Carmel breaks out against Grant
Corsairs score 7 goals in 25-minute first halt blitz
By Patrick Z. McGavin
MUNDELEIN — Carmel star midfielder Mia Salvi represents the last individual marker of a generational moment.
She is the third sister of a family dynasty that has helped transform the Corsairs into a well known state program.
Her oldest sister Angie, who just completed a superb career at Vermont, was a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-stater. As a precocious sophomore she was the leading scorer on the Corsairs’ 2015 Class AA state championship team.
Middle sister, Olivia Salvi, graduated in 2019, after a stellar four-year varsity career.
The school gymnasium is named after a family uncle. The Salvi’s parents and cousins all attended the school.
Pride matters here, and it runs deep and wide.
“I’ve been part of Carmel since I was young,” Mia Salvi said. “Carmel athletics have been a huge part of my life. Now this is my last season playing soccer, and I have been playing since I was three.”
Salvi is dreaming of going out in grand style.
The senior scored a goal and created two assists as the Corsairs erupted for seven first half goals en route to a commanding 9-0 nonconference victory over Grant on Wednesday night.
Every moment is tinged with immediacy and a directness of purpose as the Salvi reign comes to an end.
“I came to the realization that I have to make the most of every practice and every game because it’s going to be over before I know it,” Salvi said.
Though the Salvi sisters are the most prominent, the girls program at Carmel has been a remarkable platform for sisters. Of the Johnson sisters, Erin scored the 77th-minute game-winner in the 2015 state championship game.
Other recent examples include twins Skyler and Ciara Thomas. Zkylah Barnes, who scored the second goal against Grant, is the younger sister of former standout and two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Zenaya Barnes.
It all runs in the family.
“Playing with your siblings is something you only get to do for one or two years,” Salvi said. “It’s a really special thing.
“All of our older siblings had such great experiences, and that has translated to ours.”
Sarah and Liz Galla, senior twin sisters, have been a pivotal part of the program since their freshman year.
Sarah Galla started the onslaught against the Bulldogs with a goal in the 10th minute, marking a devastating and efficient rush that saw the Corsairs score seven times during a 25-minute stretch.
Sarah Galla is also the corner specialist. Carmel (2-2-1) generated the first corner less than 25 seconds into the match, a precursor of its dominant runs.
“I’ve been taking corners for a while now, and I just found my groove with them,” Sarah Galla said.
Carmel was coming off a difficult and contested 2-1 loss against Stevenson, ranked 18th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, on Tuesday. Carmel lost 3-0 to no. 4 Libertyville on April 24. The pair of games ended a four-match opening run against larger North Suburban Conference schools.
The tough games showed Carmel a way forward.
Against Grant, the hosts were an attacking team with multiple weapons finding greater ease and comfort with each other.
Barnes' goal, off a service from forward Lyndsey Basara, quickly followed the goal from Sarah Galla.
The floodgates opened.
The game also served as an introduction to the next star of the program, scintillating freshman Anna Hartman.
The midfielder scored two goals five minutes apart that turned the game into a rout. Her shot-making, creativity with the ball, poise and balance were a thing to behold.
For her performance, Hartman earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“You have to adjust with the new people you are playing with,” Hartman said. “This is my first time playing with all of them, but they’ve made it super easy.
“Tonight, when there was a person in front of me, then I looked to pass it off since they had a better shot at the goal. Sometimes, they’d yell at me, ‘Shoot,’ or ‘Score,’ and I said, ‘Alright.’ The season came quickly, and we are just getting to know each other.”
Carmel coach Stephanie Kile is also new, enjoying her first formal season directing the program. She had just one practice with the team when the season was interrupted and eventually canceled by the pandemic last spring.
“Coming out today, we hadn’t been scoring a ton of goals, including our 3-0 loss to Libertyville,” Kile said. “It was important to get running right off the bat and make sure we were getting corners or getting opportunities to get goals.”
Carmel ended its first half blitz with a three-goal burst in a five-minute flurry.
Sofia Coury, Lauren Jenkins and Kate Jones put the Corsairs up 7-0 at the break.
Carmel keeper Lisete Astudillo was the loneliest person on the field. Grant (1-4-0) did not generate a shot on goal. Astudillo spent most of the game 25 yards or so off her line, just surveying the field.
Grant’s Abigail Hobbs did have one opportunity at a loose ball in the final third until who else, Sarah Galla, cleared it out.
Carmel enjoyed up to 90 percent of the possession time. Jenkins and Salvi closed out the second half scoring.
Hartman and Jenkins had two goals. Salvi and Sarah Galla had a goal and two assists apiece.
“This year has definitely been an adjustment,” Salvi said. “I’ve been playing club all throughout the pandemic, but a lot of the girls have not even touched the ball.
“We also have a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the team, so we’re young. The first couple of games were a rough start. We played four really good teams. We are going to go into the rest of the season and do better because of it.”
If Salvi marks the end of something and Hartman a new beginning, the rest of the players are refining their roles and learning to cohere together on the field.
It makes for an interesting mix of personalities and players.
“Last year was one of those years where they missed out on a whole year of opportunities, of playing together,” Kile said.
“This year I had essentially a brand new team that had never played together. Tonight I was really happy with the kids. They were able to execute, and we got a nice win.”
Starting lineups
Grant
GK: Arielle Columbres
D: Miah Bustamante
D: Skyler Johnson
D: Abigail Hobbs
D: Samantha Lamantia
MF: Paige Allen
MF: Taylor Frueling
MF: Brianna Osman
MF: Emily Hernandez
F: Nicole Stigler
F: Camille Zbierzkowski
Carmel
GK: Lisete Astudillo
D: Liz Galla
D: Abby Gibbons
D: Grace Harvey
D/MF: Zkylah Barnes
MF: Jillian Miller
MF: Maddie Preda
MF: Mia Salvi
F: Lyndsey Basara
F: Anna Hartman
F: Sarah Galla
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Anna Hartman, fr., F, Carmel
Scoring
First half
Carmel—Sarah Galla (unassisted), 10th minute
Carmel—Zkylah Barnes (Lyndsey Basara), 11th minute
Carmel—Anna Hartman (Mia Salvi), 14th minute
Carmel—Hartman (Sarah Galla), 19th minute
Carmel—Sofia Coury (Salvi), 30th minute
Carmel—Lauren Jenkins (Sarah Galla), 33rd minute
Carmel—Kate Jones (Maddie Preda), 35th minute
Second half
Carmel—Jenkins (Jillian Miller), 54th minute
Carmel—Mia Salvi (unassisted), 58th minute
Corsairs score 7 goals in 25-minute first halt blitz
By Patrick Z. McGavin
MUNDELEIN — Carmel star midfielder Mia Salvi represents the last individual marker of a generational moment.
She is the third sister of a family dynasty that has helped transform the Corsairs into a well known state program.
Her oldest sister Angie, who just completed a superb career at Vermont, was a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-stater. As a precocious sophomore she was the leading scorer on the Corsairs’ 2015 Class AA state championship team.
Middle sister, Olivia Salvi, graduated in 2019, after a stellar four-year varsity career.
The school gymnasium is named after a family uncle. The Salvi’s parents and cousins all attended the school.
Pride matters here, and it runs deep and wide.
“I’ve been part of Carmel since I was young,” Mia Salvi said. “Carmel athletics have been a huge part of my life. Now this is my last season playing soccer, and I have been playing since I was three.”
Salvi is dreaming of going out in grand style.
The senior scored a goal and created two assists as the Corsairs erupted for seven first half goals en route to a commanding 9-0 nonconference victory over Grant on Wednesday night.
Every moment is tinged with immediacy and a directness of purpose as the Salvi reign comes to an end.
“I came to the realization that I have to make the most of every practice and every game because it’s going to be over before I know it,” Salvi said.
Though the Salvi sisters are the most prominent, the girls program at Carmel has been a remarkable platform for sisters. Of the Johnson sisters, Erin scored the 77th-minute game-winner in the 2015 state championship game.
Other recent examples include twins Skyler and Ciara Thomas. Zkylah Barnes, who scored the second goal against Grant, is the younger sister of former standout and two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Zenaya Barnes.
It all runs in the family.
“Playing with your siblings is something you only get to do for one or two years,” Salvi said. “It’s a really special thing.
“All of our older siblings had such great experiences, and that has translated to ours.”
Sarah and Liz Galla, senior twin sisters, have been a pivotal part of the program since their freshman year.
Sarah Galla started the onslaught against the Bulldogs with a goal in the 10th minute, marking a devastating and efficient rush that saw the Corsairs score seven times during a 25-minute stretch.
Sarah Galla is also the corner specialist. Carmel (2-2-1) generated the first corner less than 25 seconds into the match, a precursor of its dominant runs.
“I’ve been taking corners for a while now, and I just found my groove with them,” Sarah Galla said.
Carmel was coming off a difficult and contested 2-1 loss against Stevenson, ranked 18th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, on Tuesday. Carmel lost 3-0 to no. 4 Libertyville on April 24. The pair of games ended a four-match opening run against larger North Suburban Conference schools.
The tough games showed Carmel a way forward.
Against Grant, the hosts were an attacking team with multiple weapons finding greater ease and comfort with each other.
Barnes' goal, off a service from forward Lyndsey Basara, quickly followed the goal from Sarah Galla.
The floodgates opened.
The game also served as an introduction to the next star of the program, scintillating freshman Anna Hartman.
The midfielder scored two goals five minutes apart that turned the game into a rout. Her shot-making, creativity with the ball, poise and balance were a thing to behold.
For her performance, Hartman earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“You have to adjust with the new people you are playing with,” Hartman said. “This is my first time playing with all of them, but they’ve made it super easy.
“Tonight, when there was a person in front of me, then I looked to pass it off since they had a better shot at the goal. Sometimes, they’d yell at me, ‘Shoot,’ or ‘Score,’ and I said, ‘Alright.’ The season came quickly, and we are just getting to know each other.”
Carmel coach Stephanie Kile is also new, enjoying her first formal season directing the program. She had just one practice with the team when the season was interrupted and eventually canceled by the pandemic last spring.
“Coming out today, we hadn’t been scoring a ton of goals, including our 3-0 loss to Libertyville,” Kile said. “It was important to get running right off the bat and make sure we were getting corners or getting opportunities to get goals.”
Carmel ended its first half blitz with a three-goal burst in a five-minute flurry.
Sofia Coury, Lauren Jenkins and Kate Jones put the Corsairs up 7-0 at the break.
Carmel keeper Lisete Astudillo was the loneliest person on the field. Grant (1-4-0) did not generate a shot on goal. Astudillo spent most of the game 25 yards or so off her line, just surveying the field.
Grant’s Abigail Hobbs did have one opportunity at a loose ball in the final third until who else, Sarah Galla, cleared it out.
Carmel enjoyed up to 90 percent of the possession time. Jenkins and Salvi closed out the second half scoring.
Hartman and Jenkins had two goals. Salvi and Sarah Galla had a goal and two assists apiece.
“This year has definitely been an adjustment,” Salvi said. “I’ve been playing club all throughout the pandemic, but a lot of the girls have not even touched the ball.
“We also have a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the team, so we’re young. The first couple of games were a rough start. We played four really good teams. We are going to go into the rest of the season and do better because of it.”
If Salvi marks the end of something and Hartman a new beginning, the rest of the players are refining their roles and learning to cohere together on the field.
It makes for an interesting mix of personalities and players.
“Last year was one of those years where they missed out on a whole year of opportunities, of playing together,” Kile said.
“This year I had essentially a brand new team that had never played together. Tonight I was really happy with the kids. They were able to execute, and we got a nice win.”
Starting lineups
Grant
GK: Arielle Columbres
D: Miah Bustamante
D: Skyler Johnson
D: Abigail Hobbs
D: Samantha Lamantia
MF: Paige Allen
MF: Taylor Frueling
MF: Brianna Osman
MF: Emily Hernandez
F: Nicole Stigler
F: Camille Zbierzkowski
Carmel
GK: Lisete Astudillo
D: Liz Galla
D: Abby Gibbons
D: Grace Harvey
D/MF: Zkylah Barnes
MF: Jillian Miller
MF: Maddie Preda
MF: Mia Salvi
F: Lyndsey Basara
F: Anna Hartman
F: Sarah Galla
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Anna Hartman, fr., F, Carmel
Scoring
First half
Carmel—Sarah Galla (unassisted), 10th minute
Carmel—Zkylah Barnes (Lyndsey Basara), 11th minute
Carmel—Anna Hartman (Mia Salvi), 14th minute
Carmel—Hartman (Sarah Galla), 19th minute
Carmel—Sofia Coury (Salvi), 30th minute
Carmel—Lauren Jenkins (Sarah Galla), 33rd minute
Carmel—Kate Jones (Maddie Preda), 35th minute
Second half
Carmel—Jenkins (Jillian Miller), 54th minute
Carmel—Mia Salvi (unassisted), 58th minute