Scoring fireworks leave St. Charles N.
with 7-5 league victory over Geneva
North Stars stay undefeated, get early leg up in U8 River race
By Steve Nemeth
ST. CHARLES -- As if to virtually defy every accepted expectation, St. Charles North held on for a 7-5 victory Tuesday night over visiting Geneva in a pivotal Upstate Eight Conference River Division match.
Just about every part of that sentence could produce a double-take or question, so:
“Coming into the week, she was at home sick battling the flu, but knowing this match was important, she not only powered through, but played really well tonight,” St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said. “Her teammates even recognized her at the end of the game as somebody who really stepped up big.”
Geneva’s Sydney Gratz made a textbook touch deflection off a corner kick only to be thwarted by Wahlberg’s goal line stop. That came with 13 minutes left in regulation and signaled the Vikings’ renewed offensive surge despite trailing 7-3.
Stephanie Howe scored the last two goals of her hat-trick in less than a two-minute span to cut the deficit in half with 8:59 still to be played. Momentum was clearly in favor of Geneva (2-2-0 overall, 1-1-0) at that point. It took the re-entry of a few starters to stem the surge and preserve the win for North (5-0-1, 1-0-0).
While the North Stars have been the ultimate postseason nemesis to Geneva, low-scoring and narrow margins have been the rule in the majority of their meetings. Despite both programs having graduated goalies (Geneva’s Emma Harkleroad and North’s Sami Sample who each earned Chicagoland Soccer All-State recognition), the 5-3 halftime tally was still a surprise.
Both sides could still count on a pair of returning CS All-State honorees and the North Stars’ duo got the scoring fireworks started. Hailey Rydberg’s assist helped Michigan State signee Gia Wahlberg strike from nine yards left of center just 4:37 into the match. The Iowa-bound Rydberg then converted a penalty kick at 18:06 for a 2-0 start.
However, Geneva needed just 41 seconds to respond. Olivia Tegge registered the first of two assists spotting Howe in the open for a 12-yard rocket inside the left post.
North’s Rydberg sisters combined at 21:33 gone with Samantha using Hailey’s cross for a 3-1 advantage. But Geneva countered again. It took 3:14 this time, but Annie Brolly’s corner kick led to a scramble from which the ball popped into position for a Tegge goal to once again make it a one-goal gap.
The host North Stars responded not once, but twice. Initially Cassidy Joyce fed Claudia Najera, who cut back to the middle in order to launch a 12-yarder inside the right post after 26:18. Gia Wahlberg boosted her season total to eight goals with 4:32 left before halftime. Her 26-yard direct kick flew under the crossbar.
Geneva once again showed a never-quit attitude, and it paid off 14 seconds ahead of the halftime horn. Tegge set up teammate Jenna Dominguez for a blast past North starting goalie Sara Maleski.
Hoping to send a message and reaffirm their dominance, North had both Hailey and Samantha Rydberg join Gia Wahlberg in boasting two goals for the match. Just 2:30 into the second half, Joyce fed Hailey to make it 6-3. At 48:53, Samantha gambled on a 38-yard free kick that sailed over a Geneva defensive wall and dipped under the crossbar.
“With it being wet and slippery, Hailey suggested I try it, and I took a chance,” Samantha explained. “It felt great, and we wanted this one having tied them last year. It’s great to put in seven, but allowing five is not something we ever want.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Hailey admitted. “It’s awesome that we keep scoring, but it also tells us that we can’t quit. While the match definitely went back and forth, we got a little confused at times on the match-ups and lacked some communication.”
Though perhaps not a true tipping point, Geneva at least gained a boost with 23:12 still on the clock. North reserve Sarah Andrey took her team’s second penalty kick opportunity, but Viking keeper Katie Montgomery dove to her left and blocked the ball. Off the ensuing corner kick, Montgomery made another tremendous save on a point-blank boot from Gia Wahlberg.
After debuting with back-to-back shutouts, Geneva’s sophomore goalie was unfazed by the bombardment or being called upon to make 18 saves and anxiously watch a few others became near misses.
“Honestly I’d rather see shots like tonight. Knowing that North is always good means this was a good test for me and our backline,” Montgomery said. “Again, they have some phenomenal players, but we really did play even with them in the second half. Being down 7-3 we did a good job of not giving up. Getting two more goals proved our ability to keep playing hard for each other.”
At the other end, North Star back-up goalie Nathalie Grier had to tip a cannon shot over the crossbar. That led to the corner kick from which Gratz nearly scored if not for C.C. Wahlberg’s perfect positioning.
“That was an atypical game,” North’s Harks said. “With as many points on the scoreboard, I still don’t feel it told an accurate tale of the game. Both teams had some opportunities they didn’t capitalize on.”
Harks put the defensive portion into a different perspective.
“We look at our defensive mindset from all 11 players and not just the backline letting in five goals. With all the scoring I’ll be excited to watch the film and see the areas we can improve on.”
Geneva veteran Lauren Albrecht notched an assist on Howe’s goal with 10:36 remaining. Then Howe’s last goal further fuelled the Vikings’ spirit.
“I just wish we would have capitalized on some other opportunities,” Howe said. “I still thought it was a great offensive effort from us, and I look forward to seeing where we can go. I believe we can be proud to put five in net against a quality team like North.
“Maybe to some 7-5 doesn’t look much better than 7-3, but coach (Megan) Owens talked about continuing to battle and those last two goals showed our staminia. I think it sends a message to our team and to others that we don’t quit.”
Beyond the final score, Owens also expressed a positive analysis and view of the match, actually optimistically mindful were there to be a rematch.
“I’m really proud of the team and proud of how they fought to the end. I think this bodes well for the talent on my team,” Owens insisted. “We made some mistakes and beat ourselves at certain times and North exposed those mistakes, but this was only our fourth game of the season. Are there things for us to adjust? Yes, but we also learned a lot of positives, especially persistence. I asked them to win the second half, and they didn’t give up.”
Both staminia and never quitting are crucial for Geneva for its most hectic week of the season. The Vikings begin play in St. Charles East’s 29th annual Augsburg-Drach Invitational facing Naperville Central at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday (April 4), followed by a Thursday meeting with Schaumburg and a Saturday date with the host Saints.
St. Charles North visits Larkin on Thursday for a second Upstate Eight River Division match before starting a quest Saturday to capture a bracket title in the PepsiCo Showdown for a second-straight year.
Starting lineups
Geneva
GK: Katie Montgomery
D: Jade Ciesielski
D: Kristina Lockner
D: Mackenzie Bennett
D: Rachel Lawrence
M: Sydney Gratz
M: Lauren Albrecht
M: Kelly Konicek
F: Olivia Tegge
F: Jenna Dominguez
F: Stephanie Howe
St. Charles North
GK: Sara Maleski
D: Makenna Collins
D: C.C. Wahlberg
D: Dmi Petrusha
D: Alyssa Kraft
M: Hailey Rydberg
M: Cassidy Joyce
M: Sami Rydberg
F: Chloe Netzel
F: Gia Wahlberg
F: Claudia Najera
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: C.C. Wahlberg, jr., defender, St. Charles North
Referees: Zach Richter (center), Brett Richter, John O’Bryan
Game summary
St. Charles North 7, Geneva 5
Geneva 3 2 ---- 5 (2-2-0 / UEC-R 1-1-0)
St. Charles North 5 2 ---- 7 (5-0-1 / UEC-R 1-0-0)
Scoring
SCN --- G. Wahlberg nine-yarder from left of center (H. Rydberg), 4:37 gone
SCN --- H. Rydberg penalty kick conversion (UA), 18:06 gone
G --- Howe 12-yd rocket inside left post (Tegge assist), 18:47 gone
SCN --- S. Rydberg finish off cross (H. Rydberg assist), 21:33 gone
G --- Tegge six-yard knock in from scramble off corner (Brolly assist), 24:47 gone
SCN --- Najera cutback to middle, 12-yarder inside right post (Joyce assist), 26:18 gone
SCN --- G. Wahlberg 26-yd FK over wall and under crossbar (UA), 35:28 gone
G --- Dominguez 11-yd boot from touch pass (Tegge assist), 39:46 gone
SCN --- H. Rydberg 14-yd solid strike (Joyce assist), 42:30 gone
SCN --- S. Rydberg 38-yd FK bomb over wall but under crossbar (UA), 48:53 gone
G --- Howe 10-yd power header inside right post off CK (Albrecht assist), 69:24 gone
G --- Howe 19-yd high floater over keeper and under crossbar (UA), 71:01 gone
Shots
G 11 – 8 ---- 19
SCN 15 – 19 ---- 34
Shots on goal
G 10 – 5 ---- 15
SCN 12 – 13 ---- 25
Saves (goalie/others)
G (Montgomery) 7 – 11 ---- 18
SCN (Maleski) 7 -- (Grier 2/C.C. Wahlberg 1) 3 ---- 10
Corner kicks
G 1 – 1 ---- 2
SCN 3 – 5 ---- 8
Offsides
G 0 – 0 ---- 0
SCN 1 – 1 ---- 2
with 7-5 league victory over Geneva
North Stars stay undefeated, get early leg up in U8 River race
By Steve Nemeth
ST. CHARLES -- As if to virtually defy every accepted expectation, St. Charles North held on for a 7-5 victory Tuesday night over visiting Geneva in a pivotal Upstate Eight Conference River Division match.
Just about every part of that sentence could produce a double-take or question, so:
- Yes, the final tally was a regulation score.
- Yes, the same two programs battled to a 0-0 draw in their 2017 regular season meeting.
- Yes, the North Stars had yielded only three goals in their five previous matches.
- Yes, the Vikings rebounded from a shutout loss with five goals and still didn’t win.
- Yes, these were highly ranked sides in the latest Chicagoland Soccer Top 25: St. Charles North ranks third; and Geneva is no. 9.
- Yes, girls soccer is a “spring sport” but the 36-degree kickoff temperature didn’t include the wind chill factor and the mist that turned into a steady drizzle that waited until after the match to become snow flurries.
- Yes, this was St. Charles North’s conference opener and only the second league outing for Geneva, but it was a pivotal match if you kept in mind the two shared the 2017 title with 5-0-1 records. So it’s safe to say the outcome will factor into the 2018 final standings.
- And yes, despite a hat-trick, multi-goal and -assist efforts, highlight-reel worthy goalie saves, and eye-popping offense, the nature of the rivalry put the spotlight on defender C.C. Wahlberg as Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
“Coming into the week, she was at home sick battling the flu, but knowing this match was important, she not only powered through, but played really well tonight,” St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said. “Her teammates even recognized her at the end of the game as somebody who really stepped up big.”
Geneva’s Sydney Gratz made a textbook touch deflection off a corner kick only to be thwarted by Wahlberg’s goal line stop. That came with 13 minutes left in regulation and signaled the Vikings’ renewed offensive surge despite trailing 7-3.
Stephanie Howe scored the last two goals of her hat-trick in less than a two-minute span to cut the deficit in half with 8:59 still to be played. Momentum was clearly in favor of Geneva (2-2-0 overall, 1-1-0) at that point. It took the re-entry of a few starters to stem the surge and preserve the win for North (5-0-1, 1-0-0).
While the North Stars have been the ultimate postseason nemesis to Geneva, low-scoring and narrow margins have been the rule in the majority of their meetings. Despite both programs having graduated goalies (Geneva’s Emma Harkleroad and North’s Sami Sample who each earned Chicagoland Soccer All-State recognition), the 5-3 halftime tally was still a surprise.
Both sides could still count on a pair of returning CS All-State honorees and the North Stars’ duo got the scoring fireworks started. Hailey Rydberg’s assist helped Michigan State signee Gia Wahlberg strike from nine yards left of center just 4:37 into the match. The Iowa-bound Rydberg then converted a penalty kick at 18:06 for a 2-0 start.
However, Geneva needed just 41 seconds to respond. Olivia Tegge registered the first of two assists spotting Howe in the open for a 12-yard rocket inside the left post.
North’s Rydberg sisters combined at 21:33 gone with Samantha using Hailey’s cross for a 3-1 advantage. But Geneva countered again. It took 3:14 this time, but Annie Brolly’s corner kick led to a scramble from which the ball popped into position for a Tegge goal to once again make it a one-goal gap.
The host North Stars responded not once, but twice. Initially Cassidy Joyce fed Claudia Najera, who cut back to the middle in order to launch a 12-yarder inside the right post after 26:18. Gia Wahlberg boosted her season total to eight goals with 4:32 left before halftime. Her 26-yard direct kick flew under the crossbar.
Geneva once again showed a never-quit attitude, and it paid off 14 seconds ahead of the halftime horn. Tegge set up teammate Jenna Dominguez for a blast past North starting goalie Sara Maleski.
Hoping to send a message and reaffirm their dominance, North had both Hailey and Samantha Rydberg join Gia Wahlberg in boasting two goals for the match. Just 2:30 into the second half, Joyce fed Hailey to make it 6-3. At 48:53, Samantha gambled on a 38-yard free kick that sailed over a Geneva defensive wall and dipped under the crossbar.
“With it being wet and slippery, Hailey suggested I try it, and I took a chance,” Samantha explained. “It felt great, and we wanted this one having tied them last year. It’s great to put in seven, but allowing five is not something we ever want.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Hailey admitted. “It’s awesome that we keep scoring, but it also tells us that we can’t quit. While the match definitely went back and forth, we got a little confused at times on the match-ups and lacked some communication.”
Though perhaps not a true tipping point, Geneva at least gained a boost with 23:12 still on the clock. North reserve Sarah Andrey took her team’s second penalty kick opportunity, but Viking keeper Katie Montgomery dove to her left and blocked the ball. Off the ensuing corner kick, Montgomery made another tremendous save on a point-blank boot from Gia Wahlberg.
After debuting with back-to-back shutouts, Geneva’s sophomore goalie was unfazed by the bombardment or being called upon to make 18 saves and anxiously watch a few others became near misses.
“Honestly I’d rather see shots like tonight. Knowing that North is always good means this was a good test for me and our backline,” Montgomery said. “Again, they have some phenomenal players, but we really did play even with them in the second half. Being down 7-3 we did a good job of not giving up. Getting two more goals proved our ability to keep playing hard for each other.”
At the other end, North Star back-up goalie Nathalie Grier had to tip a cannon shot over the crossbar. That led to the corner kick from which Gratz nearly scored if not for C.C. Wahlberg’s perfect positioning.
“That was an atypical game,” North’s Harks said. “With as many points on the scoreboard, I still don’t feel it told an accurate tale of the game. Both teams had some opportunities they didn’t capitalize on.”
Harks put the defensive portion into a different perspective.
“We look at our defensive mindset from all 11 players and not just the backline letting in five goals. With all the scoring I’ll be excited to watch the film and see the areas we can improve on.”
Geneva veteran Lauren Albrecht notched an assist on Howe’s goal with 10:36 remaining. Then Howe’s last goal further fuelled the Vikings’ spirit.
“I just wish we would have capitalized on some other opportunities,” Howe said. “I still thought it was a great offensive effort from us, and I look forward to seeing where we can go. I believe we can be proud to put five in net against a quality team like North.
“Maybe to some 7-5 doesn’t look much better than 7-3, but coach (Megan) Owens talked about continuing to battle and those last two goals showed our staminia. I think it sends a message to our team and to others that we don’t quit.”
Beyond the final score, Owens also expressed a positive analysis and view of the match, actually optimistically mindful were there to be a rematch.
“I’m really proud of the team and proud of how they fought to the end. I think this bodes well for the talent on my team,” Owens insisted. “We made some mistakes and beat ourselves at certain times and North exposed those mistakes, but this was only our fourth game of the season. Are there things for us to adjust? Yes, but we also learned a lot of positives, especially persistence. I asked them to win the second half, and they didn’t give up.”
Both staminia and never quitting are crucial for Geneva for its most hectic week of the season. The Vikings begin play in St. Charles East’s 29th annual Augsburg-Drach Invitational facing Naperville Central at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday (April 4), followed by a Thursday meeting with Schaumburg and a Saturday date with the host Saints.
St. Charles North visits Larkin on Thursday for a second Upstate Eight River Division match before starting a quest Saturday to capture a bracket title in the PepsiCo Showdown for a second-straight year.
Starting lineups
Geneva
GK: Katie Montgomery
D: Jade Ciesielski
D: Kristina Lockner
D: Mackenzie Bennett
D: Rachel Lawrence
M: Sydney Gratz
M: Lauren Albrecht
M: Kelly Konicek
F: Olivia Tegge
F: Jenna Dominguez
F: Stephanie Howe
St. Charles North
GK: Sara Maleski
D: Makenna Collins
D: C.C. Wahlberg
D: Dmi Petrusha
D: Alyssa Kraft
M: Hailey Rydberg
M: Cassidy Joyce
M: Sami Rydberg
F: Chloe Netzel
F: Gia Wahlberg
F: Claudia Najera
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: C.C. Wahlberg, jr., defender, St. Charles North
Referees: Zach Richter (center), Brett Richter, John O’Bryan
Game summary
St. Charles North 7, Geneva 5
Geneva 3 2 ---- 5 (2-2-0 / UEC-R 1-1-0)
St. Charles North 5 2 ---- 7 (5-0-1 / UEC-R 1-0-0)
Scoring
SCN --- G. Wahlberg nine-yarder from left of center (H. Rydberg), 4:37 gone
SCN --- H. Rydberg penalty kick conversion (UA), 18:06 gone
G --- Howe 12-yd rocket inside left post (Tegge assist), 18:47 gone
SCN --- S. Rydberg finish off cross (H. Rydberg assist), 21:33 gone
G --- Tegge six-yard knock in from scramble off corner (Brolly assist), 24:47 gone
SCN --- Najera cutback to middle, 12-yarder inside right post (Joyce assist), 26:18 gone
SCN --- G. Wahlberg 26-yd FK over wall and under crossbar (UA), 35:28 gone
G --- Dominguez 11-yd boot from touch pass (Tegge assist), 39:46 gone
SCN --- H. Rydberg 14-yd solid strike (Joyce assist), 42:30 gone
SCN --- S. Rydberg 38-yd FK bomb over wall but under crossbar (UA), 48:53 gone
G --- Howe 10-yd power header inside right post off CK (Albrecht assist), 69:24 gone
G --- Howe 19-yd high floater over keeper and under crossbar (UA), 71:01 gone
Shots
G 11 – 8 ---- 19
SCN 15 – 19 ---- 34
Shots on goal
G 10 – 5 ---- 15
SCN 12 – 13 ---- 25
Saves (goalie/others)
G (Montgomery) 7 – 11 ---- 18
SCN (Maleski) 7 -- (Grier 2/C.C. Wahlberg 1) 3 ---- 10
Corner kicks
G 1 – 1 ---- 2
SCN 3 – 5 ---- 8
Offsides
G 0 – 0 ---- 0
SCN 1 – 1 ---- 2