s a contagious aspect that has now been passed onto the younger girls on our team.
“That has created a super-strong, mature and elite team that is ready to compete against any team at any time.”
Porta scored a goal and contributed a late assist to Lilly Denk as Glenbrook North, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, captured an impressive 2-0 victory over no. 13 Lane on Saturday night.
The game marked the culmination of an unofficial Central Suburban League South Division-CPL Premier Division throwdown. Unranked Young played no. 8 Evanston to a 3-3 tie Saturday afternoon.
Glenbrook North and Lane echoed each other, with each holding a 20-0 scoring differential through four games.
“This was a really great test for us,” Valsamis. “They’re a very good team, a tough test, and we could definitely play them again later in the season.”
Lane entered the game off a historic first-time victory over perennial power Loyola.
“Outside of the Loyola game, we have not really been challenged or had as much competition,” Murray said.
“We knew we had to come out like we did the Loyola game.”
Glenbrook North had not played in two weeks after a game Wednesday was postponed, so there was little rust shown Saturday.
“We were getting a lot of crosses early in the game,” Porta said. “Unfortunately, our first touches were off.
“We just kept the energy and the work rate high, and we got the first finish and then the second one.”
The first half demonstrated the strong capabilities from each side. Glenbrook North had the wind advantage, and pushed numbers forward.
Midfielder Morrisa Lambert was dangerous in her free and corner kicks.
Porta had a ball hit off the post in the first half. Dank also generated repeated pressure operating from the left edge.
The first half proved a dynamic clash with the Spartans’ forays producing a cumulative pressure.
Lane was better in the counterattack and generated superb chances in the first half.
Midfielder Maya Martinez-Bates was repeatedly dangerous, creating some nice combinations with Murray.
Midfielders Dale Sink and forwards Mary Rau and Gabriel Pop also got to the edge.
Glenbrook North keeper Taylor Brocato made five saves.
“We had a couple of different opportunities that we could have capitalized on,” Lane coach Michelle Vale said.
“Unfortunately, they had a really strong defensive backline.”
Lane’s Murray is a marked player.
The Chicagoland Soccer all-state talent is a lethal scorer.
Now her reputation precedes her.
Glenbrook North’s physical style and aggressive play sent multiple defenders at her, repeatedly looking to stymie her in space.
She was knocked hard to the ground on a couple of plays.
“I think it is getting frustrating,” Murray said. “I know it’s also really important to stay strong. The first half I was having a really hard time staying mentally focused.
“I had a talk with myself at halftime and came out in the second half knowing what I had to do.”
Lane’s second-year starting keeper Siena Belko has quietly been a solid presence.
The junior has shown great reaction skills and poise inside the box. She repeatedly denied Loyola’s attacking players the week before.
Belko demonstrated the same grace and style under pressure.
She finished with seven saves. The snow, rain and wind from earlier in the day created some highly difficult conditions in handling the ball.
Lane’s athletic and physical back of Jocelyn Ramirez and Sawyer Mills on the edges and Maya Warkentin and Olivia Schmit in the center has also shown great cohesion and toughness.
Glenbrook North (5-0-0) broke through off a counter in the 54th minute. Defender Kat Sellas controlled a through-ball on the right edge and sent in a beautiful ball to Porta.
Porta controlled the ball, wheeled and fired in a left-footed blast from about 14 yards.
“Our touches were off at the start with the wet surface and the conditions, but we kept playing the ball to our feet and playing the ball to each other,” Porta said.
Vale said the pressure placed on her defense was just too great.
“I felt we had our defense tried and tried again,” she said. “It’s a lot to ask of those defenders to constantly have to step up.”
Lane showed poise and toughness. Among their several solid chances. Martinez-Bates had two rocket balls from just outside the box.
Trying to equalize in the final 10 minutes, Lane went all-in, creating a late opportunity for Porta to shut the door on a comeback.
Porta got the right edge and connected with Denk on a beautiful cross.
“Even though we got the first goal, we kept the mentality of always pushing, making runs and finishing because you never know what might happen,” Denk said.
Lane (4-1-0) fought until the end.
“That first goal was a little discouraging, and I thought we might have been able to finish some of our other chances we had, but our passes or shots were off,” Martinez-Bates said.
Martinez-Bates pointed out, between the Loyola victory and the Glenbrook North game, Lane won games by respective scores of 9-0 and 8-0.
“This was a really important test for us, and I thought we played well,” she said. “I liked the fact that we played really hard until the end.
“Now we have these really important games with Jones and then Whitney Young on Wednesday. Even though we lost, this game will get us ready.”
Starting lineups
Glenbrook North
GK: Taylor Brocato
D: Nayia Sellas
D: Annie Philbin
D: Kat Sellas
MF: Dani Gichner
MF: Rachel Leiter
MF: Margy Porta
MF: Morissa Lambert
F: Ella Panek
F: Lilly Denk
F: Kate Leverenz
Lane
GK: Siena Belko
D: Jocelyn Ramirez
D: Maya Warkentin
D: Olivia Schmit
D: Sawyer Mills
MF: Dale Sink
MF: Kristiyanan Sevona
MF: Maya Martinez-Bates
MF: Scout Murray
F: Mary Rau
F: Gabriela Pop
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Margy Porta, sr., MF, Glenbrook North
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Glenbrook North—Margy Porta (Kat Sellas), 54th minute
Glenbrook North—Lilly Denk (Porta), 75th minute