Young sets tone,
bests GBS in home-opener
Sassower leads the way with goal, 2 assists
By Michael Wojtychiw
CHICAGO - In recent weeks, it seems as if Young has become a second half team, one that likes to come from behind in big games after giving up the first goal. That’s what happened in a win over Jones and a tie with Lane the previous two Wednesdays.
But It wasn't the case when Glenbrook South traveled south from Glenview to take on the Dolphins at the new Michelle Obama Athletic Complex right across the street from Young.
Young's home debut ended up a positive one; it came away with a 3-1 win over the Titans.
"We were good today in the midfield, when you push up early, good things happen," Young manager Ross LaBauex said. "It puts the other team on its heels and they've got to use more energy."
After Glenbrook South put a little pressure on the Dolphins defense, the hosts (6-3-1) became comfortable and started to play their game.
Ella Koleno used her speed and a couple nifty moves to get open and take a pass from Alexis Sassower. She spun around her defender before burying a shot past Glenbrook South keeper Maggie Ryan with 14 minutes, 44 seconds to go before the half.
"Being up early is so encouraging and it gives us all the momentum," Koleno said. "Right from the start of the game getting the goal gave us the confidence, and that allowed us to keep pressing.
"We kept pressing and were able to score again later. I think what we really realized today was the quicker we played, the better."
Sassower put a couple shots on goal before the half ended, including one that hit the football crossbar, right above the soccer goal, but Glenbrook South kept it within one through the first half.
After the initial flurry, the Titans really weren't able to put much of an attack on the Dolphins' goal. It was something that frustrated the visitors but also became a learning moment for the team.
"They play a five-man midfield, so any time we tried to do something in the midfield, we were under pressure," Glenbrook South manager Mark Daniels said. "And we knew that coming in. Their number 10 (Sassower) is a really nice player.
"They play the same style of play that we like to play, it's just that we didn't possess it as well as we should have. We'll learn, and we're improving on our game though."
"They were doing a good job cycling it through their midfielders and playing a lot of give-and-gos," Glenbrook South midfielder Meghan Noe said.
A good portion of the Titans' squad is playing its first varsity season, so Daniels and his squad know that in a rebuilding/reloading not to mention COVID year, things may be a little more difficult than they're used to.
The Titans (1-8-3) were also down to eight of their normal starters due to injury, players resting to help recover from a physical tie with Maine South the night before or other obligations.
Without many of its starters out, Glenbrook South adjusted its play while playing its entire roster, including players who may not have normally gotten a lot of time on the pitch.
"Since we had a game yesterday, we were really trying to work more players in and getting a lot of new rotations so that we stayed fresh," Glenbrook South's Talia Massarelli said. "We tested out different positions for different people too, so it was interesting to see how people were able to build off other players' strengths, even though we may have been tired or not playing in our normal rotations."
Sassower extended the lead early in the second half when she put a ball past Ryan, who had come out to play the ball and try to thwart the opportunity.
"I think as we built the lead, it allowed us to get more comfortable and play to our strengths," Sassower said. "From the start, we wanted to get this win, so after the second goal and even the third goal, we were still pushing and wanting to keep going."
Sassower, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match, earned a second assist when she took a corner that freshman Katie Sweitzer headed into the goal for a 3-0 lead in the 55th minute.
Sweitzer, not one to often play toward the goal during corner kicks, knew that once she saw the pass, she had a prime opportunity to score.
"Normally that never happens to me," Sweitzer said. "We often try to play it up front like Alexis did or serve it back toward the front of the box.
"But she served a great ball, and I was there. I guess we can try to do more of those in the future."
"We try to switch up what we do with our corners because a lot of goals can come off set pieces," LaBauex said. "Alexis was putting the ball in the right spot, serving some great balls and good things can happen.
"That's not an easy finish."
Glenbrook South was not ready to give up. Massarelli scored a little over a minute later to draw the visitors to within two goals.
Unfortunately for Glenbrook South it was too little, too late but the a junior forward and her teammates were happy with how they fought to the end, especially being so shorthanded.
"A lot of us have been playing positions we're not normally used to," Massarelli said. "We were short on defense before, but we cycled some of those players back, but today they got the chance to play more forward again, which was really good for them.
"We've really just been trying to work off each other and use each other's strengths and getting to know each other's strengths so we know how to play off of each other."
Some in-game recognition led to the goal.
"I noticed that one of the backs had the ball," said Noe, who assisted on the goal. “I felt like they were cycling it through the backs a lot and took advantage of that.”
Knowing that this year would be a different, Daniels has liked what he's seen from his squad, especially going up against some of the tougher teams in the area. The Titans tied district rival and no. 11 Glenbrook North on Wednesday.
"We're trying to play the right way, trying to pass and get our backs involved, trying to connect all the things we want to do, but sometimes it doesn't work out," he said. "It's a long season. We'll sort it out."
Young looks to catapult to first place in the Chicago Public League's Premier Division when they face off with Payton on Monday. The Grizzlies currently at the top of the table at 4-0, but have fellow top contenders Young, Jones and Lane on the schedule this week. The close out with struggling Von Steuben and Lincoln Park.
Click here to see the Chicago Public League Premier Division standings
A win against Payton on Monday would put Young at the top of the standings with 13 points, to Payton's 12, with two games to go before the start of the city playoffs.
"This was a great warmup for us," Koleno said. "It also allowed us to see how we match up against some of those suburban teams we haven't gotten the chance to see."
"I think we're trending upward," LaBauex said. "I like where we're heading, it's just a confidence thing with them. In the last 30, concentrate on connecting passes to make sure we have opportunities to score. And we'll watch the film.
"What's great about this group is once they see it, they internalize it and apply it."
Starting Lineups
Glenbrook South
GK: Maggie Ryan
D: Ashley Ciss
D: Kaley Flentye
D: Anya Gupta
D: Heather Sundstrom
MF: Olivia DeMattia
MF: Meghan Noe
MF: Bella Gemignani
MF: Anna Durow
MF: Kat Souleles
F: Talia Massarelli
Young
GK: Zoe Adelstein
D: Elizabeth Martinez
D: Celeste Garton
D: Stella Ljung
D: Chloe Garton
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Annelise Kelner
MF: Ella Koleno
F: Alexis Sassower
F: Maisy Connolly
F: Katie Sweitzer
Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Match: Alexis Sassower, jr., midfielder/forward, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Young - Ella Koleno (Alexis Sassower), 26th minute
Second half
Young - Sassower (Maisy Connolly), 46th minute
Young - Katie Sweitzer (Sassower), 55th minute
Glenbrook South - Talia Massarelli (Meghan Noe), 57th minute
bests GBS in home-opener
Sassower leads the way with goal, 2 assists
By Michael Wojtychiw
CHICAGO - In recent weeks, it seems as if Young has become a second half team, one that likes to come from behind in big games after giving up the first goal. That’s what happened in a win over Jones and a tie with Lane the previous two Wednesdays.
But It wasn't the case when Glenbrook South traveled south from Glenview to take on the Dolphins at the new Michelle Obama Athletic Complex right across the street from Young.
Young's home debut ended up a positive one; it came away with a 3-1 win over the Titans.
"We were good today in the midfield, when you push up early, good things happen," Young manager Ross LaBauex said. "It puts the other team on its heels and they've got to use more energy."
After Glenbrook South put a little pressure on the Dolphins defense, the hosts (6-3-1) became comfortable and started to play their game.
Ella Koleno used her speed and a couple nifty moves to get open and take a pass from Alexis Sassower. She spun around her defender before burying a shot past Glenbrook South keeper Maggie Ryan with 14 minutes, 44 seconds to go before the half.
"Being up early is so encouraging and it gives us all the momentum," Koleno said. "Right from the start of the game getting the goal gave us the confidence, and that allowed us to keep pressing.
"We kept pressing and were able to score again later. I think what we really realized today was the quicker we played, the better."
Sassower put a couple shots on goal before the half ended, including one that hit the football crossbar, right above the soccer goal, but Glenbrook South kept it within one through the first half.
After the initial flurry, the Titans really weren't able to put much of an attack on the Dolphins' goal. It was something that frustrated the visitors but also became a learning moment for the team.
"They play a five-man midfield, so any time we tried to do something in the midfield, we were under pressure," Glenbrook South manager Mark Daniels said. "And we knew that coming in. Their number 10 (Sassower) is a really nice player.
"They play the same style of play that we like to play, it's just that we didn't possess it as well as we should have. We'll learn, and we're improving on our game though."
"They were doing a good job cycling it through their midfielders and playing a lot of give-and-gos," Glenbrook South midfielder Meghan Noe said.
A good portion of the Titans' squad is playing its first varsity season, so Daniels and his squad know that in a rebuilding/reloading not to mention COVID year, things may be a little more difficult than they're used to.
The Titans (1-8-3) were also down to eight of their normal starters due to injury, players resting to help recover from a physical tie with Maine South the night before or other obligations.
Without many of its starters out, Glenbrook South adjusted its play while playing its entire roster, including players who may not have normally gotten a lot of time on the pitch.
"Since we had a game yesterday, we were really trying to work more players in and getting a lot of new rotations so that we stayed fresh," Glenbrook South's Talia Massarelli said. "We tested out different positions for different people too, so it was interesting to see how people were able to build off other players' strengths, even though we may have been tired or not playing in our normal rotations."
Sassower extended the lead early in the second half when she put a ball past Ryan, who had come out to play the ball and try to thwart the opportunity.
"I think as we built the lead, it allowed us to get more comfortable and play to our strengths," Sassower said. "From the start, we wanted to get this win, so after the second goal and even the third goal, we were still pushing and wanting to keep going."
Sassower, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match, earned a second assist when she took a corner that freshman Katie Sweitzer headed into the goal for a 3-0 lead in the 55th minute.
Sweitzer, not one to often play toward the goal during corner kicks, knew that once she saw the pass, she had a prime opportunity to score.
"Normally that never happens to me," Sweitzer said. "We often try to play it up front like Alexis did or serve it back toward the front of the box.
"But she served a great ball, and I was there. I guess we can try to do more of those in the future."
"We try to switch up what we do with our corners because a lot of goals can come off set pieces," LaBauex said. "Alexis was putting the ball in the right spot, serving some great balls and good things can happen.
"That's not an easy finish."
Glenbrook South was not ready to give up. Massarelli scored a little over a minute later to draw the visitors to within two goals.
Unfortunately for Glenbrook South it was too little, too late but the a junior forward and her teammates were happy with how they fought to the end, especially being so shorthanded.
"A lot of us have been playing positions we're not normally used to," Massarelli said. "We were short on defense before, but we cycled some of those players back, but today they got the chance to play more forward again, which was really good for them.
"We've really just been trying to work off each other and use each other's strengths and getting to know each other's strengths so we know how to play off of each other."
Some in-game recognition led to the goal.
"I noticed that one of the backs had the ball," said Noe, who assisted on the goal. “I felt like they were cycling it through the backs a lot and took advantage of that.”
Knowing that this year would be a different, Daniels has liked what he's seen from his squad, especially going up against some of the tougher teams in the area. The Titans tied district rival and no. 11 Glenbrook North on Wednesday.
"We're trying to play the right way, trying to pass and get our backs involved, trying to connect all the things we want to do, but sometimes it doesn't work out," he said. "It's a long season. We'll sort it out."
Young looks to catapult to first place in the Chicago Public League's Premier Division when they face off with Payton on Monday. The Grizzlies currently at the top of the table at 4-0, but have fellow top contenders Young, Jones and Lane on the schedule this week. The close out with struggling Von Steuben and Lincoln Park.
Click here to see the Chicago Public League Premier Division standings
A win against Payton on Monday would put Young at the top of the standings with 13 points, to Payton's 12, with two games to go before the start of the city playoffs.
"This was a great warmup for us," Koleno said. "It also allowed us to see how we match up against some of those suburban teams we haven't gotten the chance to see."
"I think we're trending upward," LaBauex said. "I like where we're heading, it's just a confidence thing with them. In the last 30, concentrate on connecting passes to make sure we have opportunities to score. And we'll watch the film.
"What's great about this group is once they see it, they internalize it and apply it."
Starting Lineups
Glenbrook South
GK: Maggie Ryan
D: Ashley Ciss
D: Kaley Flentye
D: Anya Gupta
D: Heather Sundstrom
MF: Olivia DeMattia
MF: Meghan Noe
MF: Bella Gemignani
MF: Anna Durow
MF: Kat Souleles
F: Talia Massarelli
Young
GK: Zoe Adelstein
D: Elizabeth Martinez
D: Celeste Garton
D: Stella Ljung
D: Chloe Garton
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Annelise Kelner
MF: Ella Koleno
F: Alexis Sassower
F: Maisy Connolly
F: Katie Sweitzer
Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Match: Alexis Sassower, jr., midfielder/forward, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Young - Ella Koleno (Alexis Sassower), 26th minute
Second half
Young - Sassower (Maisy Connolly), 46th minute
Young - Katie Sweitzer (Sassower), 55th minute
Glenbrook South - Talia Massarelli (Meghan Noe), 57th minute