Loyola rolls past Glenbrook South
Energized Ramblers rumble to 3-0 win
By Mike Garofola
LAKE FOREST -- Emily Pikarski and Eva Pattison starred along the back and the entire roster impressed as no. 15 Loyola took down Glenbrook South 3-0 victory in its opener Saturday in the Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Classic at a chilly Lake Forest stadium.
The Ramblers (7-2-0) dynamic trio of Ella Couri, Kathryn Diblik and Kaitlyn Kurtz up-top proved to have far too much pace, purpose, and danger with every touch during an impressive first period. Their mates Grace Ehlert, Isabella Guzman and Emma Shaffer were a constant force in the middle of the park. The end result was an 80-minute, dominant effort in the Group C contest.
"I cannot tell you how proud I am off the overall performance this team turned in today," began Loyola manager Shannon Hartinger, whose club will host Lake Forest at 5 p.m. in Wilmette on Monday evening (April 11) in its second pool match.
"We came out with the intent of taking control on both sides of the ball. We were good with and without the ball, starting in the back, and going forward. It stayed that way even when we brought players on from our bench. It was a total team effort today."
A match that promised so much in the eyes of Glenbrook South manager Mark Daniel ended up delivering little when the final shrill whistle from referee Jay Weis blew.
"Loyola obviously is a very good team, knew that coming in," said a disappointed Daniels. “With all due respect to Shannon's team, we made them an even better team with the way we played today.
"The thing that impressed me with Loyola was their energy and work-rate that they brought from the very start, which is something we failed to match.
"I know we're capable of coming out and playing that way. (We've) seen it, but for whatever reason we just did not do that at all today."
Loyola started with purpose. Their first real opening of a sensational first half came in the fifth minute when Ella Couri bagged the only goal her club would need.
"Ella has played so well this year and has created so many chances for her teammates, but has been unable to put a few in for herself. I was very happy to see her get that first one for us. It was well deserved," Hartinger said with a smile.
"The first goal in any game is so important,” said Couri. “Emily (Pikarski) gave me a great ball. It was easy for me to put it in."
The humble Couri failed to mention her well-timed run to the back post. Pikarski's superb cross after her enterprising run up the left side was one of many she managed to produce.
"When you get to the endline, it's all about putting a ball into the box," recounted Pikarksi. “Hopefully you find one of your teammates. (Ella) was in the right place, and the right time to give us the opening goal, which was great for us."
For their efforts, Pikarski and her backline mate, Eva Pattison shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor over a deserving list of others.
The speed of play, purpose, non-stop effort and pace that Couri, Diblik, Ehlert, Kurtz and outside backs Pikarski and Maria Nikas led to one-way traffic for the Ramblers. Loyola limited Glenbrook South (4-5-0) to just one look on frame all day long. That came on a wind-aided free kick from Lilly O'Rourke in the 15th minute.
The DePaul-bound O'Rourke, who filters much of the Titans attack, was limited to just a few meaningful touches throughout the day.
In the second half alone, O'Rourke had the ball on her foot three times in the first five minutes, then just eight more times until the end. Only three of those touches came in the run of play.
"We have to get the ball to Lilly more often than we did today,” said Daniels. “(Loyola) did a very good job to deny her the ball. But Lilly needs to be demanding the ball more as well in order for her to run our attack."
"Everything goes through their no. 15 (O'Rourke),” said Hartinger. “We wanted to keep the ball away from her, which we did all day, which really disrupted and stopped their attack from creating chances."
"I thought we defended really well as a team,” said Pikarski. “Our backline was composed, strong on the ball, and did a real good job of working with our midfield and connecting passes to help our attack go."
Meghan Noe, who played the six for the Titans, was asked to do her impression of a tube of Super Glue when marking Chicagoland Soccer all-state senior Grace Ehlert. She turned in an admirable job, then turned over the responsibility to teammate Carolyn Cameranesi in the 24th minute.
"No. 7 (Ehlert) is such a great player - always moving, creating, attacking,” began Noe. “Her energy is so high, which makes her nearly impossible to slow down.
"I felt like we did a better job marking her in the first half, but not as well in the second half, when their team really put us on our heels.
"I really thought we gained more confidence from our win over Vernon Hills (2-0) the other night after our 3-2 loss to Prospect a few days earlier. But that first early goal really took a lot out of us, and we just didn't match their energy and work rate afterward."
When Ehlert and company were not creating and unlocking the Titans in their own end, the backline group of Ellianna Seeley, Nikas, Pattison, and Pikarski did their part on both sides of the ball.
This quartet were confident in their keeper, Ellie Bradley, and would often play the ball back to the junior, whose accurate touch in distribution would jump-start the Ramblers attack. When needed, she parried the ball out of the area, especially when a strong north wind was blowing in the faces of the Ramblers players in the first half.
"Eva, Ellianna, and Maria were very good together today, and Eva was just great in her corners and free kicks," said Pikarski.
Pattison is the free kick specialist for the Ramblers. Her piercing deliveries kept the pressure on the Titans whenever she sent them, even from beyond the midline.
A Pattison free kick from 35 yards facilitated the Ramblers second goal in the first half. The 31st-minute serve eventually led to an Emmy Christopher carry to the near post. From there she steered in her attempt the other way in the 34th minute.
Although not credited with an assist, a strong challenge by Tess O'Bryan created the contributing turnover deep in the Titans end.
Loyola turned up the heat after the break. With a strong wind now in its sails and the desire to insure victory with a third goal, Hartinger’s club went strongly in search of the back of the net.
"We played a very good first half of soccer, and what I liked was us coming out after the break and playing maybe even better than last 40 minutes," said Hartinger.
Ehlert headed wide thrice in the first 10 minutes of the second period and was stopped three more times by Titans keeper Bella Crist. Titan Anna Durow took a sure goal off the line from Couri in the 52nd minute.
An aggressive tackle by Glenbrook South senior, Ashley Ciss denied Lauren Couri a 1-v-1 opportunity just after the hour as the Ramblers continued to attack with numbers and gusto.
"When they had the wind in the second half, we just were not able to keep them out of our end," said Daniels.
Diblik put the finishing touches on a well-deserved victory one minute from time when she broke free of her defender, the last man, and stung the gloves of Crist from in-close. The ball spilled favorably to the senior, who sent it past the unlucky Crist with a fantastic one-time effort.
"Loyola did well in every phase of their game today,” Daniels said. “The statistics do not lie. We've got to turn things around quickly, try to find our mojo in time for Lyons on Monday, because they will be a very difficult opponent also.”
"Again, I am very proud of the effort the entire team put in," Hartinger would say in closing. “But we'll have to put this one behind us, and get ready for Lake Forest at our place on Monday”
Glenbrook South will retool for another tough Malnati’s test at no. 2 Lyons on Monday night at Bennett Field in Western Springs.
Starting lineups
Loyola (4-3-3)
G- Ellie Bradley
D- Emily Pikarski
D- Eva Pattison
D- Ellianna Seeley
D- Maria Nikas
M- Isabella Guzman
M- Grace Ehlert
M- Emma Shaffer
F- Kathryn Diblik
F- Ella Couri
F- Kaitlyn Kurtz
Glenbrook South (4-4-2)
G- Bella Crist
D- Cristina Papadatos
D- Anna Durow
D- Heather Sundstrom
D- Adyson Clemen
M- Claire Baim
M: Lilly O'Rourke
M- Ashley Ciss
M- Meghan Noe
F- Bella Gemignani
F- Audrey Langenbach
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match:
Eva Pattison, jr., D, Loyola; Emily Pikarski, jr., D, Loyola
Officials: Jay Weis (referee); Demetre Sarikoudis (assistant); Oleg Podtynov (assistant)
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola: Couri (Pikarski) 5'
Loyola: Christopher (U/A) 34'
Second half
Loyola: Diblik (U/A) 79'
Statistics
Shots on goal
Loyola, 10; Glenbrook South, 1
Shots off goal
Loyola, 9; Glenbrook South, 2
Offsides
Loyola, 3; Glenbrook South, 1
Fouls
Loyola, 15; Glenbrook South, 6
Corner kicks
Loyola, 7; Glenbrook South, 0
Energized Ramblers rumble to 3-0 win
By Mike Garofola
LAKE FOREST -- Emily Pikarski and Eva Pattison starred along the back and the entire roster impressed as no. 15 Loyola took down Glenbrook South 3-0 victory in its opener Saturday in the Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Classic at a chilly Lake Forest stadium.
The Ramblers (7-2-0) dynamic trio of Ella Couri, Kathryn Diblik and Kaitlyn Kurtz up-top proved to have far too much pace, purpose, and danger with every touch during an impressive first period. Their mates Grace Ehlert, Isabella Guzman and Emma Shaffer were a constant force in the middle of the park. The end result was an 80-minute, dominant effort in the Group C contest.
"I cannot tell you how proud I am off the overall performance this team turned in today," began Loyola manager Shannon Hartinger, whose club will host Lake Forest at 5 p.m. in Wilmette on Monday evening (April 11) in its second pool match.
"We came out with the intent of taking control on both sides of the ball. We were good with and without the ball, starting in the back, and going forward. It stayed that way even when we brought players on from our bench. It was a total team effort today."
A match that promised so much in the eyes of Glenbrook South manager Mark Daniel ended up delivering little when the final shrill whistle from referee Jay Weis blew.
"Loyola obviously is a very good team, knew that coming in," said a disappointed Daniels. “With all due respect to Shannon's team, we made them an even better team with the way we played today.
"The thing that impressed me with Loyola was their energy and work-rate that they brought from the very start, which is something we failed to match.
"I know we're capable of coming out and playing that way. (We've) seen it, but for whatever reason we just did not do that at all today."
Loyola started with purpose. Their first real opening of a sensational first half came in the fifth minute when Ella Couri bagged the only goal her club would need.
"Ella has played so well this year and has created so many chances for her teammates, but has been unable to put a few in for herself. I was very happy to see her get that first one for us. It was well deserved," Hartinger said with a smile.
"The first goal in any game is so important,” said Couri. “Emily (Pikarski) gave me a great ball. It was easy for me to put it in."
The humble Couri failed to mention her well-timed run to the back post. Pikarski's superb cross after her enterprising run up the left side was one of many she managed to produce.
"When you get to the endline, it's all about putting a ball into the box," recounted Pikarksi. “Hopefully you find one of your teammates. (Ella) was in the right place, and the right time to give us the opening goal, which was great for us."
For their efforts, Pikarski and her backline mate, Eva Pattison shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor over a deserving list of others.
The speed of play, purpose, non-stop effort and pace that Couri, Diblik, Ehlert, Kurtz and outside backs Pikarski and Maria Nikas led to one-way traffic for the Ramblers. Loyola limited Glenbrook South (4-5-0) to just one look on frame all day long. That came on a wind-aided free kick from Lilly O'Rourke in the 15th minute.
The DePaul-bound O'Rourke, who filters much of the Titans attack, was limited to just a few meaningful touches throughout the day.
In the second half alone, O'Rourke had the ball on her foot three times in the first five minutes, then just eight more times until the end. Only three of those touches came in the run of play.
"We have to get the ball to Lilly more often than we did today,” said Daniels. “(Loyola) did a very good job to deny her the ball. But Lilly needs to be demanding the ball more as well in order for her to run our attack."
"Everything goes through their no. 15 (O'Rourke),” said Hartinger. “We wanted to keep the ball away from her, which we did all day, which really disrupted and stopped their attack from creating chances."
"I thought we defended really well as a team,” said Pikarski. “Our backline was composed, strong on the ball, and did a real good job of working with our midfield and connecting passes to help our attack go."
Meghan Noe, who played the six for the Titans, was asked to do her impression of a tube of Super Glue when marking Chicagoland Soccer all-state senior Grace Ehlert. She turned in an admirable job, then turned over the responsibility to teammate Carolyn Cameranesi in the 24th minute.
"No. 7 (Ehlert) is such a great player - always moving, creating, attacking,” began Noe. “Her energy is so high, which makes her nearly impossible to slow down.
"I felt like we did a better job marking her in the first half, but not as well in the second half, when their team really put us on our heels.
"I really thought we gained more confidence from our win over Vernon Hills (2-0) the other night after our 3-2 loss to Prospect a few days earlier. But that first early goal really took a lot out of us, and we just didn't match their energy and work rate afterward."
When Ehlert and company were not creating and unlocking the Titans in their own end, the backline group of Ellianna Seeley, Nikas, Pattison, and Pikarski did their part on both sides of the ball.
This quartet were confident in their keeper, Ellie Bradley, and would often play the ball back to the junior, whose accurate touch in distribution would jump-start the Ramblers attack. When needed, she parried the ball out of the area, especially when a strong north wind was blowing in the faces of the Ramblers players in the first half.
"Eva, Ellianna, and Maria were very good together today, and Eva was just great in her corners and free kicks," said Pikarski.
Pattison is the free kick specialist for the Ramblers. Her piercing deliveries kept the pressure on the Titans whenever she sent them, even from beyond the midline.
A Pattison free kick from 35 yards facilitated the Ramblers second goal in the first half. The 31st-minute serve eventually led to an Emmy Christopher carry to the near post. From there she steered in her attempt the other way in the 34th minute.
Although not credited with an assist, a strong challenge by Tess O'Bryan created the contributing turnover deep in the Titans end.
Loyola turned up the heat after the break. With a strong wind now in its sails and the desire to insure victory with a third goal, Hartinger’s club went strongly in search of the back of the net.
"We played a very good first half of soccer, and what I liked was us coming out after the break and playing maybe even better than last 40 minutes," said Hartinger.
Ehlert headed wide thrice in the first 10 minutes of the second period and was stopped three more times by Titans keeper Bella Crist. Titan Anna Durow took a sure goal off the line from Couri in the 52nd minute.
An aggressive tackle by Glenbrook South senior, Ashley Ciss denied Lauren Couri a 1-v-1 opportunity just after the hour as the Ramblers continued to attack with numbers and gusto.
"When they had the wind in the second half, we just were not able to keep them out of our end," said Daniels.
Diblik put the finishing touches on a well-deserved victory one minute from time when she broke free of her defender, the last man, and stung the gloves of Crist from in-close. The ball spilled favorably to the senior, who sent it past the unlucky Crist with a fantastic one-time effort.
"Loyola did well in every phase of their game today,” Daniels said. “The statistics do not lie. We've got to turn things around quickly, try to find our mojo in time for Lyons on Monday, because they will be a very difficult opponent also.”
"Again, I am very proud of the effort the entire team put in," Hartinger would say in closing. “But we'll have to put this one behind us, and get ready for Lake Forest at our place on Monday”
Glenbrook South will retool for another tough Malnati’s test at no. 2 Lyons on Monday night at Bennett Field in Western Springs.
Starting lineups
Loyola (4-3-3)
G- Ellie Bradley
D- Emily Pikarski
D- Eva Pattison
D- Ellianna Seeley
D- Maria Nikas
M- Isabella Guzman
M- Grace Ehlert
M- Emma Shaffer
F- Kathryn Diblik
F- Ella Couri
F- Kaitlyn Kurtz
Glenbrook South (4-4-2)
G- Bella Crist
D- Cristina Papadatos
D- Anna Durow
D- Heather Sundstrom
D- Adyson Clemen
M- Claire Baim
M: Lilly O'Rourke
M- Ashley Ciss
M- Meghan Noe
F- Bella Gemignani
F- Audrey Langenbach
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match:
Eva Pattison, jr., D, Loyola; Emily Pikarski, jr., D, Loyola
Officials: Jay Weis (referee); Demetre Sarikoudis (assistant); Oleg Podtynov (assistant)
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola: Couri (Pikarski) 5'
Loyola: Christopher (U/A) 34'
Second half
Loyola: Diblik (U/A) 79'
Statistics
Shots on goal
Loyola, 10; Glenbrook South, 1
Shots off goal
Loyola, 9; Glenbrook South, 2
Offsides
Loyola, 3; Glenbrook South, 1
Fouls
Loyola, 15; Glenbrook South, 6
Corner kicks
Loyola, 7; Glenbrook South, 0