Geneva can't stop host
Plainfield North in tourney final
Vikings fall 1-0 in Classic final after brief break
By Matt Le Cren
PLAINFIELD – There was no rest for Geneva’s weary players at the Plainfield Classic on Saturday.
Not even a catnap.
The Vikings got what coach Megan Owens estimated to be about 80 minutes between the conclusion of their 6-0 semifinal victory over Oswego and the start of the championship match against host Plainfield North.
One could surmise that played a roll in Geneva’s 1-0 loss.
Plainfield North junior midfielder Mikayla Rivera scored the only goal with 15:57 left in the first half and the Tigers (8-3-2) held on for the win in cold, windy conditions.
“We’re playing well,” Owens said. “Obviously we’re disappointed with this finish.
“I don’t think this final was our best effort, but props to Plainfield North. I think they had a very solid game.”
The Tigers, who edged Glenbard West on penalty kicks in the first semifinal, had about two more hours of rest than the Vikings (8-2-0), who played tough defensively but couldn’t get a consistent attack going, especially in the second half.
“I think it was a very evenly matched game,” Owens said. “I think we just had some tired legs.
“At the high school level, they’re not used to playing two games in one afternoon and the cold played a role a little bit.”
Even so, the match, which by tournament rules would have gone straight to a shootout had it been tied after regulation, could easily have been decided by penalty kicks if not for one defensive lapse by the Vikings.
Plainfield North forward Mia Davis dribbled the ball to the right end line and centered a pass to Alexandra Tetteh at the top of the 6. Tetteh and a defender got tangled up and the ball squirted free to Rivera, who was unmarked on the back post.
Geneva goalkeeper Jenna Bearden made a valiant dive to her right but Rivera’s one-timer snuck in between her and the left post.
“We just weren’t marked up correctly,” Owens said. “But I think we’ve been playing really well lately, and there’s a lot of positives we saw throughout the tournament.
“Now hopefully we can build upon that and learn from the mistake that we made that led to the goal in this game and get ready for more of our conference play.”
Rivera’s goal was one of the few clean looks that either side got on frame. The Tigers held a 9-5 edge in shots, but Forbes made four saves, including a tremendous diving effort to knock a 23-yard drive from Georgia Liapis around the right post with 4:10 left in regulation.
That effort came 76 seconds after Geneva striker Morgan Rudowicz was ejected after receiving her second yellow card of the game, which forced the Vikings to play shorthanded the rest of the way.
Rudowicz was the only Viking who muster anything close to a scoring chance. She took three of Geneva’s five shots, with the best chance coming with 27:10 to go in the first half.
Rudowicz stole the ball about 35 yards from the Tigers’ net and raced into the left side of the box. But her low liner was deflected over the left endline by Plainfield North goalkeeper Jenna Bearden, who had rushed out to cut down the angle.
After the game, Geneva sophomore center back Leyna Yonehara was asked if she felt cold, exhausted or excited.
“All of the above,” she replied. “We played really hard, so I was really excited that we made it to the final.
“I thought we came out really well. We were all a little tired, a little fatigued. We all wanted to set our minds to winning, but we played our best.
“It sucks that we only lost by one. We tried really hard for a solid 80 minutes.”
Yonehara said she was glad she and her teammates got a little break between games but said the quick turnaround did play a factor in their energy levels.
“I want to say no just because our spirits were really high for this game,” Yonehara said. “But I do believe there was some kind of physical advantage, just because they could rest a little more.”
The Vikings get to rest for two days before resuming DuKane Conference play Tuesday at St. Charles North. Then comes the first weekend of the Naperville Invitational, so the schedule doesn’t get easier.
But Yonehara said the Plainfield Classic showing gives the Vikings some confidence.
“I think it’s setting us up for success, pushing ourselves for two whole games against really good teams, which I think was great for us.
“It was a good experience. We keep looking forward to playoffs, because last year we just came up a little short. We want to come back really strong. I think this is our year.”
Starting lineups
Geneva
GK Jordan Forbes
D Cami Bishop
D Morgan Slagle
D Bella Walls
D Leyna Yonehara
M Julie Drew
M Caroline Madden
M Rilee Hasegawa
M Kendall Forbes
F Olivia Rawls
F Morgan Rudowicz
Plainfield North
GK Jenna Bearden
D Jessica Steward
D Danielle Auble
D Margaret Hamilton
D Emily Castro
M Gabrielle Mattio
M Lauren Mrugala
M Sophie Carlos
M Georgia Liapis
F Alexandra Tettteh
F Tessa Fagerson
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Mikayla Rivera, jr., MF, Plainfield North
Scoring summary
First half
Plainfield North – Mikayla Rivera 15:57 remaining
Second half
No scoring
Plainfield North in tourney final
Vikings fall 1-0 in Classic final after brief break
By Matt Le Cren
PLAINFIELD – There was no rest for Geneva’s weary players at the Plainfield Classic on Saturday.
Not even a catnap.
The Vikings got what coach Megan Owens estimated to be about 80 minutes between the conclusion of their 6-0 semifinal victory over Oswego and the start of the championship match against host Plainfield North.
One could surmise that played a roll in Geneva’s 1-0 loss.
Plainfield North junior midfielder Mikayla Rivera scored the only goal with 15:57 left in the first half and the Tigers (8-3-2) held on for the win in cold, windy conditions.
“We’re playing well,” Owens said. “Obviously we’re disappointed with this finish.
“I don’t think this final was our best effort, but props to Plainfield North. I think they had a very solid game.”
The Tigers, who edged Glenbard West on penalty kicks in the first semifinal, had about two more hours of rest than the Vikings (8-2-0), who played tough defensively but couldn’t get a consistent attack going, especially in the second half.
“I think it was a very evenly matched game,” Owens said. “I think we just had some tired legs.
“At the high school level, they’re not used to playing two games in one afternoon and the cold played a role a little bit.”
Even so, the match, which by tournament rules would have gone straight to a shootout had it been tied after regulation, could easily have been decided by penalty kicks if not for one defensive lapse by the Vikings.
Plainfield North forward Mia Davis dribbled the ball to the right end line and centered a pass to Alexandra Tetteh at the top of the 6. Tetteh and a defender got tangled up and the ball squirted free to Rivera, who was unmarked on the back post.
Geneva goalkeeper Jenna Bearden made a valiant dive to her right but Rivera’s one-timer snuck in between her and the left post.
“We just weren’t marked up correctly,” Owens said. “But I think we’ve been playing really well lately, and there’s a lot of positives we saw throughout the tournament.
“Now hopefully we can build upon that and learn from the mistake that we made that led to the goal in this game and get ready for more of our conference play.”
Rivera’s goal was one of the few clean looks that either side got on frame. The Tigers held a 9-5 edge in shots, but Forbes made four saves, including a tremendous diving effort to knock a 23-yard drive from Georgia Liapis around the right post with 4:10 left in regulation.
That effort came 76 seconds after Geneva striker Morgan Rudowicz was ejected after receiving her second yellow card of the game, which forced the Vikings to play shorthanded the rest of the way.
Rudowicz was the only Viking who muster anything close to a scoring chance. She took three of Geneva’s five shots, with the best chance coming with 27:10 to go in the first half.
Rudowicz stole the ball about 35 yards from the Tigers’ net and raced into the left side of the box. But her low liner was deflected over the left endline by Plainfield North goalkeeper Jenna Bearden, who had rushed out to cut down the angle.
After the game, Geneva sophomore center back Leyna Yonehara was asked if she felt cold, exhausted or excited.
“All of the above,” she replied. “We played really hard, so I was really excited that we made it to the final.
“I thought we came out really well. We were all a little tired, a little fatigued. We all wanted to set our minds to winning, but we played our best.
“It sucks that we only lost by one. We tried really hard for a solid 80 minutes.”
Yonehara said she was glad she and her teammates got a little break between games but said the quick turnaround did play a factor in their energy levels.
“I want to say no just because our spirits were really high for this game,” Yonehara said. “But I do believe there was some kind of physical advantage, just because they could rest a little more.”
The Vikings get to rest for two days before resuming DuKane Conference play Tuesday at St. Charles North. Then comes the first weekend of the Naperville Invitational, so the schedule doesn’t get easier.
But Yonehara said the Plainfield Classic showing gives the Vikings some confidence.
“I think it’s setting us up for success, pushing ourselves for two whole games against really good teams, which I think was great for us.
“It was a good experience. We keep looking forward to playoffs, because last year we just came up a little short. We want to come back really strong. I think this is our year.”
Starting lineups
Geneva
GK Jordan Forbes
D Cami Bishop
D Morgan Slagle
D Bella Walls
D Leyna Yonehara
M Julie Drew
M Caroline Madden
M Rilee Hasegawa
M Kendall Forbes
F Olivia Rawls
F Morgan Rudowicz
Plainfield North
GK Jenna Bearden
D Jessica Steward
D Danielle Auble
D Margaret Hamilton
D Emily Castro
M Gabrielle Mattio
M Lauren Mrugala
M Sophie Carlos
M Georgia Liapis
F Alexandra Tettteh
F Tessa Fagerson
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Mikayla Rivera, jr., MF, Plainfield North
Scoring summary
First half
Plainfield North – Mikayla Rivera 15:57 remaining
Second half
No scoring