'Chameleon'-like GBS upsets Naperville N.
Titans use formation change to net Malnati's finals berth
By Matt Le Cren
NORTHFIELD – Change can be tough for any athlete or team. But those who can fathom the switch and make the adjustments have a chance to succeed beyond expections.
Exhibit A is Glenbrook South.
The 18th-ranked Titans altered their plan and produced a major suprise with a 1-0 double overtime win against no. 7 in a Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Classic semifinal Friday at New Trier stadium.
"We were very organized and played a 4-5-1 to start and decided to go to a 4-3-3," said Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha. "It is our eighth different formation we have played this season, and the girls have understood our system of play to "chameleon" into another formation based on flow of play, our opponent, and weather.
"I also know luck is an ingredient in the game of soccer, but credit my girls in being opportunistic when possible. Our first touch failed us for most of the night, so we knew we just had to battle with Naperville North as long as we can to find one opening to get a chance on their amazing backline and goalkeeper. They are physical, organized, well-coached, and can't find another team that switches a ball on a dime like theirs.
"I told the girls, let's just try to hang around the big dogs as long as we can to give ourselves a chance to compete."
And that's what happened into overtime when a special player made a special play.
Villanova-bound striker Makayla Stadler scored on a long header off a Katie Weiss corner kick with 5:16 remaining in the second overtime.
"Unrealistic goal scored from distance and angle. That is all Makayla does: win 50/50s out of the air; jumps out of the stadium; and puts her forehead on the ball," said Ha of Stadler, who scored her ninth goal to go with one assist this season.
"I honestly thought the wind would blow it back near the goal area, but the ball outswung and for Makayla to score near top of 18 against a quality goalkeeper like Naperville North's is exceptional. She barely outjumped that girl on the corner kick and to score in that manner is world class."
Naperville North’s backline of Jessica Siebers, Alyssa Siebers, Paige Sylvester and Sarah Stokes was brilliant, limiting unbeaten Glenbrook South to only three shots on goal and seven overall in 95 minutes of action.
Yet it wasn’t enough.
It was just the second goal Naperville North has allowed in its last six games and the sixth overall. But the Huskies (5-2-3) were shut out for the third time in the past five games and their frustration is building.
“I think our whole backline is really frustrated right now,” Jessica Siebers said. “We just have so much potential up-front and in the midfield, but I think we’re struggling.
“We know how to connect passes but I feel like we’re almost afraid to take it ourselves.
“Our problem is we don’t have anyone who is stepping up consistently.”
Unlike in past seasons, the Huskies have yet to find someone who can score goals on a regular basis. Several players, most notably sophomore forward Hannah Martin, showed flashes of brilliance against the Titans, yet that effort wasn’t sustained.
“We had plenty of chances,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “We had balls again today that are sitting in the box, and we have chances to put them away, and we haven’t done that.
“When you do that you make the game very hard and you can’t make a mistake. Then the Glenbrook South kid gets up and wins a head ball and puts in the goal.”
The Titans (7-0-3) were held in check through regulation, and Naperville North goalie Maddie Hausmann had to make only one save.
Glenbrook South started gaining some momentum going against the wind in the first overtime and Katie Sullivan, a junior defender, put two long free kicks into the box. But Hausmann leaped to save the first one, a 34-yarder, and Sullivan’s 39-yard effort went over the crossbar and landed on top of the net.
Naperville North, meanwhile, wasted three corner kicks in the extra sessions and then gave one up while going against the wind in the second overtime. Weiss somehow managed to drive the ball into the teeth of the wind to the middle of the box 15 yards away from the net.
Stadler leaped and sent a wind-aided header crashing under the crossbar to send the Titans into the tournament championship against Evanston, which rallied to beat St. Francis 3-2 in the other semifinal.
“I almost felt like that was coming,” Jessica Siebers said. “That sounds bad, but I just feel like we were giving up at the end of the game. That’s not who we are, but it happens.”
It would have been easy for either team to give up while playing in terrible conditions that included rain, high winds and temperatures in the high 30s.
Yet the Huskies remained true to form, at least on defense. The brilliant play of the Illinois State-bound Siebers twins is a given, but Sylvester and Stokes also have shined.
“I thought our backline did pretty well,” Jessica Siebers said. “We gave up a few restarts, but we always fight hard.
“Sarah and Paige did a great job of shutting the girls down in both halves and in overtime. They did their job there, and they had good balls out, too, so that’s all we could ask for. Just couldn’t finish anything.”
The Huskies earned eight corner kicks and had a couple of free kicks within scoring range. They controlled most of the play in the second half with the wind at their backs, but Glenbrook South goalie Libbie Vanderveen made all five of her saves during the period, including a diving stop on Shaina Dudas after Martin had made a nifty cutback move to get open in the box for a pass to the doorstep.
Martin had another good chance when she intercepted a clearing attempt off a corner kick, but her 20-yard shot slithered just wide of the left post with 12:30 left in regulation.
“We had plenty of restarts where we didn’t even get good service to get it up and when we did we didn’t get on the end of it, and their goalkeeper made some nice saves,” Goletz said. “Until we start showing that we can score goals it’s going to have to be a grind.
“As I said to the girls, some of it is the mental piece now but I think some of it too is we’ve got to be better when the big moment is there. We haven’t done that so far and it comes back to bite you and that’s what happened tonight.”
Take out a six-goal effort against Wheaton North, when Naperville North scored three times off corner kicks, and the Huskies are averaging just 1.3 goals per game.
They have been blessed with some of the state’s best strikers over the past decade, but they don’t seem to have one this season. Then again, not many teams do.
“Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in soccer,” Goletz said. “The girls have bought in to they are very organized, they’ve played very hard.
“We haven’t given up much defensively, so now it’s just trying to take that final step during this middle run of the season. If you can’t score goals you’re not going to win many games.”
Glenbrook South has been finding the net, thanks in large part to Stadler, a junior. Wins and ties have come with it, but the loss column remains empty.
"I would be lying to you say I expected to be undefeated at this point," Ha said. "We are young, don't play a very pretty style of soccer, but these girls honestly do not know any better. They just play their hearts out for our program, our coaching staff, and more importantly each other. They love each other.
"I told them today, I'm riding on their coattails. To see from afar their athleticism, workmanship, and passion is remarkably unique and unequivocally special.
"To play in the championship with the likes of Naperville North, Evanston, New Trier, Loyola Academy, St. Francis, and many others, I feel like we are that kid at the party that may somewhat not belong there, but hopes to crash the party long enough to make a good impression on all -- in this instance, as a respectable high school soccer team, just having fun."
Starting lineups
Naperville North
GK Maddie Hausmann
D Paige Sylvester
D Jessica Siebers
D Alyssa Siebers
D Sarah Stokes
D Reilly Riggs
M Leah Shumate
M Katelynn Buescher
F Megan Benmore
F Hannah Martin
F Shaina Dudas
Glenbrook South
GK Libbie Vanderveen
D Christie Chrones
D Katie Sullivan
D Challen Flaws
D Jessica Peters
M Ellie Flowers
M Lauren Meier
M Katie Gates
M Grace Evans
F Makayla Stadler
F Katie Weiss
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Makayla Stadler, jr., F, Glenbrook South
Scoring summary
2nd overtime
Glenbrook South – Makayla Stadler (Katie Weiss) 95th minute
Titans use formation change to net Malnati's finals berth
By Matt Le Cren
NORTHFIELD – Change can be tough for any athlete or team. But those who can fathom the switch and make the adjustments have a chance to succeed beyond expections.
Exhibit A is Glenbrook South.
The 18th-ranked Titans altered their plan and produced a major suprise with a 1-0 double overtime win against no. 7 in a Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Classic semifinal Friday at New Trier stadium.
"We were very organized and played a 4-5-1 to start and decided to go to a 4-3-3," said Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha. "It is our eighth different formation we have played this season, and the girls have understood our system of play to "chameleon" into another formation based on flow of play, our opponent, and weather.
"I also know luck is an ingredient in the game of soccer, but credit my girls in being opportunistic when possible. Our first touch failed us for most of the night, so we knew we just had to battle with Naperville North as long as we can to find one opening to get a chance on their amazing backline and goalkeeper. They are physical, organized, well-coached, and can't find another team that switches a ball on a dime like theirs.
"I told the girls, let's just try to hang around the big dogs as long as we can to give ourselves a chance to compete."
And that's what happened into overtime when a special player made a special play.
Villanova-bound striker Makayla Stadler scored on a long header off a Katie Weiss corner kick with 5:16 remaining in the second overtime.
"Unrealistic goal scored from distance and angle. That is all Makayla does: win 50/50s out of the air; jumps out of the stadium; and puts her forehead on the ball," said Ha of Stadler, who scored her ninth goal to go with one assist this season.
"I honestly thought the wind would blow it back near the goal area, but the ball outswung and for Makayla to score near top of 18 against a quality goalkeeper like Naperville North's is exceptional. She barely outjumped that girl on the corner kick and to score in that manner is world class."
Naperville North’s backline of Jessica Siebers, Alyssa Siebers, Paige Sylvester and Sarah Stokes was brilliant, limiting unbeaten Glenbrook South to only three shots on goal and seven overall in 95 minutes of action.
Yet it wasn’t enough.
It was just the second goal Naperville North has allowed in its last six games and the sixth overall. But the Huskies (5-2-3) were shut out for the third time in the past five games and their frustration is building.
“I think our whole backline is really frustrated right now,” Jessica Siebers said. “We just have so much potential up-front and in the midfield, but I think we’re struggling.
“We know how to connect passes but I feel like we’re almost afraid to take it ourselves.
“Our problem is we don’t have anyone who is stepping up consistently.”
Unlike in past seasons, the Huskies have yet to find someone who can score goals on a regular basis. Several players, most notably sophomore forward Hannah Martin, showed flashes of brilliance against the Titans, yet that effort wasn’t sustained.
“We had plenty of chances,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “We had balls again today that are sitting in the box, and we have chances to put them away, and we haven’t done that.
“When you do that you make the game very hard and you can’t make a mistake. Then the Glenbrook South kid gets up and wins a head ball and puts in the goal.”
The Titans (7-0-3) were held in check through regulation, and Naperville North goalie Maddie Hausmann had to make only one save.
Glenbrook South started gaining some momentum going against the wind in the first overtime and Katie Sullivan, a junior defender, put two long free kicks into the box. But Hausmann leaped to save the first one, a 34-yarder, and Sullivan’s 39-yard effort went over the crossbar and landed on top of the net.
Naperville North, meanwhile, wasted three corner kicks in the extra sessions and then gave one up while going against the wind in the second overtime. Weiss somehow managed to drive the ball into the teeth of the wind to the middle of the box 15 yards away from the net.
Stadler leaped and sent a wind-aided header crashing under the crossbar to send the Titans into the tournament championship against Evanston, which rallied to beat St. Francis 3-2 in the other semifinal.
“I almost felt like that was coming,” Jessica Siebers said. “That sounds bad, but I just feel like we were giving up at the end of the game. That’s not who we are, but it happens.”
It would have been easy for either team to give up while playing in terrible conditions that included rain, high winds and temperatures in the high 30s.
Yet the Huskies remained true to form, at least on defense. The brilliant play of the Illinois State-bound Siebers twins is a given, but Sylvester and Stokes also have shined.
“I thought our backline did pretty well,” Jessica Siebers said. “We gave up a few restarts, but we always fight hard.
“Sarah and Paige did a great job of shutting the girls down in both halves and in overtime. They did their job there, and they had good balls out, too, so that’s all we could ask for. Just couldn’t finish anything.”
The Huskies earned eight corner kicks and had a couple of free kicks within scoring range. They controlled most of the play in the second half with the wind at their backs, but Glenbrook South goalie Libbie Vanderveen made all five of her saves during the period, including a diving stop on Shaina Dudas after Martin had made a nifty cutback move to get open in the box for a pass to the doorstep.
Martin had another good chance when she intercepted a clearing attempt off a corner kick, but her 20-yard shot slithered just wide of the left post with 12:30 left in regulation.
“We had plenty of restarts where we didn’t even get good service to get it up and when we did we didn’t get on the end of it, and their goalkeeper made some nice saves,” Goletz said. “Until we start showing that we can score goals it’s going to have to be a grind.
“As I said to the girls, some of it is the mental piece now but I think some of it too is we’ve got to be better when the big moment is there. We haven’t done that so far and it comes back to bite you and that’s what happened tonight.”
Take out a six-goal effort against Wheaton North, when Naperville North scored three times off corner kicks, and the Huskies are averaging just 1.3 goals per game.
They have been blessed with some of the state’s best strikers over the past decade, but they don’t seem to have one this season. Then again, not many teams do.
“Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in soccer,” Goletz said. “The girls have bought in to they are very organized, they’ve played very hard.
“We haven’t given up much defensively, so now it’s just trying to take that final step during this middle run of the season. If you can’t score goals you’re not going to win many games.”
Glenbrook South has been finding the net, thanks in large part to Stadler, a junior. Wins and ties have come with it, but the loss column remains empty.
"I would be lying to you say I expected to be undefeated at this point," Ha said. "We are young, don't play a very pretty style of soccer, but these girls honestly do not know any better. They just play their hearts out for our program, our coaching staff, and more importantly each other. They love each other.
"I told them today, I'm riding on their coattails. To see from afar their athleticism, workmanship, and passion is remarkably unique and unequivocally special.
"To play in the championship with the likes of Naperville North, Evanston, New Trier, Loyola Academy, St. Francis, and many others, I feel like we are that kid at the party that may somewhat not belong there, but hopes to crash the party long enough to make a good impression on all -- in this instance, as a respectable high school soccer team, just having fun."
Starting lineups
Naperville North
GK Maddie Hausmann
D Paige Sylvester
D Jessica Siebers
D Alyssa Siebers
D Sarah Stokes
D Reilly Riggs
M Leah Shumate
M Katelynn Buescher
F Megan Benmore
F Hannah Martin
F Shaina Dudas
Glenbrook South
GK Libbie Vanderveen
D Christie Chrones
D Katie Sullivan
D Challen Flaws
D Jessica Peters
M Ellie Flowers
M Lauren Meier
M Katie Gates
M Grace Evans
F Makayla Stadler
F Katie Weiss
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Makayla Stadler, jr., F, Glenbrook South
Scoring summary
2nd overtime
Glenbrook South – Makayla Stadler (Katie Weiss) 95th minute