Glenbard West beats Morton;
advances to Plainfield Classic semifinals
Hilltoppers hold on to 2-0 win with total-team effort
By Curt Herron
PLAINFIELD -- Making the most of good scoring opportunities while relying on strong play on defense and in goal were part of the formula for success last season for Glenbard West as it captured its first regional championship in 20 years.
With several of the members of that squad competing again this spring, the Hilltoppers are utilizing some of those same qualities to help them get off to a 5-2-0 start after winning four of their last five matches. That included three-straight shutout victories -- they opened up play in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division with a win and began the Plainfield Classic with a 2-0-0 start which advances them to the tournament semifinals after claiming a 2-0 victory over Morton on Monday at Plainfield Central.
As the result of shutout victories over Willowbrook and Morton in its first two matches in Group I in the 16-team competition, Glenbard West has already earned its spot in Saturday's 11:30 p.m. semifinals against the winner of Group 2, which will be host Plainfield North if it beats or ties Dundee-Crown on Thursday.
The Hilltoppers, who defeated York 2-0 in conference play on Tuesday, face Stagg, which is 0-2-0 in the group, at 6:30 p.m on Thursday at East Aurora. The championship will be played at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Emmie Roberts converted a penalty in the 39th minute to put the Hilltoppers ahead for good. And although the Mustangs (7-3-0) had plenty of quality chances during the final half, Glenbard West was the only side that connected. It received an insurance goal in the 55th minute when Roberts sent a throw-in that landed in front of the net that Sophia Brown put away from close range.
"I'm super excited," said Roberts, a senior who frustrated Morton with a variety of threatening free and corner kicks as well as spot-on throw-ins. "We have a hefty amount of seniors back, and they've been leading the way. And we've had underclassmen who have stepped up, and I think that our chemistry is amazing.
“I think we're just one group, and we just really work well together. That was a great win today, but we're really looking to improve since we have so much more to do.
"I think I've had a natural throw-in for a while, and our group does a really good job of getting something on them. It doesn't have to go in every time, but just getting little touches it will eventually go in.
“We have Gwen (Johnson) in the middle, who's a giant, and that helps out, and Soph (Brown) finished today. If we get good touches, then we'll finish them.
“I like our chemistry through all levels. We have sophomores who step up huge. They are one of us, and we've done a good job of welcoming newcomers. And we have JV people step up in every game. It's just one team, one program and one family."
The Hilltoppers split their first four matches in the season-opening Wheaton North Kickoff Classic. They beat Sandburg and Benet and lost to Wheaton North and Metea Valley. Other than its 4-0 loss to the Falcons, who it beat on penalties in last season's regional title match at Memorial Field, Glenbard West has allowed just two goals in its six other matches. That includes a road win over Proviso West to kick off WSC Silver Division play.
"We played in a very competitive Wheaton North tournament," Hilltoppers coach Adam Szyszko said. "We had a good win against Sandburg and a bit of a bad loss against Wheaton North. Then we beat a really good Benet team and played Metea Valley in a very close game that we lost 1-0.
“This tournament is competitive. We played Willowbrook on Saturday, and they're big and physical. And Morton is a great side and Jim (Bageanis) does a terrific job with them. No. 21 (Carisma Rosales) is terrific. She's only a sophomore, so he'll have two more years with her.
“They play hard, and they play physical. It was a good game, and we have a budding rivalry with them. It was a quality win.
"With the group that came back, we stress that winning state playoff games comes down to plays like free kicks or a corner kick, and not giving up a cheap foul and giving a team a 30- or 40-yard free kick where anything can happen.
“We've got a couple of built-in advantages in some of our restarts that gives us a chance to eke out a close game. (Seniors) Emma (Kluge), J (Jennifer Fox) and Elise (Pollock) have been in the starting defense since they were sophomores.
“Beaudoin played with us last year after we pulled her up, and she's just been flawless as a center back. She's integrating herself very well. And Ava Callaway is growing into her role as goalie. She had some nervy moments in the first two or three games, but she's starting to control the box. She had a lot of action tonight but was on top of things and solid. There were no nervy moments tonight."
Morton went 3-2-0 in Reavis' 32-team Windy City Ram Classix Tournament. The losses came against Lincoln-Way East in the quarterfinals and Lincoln-Way West in the fifth place match. The Mustangs were held without a goal for the first time in 10 matches. In the seven matches that coach Jim Bageanis' squad has won this season, they haven't allowed a goal.
While it wouldn't have been surprising for the Mustangs to be a bit down after commiting a foul in the box late in the first half and then seeing their streak of three-consecutive shutouts halted on a penalty, they responded to that adversity by opening up the second half with a flurry of good attempts.
After Glenbard West countered with a few serious threats over the next dozen minutes, Morton was back on the attack with Rosales, Andrea Aguirre, Esmeralda Bautista and Mayte Gongora leading the way. However Hilltoppers junior goalie Ava Callaway proved to be up to the challenge and turned away everything that came her way.
"What we've seen so far is that this team doesn't quit," Bageanis said. "They play hard the whole time, and I've told them that as long as the effort is there, then they have nothing to regret at the end of the game.
“We stayed in it, but we have to finish. We had our share of chances to put in one or two, and honestly, I think we could have had two or three.
"We've been moving the ball pretty well, and I knew that if we were able to do it against them that we'd get our opportunities. I have to give them credit. No. 17 (Fox) was just phenomenal out there and is an excellent player. Hopefully we bounce back on Thursday against Willowbrook (in a dual/conference game). It's always a big game for both teams, so we'll see how it goes."
The Mustangs entered the match with a 44-5 advantage in goals and had collected four or more goals in each of their wins, while scoring one goal apiece against the Lincoln-Way squads.
Glenbard West backline seniors Fox, Kluge and Pollock and sophomore Beaudoin did their part to cool off the Mustangs.
Junior goalie Callaway faced a lot of attempts but the Hilltoppers were able to post their third-straight shutout and their fourth in their last five outings. The only goal scored in that stretch came from currently sixth-rated Metea Valley.
"No. 21 (Rosales) was super-fast and super-dominant on her right foot," Fox said. "At halftime, our coach said that we needed to lock down on her and force her to her left.
“We really tried to implement that in the second half, and it started working. Three of us, Emma, Elise and I, have played together for like nine years. So, we have a great group chemistry in the back.
“Ellie has come in and stepped it up. Being an underclassman, she's not afraid to direct us where we need to go. That's a great quality to have, and it makes her fit right in on our backline.
"We're hoping that we can get further this season. I feel like, with returning seniors, that we're a lot more dominant and a lot of seniors on other teams graduated.
“So I'm hoping that this is our time to shine. I think that we get along fantastically, on the field and off the field. And I love having true friendships with all of our players, because I think that also helps us to play well together on the field, as well."
Shortly after the match began, play was briefly halted after one of the officials suffered an injury in a freak accident and was unable to continue.
When action resumed, the Hilltoppers began to apply pressure on Mustangs goalie Krystal Rodriguez, who deflected a shot by Roberts and then stopped an attempt by Brown. After Pollock sent in a long shot, Roberts sent in a pair of throw-ins to Brown. One led to a header that Rodriguez hauled in, and the other try went just wide of the mark.
Not long after Rosales recorded the first of her numerous shots on goal, Pollock sent in another lengthy attempt that was halted. As the opening half wound down, the Hilltoppers were able to capitalize. A Roberts throw-in that was punched away, but there was a foul in the box on the play. Roberts made the subsequent penalty in the 39th minute to give her team a 1-0 halftime advantage.
Once the second half began, Morton went on the attack. Aaliyah Leanos got things started right away and Gongora followed with another shot in the initial minute of play. Rosales then got stymied three times in short order as Callaway halted two and Pollock stopped another.
"We all work together as a team. We don't give up, and that's a good thing about it," said Rosales. "It was a good competition. But the score ended up 2-0 because we didn't get any finishes."
Glenbard West responded to Morton's pressure at the start of the second half with some good attempts of its own. The Hilltoppers persevererd despite losing one of its captains, senior Maggie McDonnell, who left the field for the rest of the match after getting hit in the head on a shot.
Shortly after Brown sent a header wide following a free kick, she found the mark in a different fashion and restart in the 55th minute. Roberts' throw-in landed in front of the net and the junior put in the short attempt to conclude the scoring.
"That's a very aggressive team, and we did a good job of holding them and played up to their level," Brown said. "I think they played aggressive, and we played aggressive back. Having a huge throw-in like she has, no one expects that, so it's like a corner kick. We have a very strong starting lineup, but we also have a lot of people who start on the bench and they can come in and play and do very well."
Although down by two scores, the Morton continued to keep the pressure on. Not long after Rosales was denied, Aguirre followed with a close-range shot and then a longer effort before firing one off the crossbar. Rosales sent in a liner, before Bautista was stopped on an attempt and then sent a cross to Stephanie Salmeron, whose header was hauled in by Callaway.
Glenbard West responded with a solid chance, but Gwen Johnson was thwarted in her effort to make it 3-0.
Morton Aguirre had a late go that was turned away shortly before the match concluded.
"I'm really proud of the team," Gongora said. "We never stopped fighting in the field. Obviously, they're a good team, and we are, too.
“We kept up the momentum, and we never went down. And although the score was 2-0, I'm proud of the team for not stopping. We had a bunch of chances, but unfortunately, we couldn't finish. Carisma had a bunch of chances up-top, too, and she does a great job.
"I like the friendship that we have in the field and off the field. I think we communicate very well in the field as well as off the field. And we're all just very loyal to each other, and that's probably my favorite trait about us."
Starting lineups
Glenbard West
G Ava Callaway
D Elise Pollock
D Emma Kluge
D Jennifer Fox
D Ellie Beaudoin
M Clare Kostolansky
M Maeve Repking
M Maggie O'Donnell
F Emmie Roberts
F Sophia Brown
F Gwen Johnson
Morton
G Krystal Rodriguez
D Stephanie Queved
D Leslie Jiminez
D Mya Hernandez
D Brianna Avalos
M Stephanie Salmeron
M Andrea Aguirre
M Mayte Gongora
M Esmeralda Bautista
F Carisma Rosales
F Aaliyah Leanos
Chicagoland Soccer MFP of the Match:
Emily Roberts, sr., F, Glenbard West
Scoring summary
First half
G: Emily Roberts (PK), 39th minute
Second half
G: Sophia Brown (Emily Roberts), 55th minute
advances to Plainfield Classic semifinals
Hilltoppers hold on to 2-0 win with total-team effort
By Curt Herron
PLAINFIELD -- Making the most of good scoring opportunities while relying on strong play on defense and in goal were part of the formula for success last season for Glenbard West as it captured its first regional championship in 20 years.
With several of the members of that squad competing again this spring, the Hilltoppers are utilizing some of those same qualities to help them get off to a 5-2-0 start after winning four of their last five matches. That included three-straight shutout victories -- they opened up play in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division with a win and began the Plainfield Classic with a 2-0-0 start which advances them to the tournament semifinals after claiming a 2-0 victory over Morton on Monday at Plainfield Central.
As the result of shutout victories over Willowbrook and Morton in its first two matches in Group I in the 16-team competition, Glenbard West has already earned its spot in Saturday's 11:30 p.m. semifinals against the winner of Group 2, which will be host Plainfield North if it beats or ties Dundee-Crown on Thursday.
The Hilltoppers, who defeated York 2-0 in conference play on Tuesday, face Stagg, which is 0-2-0 in the group, at 6:30 p.m on Thursday at East Aurora. The championship will be played at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Emmie Roberts converted a penalty in the 39th minute to put the Hilltoppers ahead for good. And although the Mustangs (7-3-0) had plenty of quality chances during the final half, Glenbard West was the only side that connected. It received an insurance goal in the 55th minute when Roberts sent a throw-in that landed in front of the net that Sophia Brown put away from close range.
"I'm super excited," said Roberts, a senior who frustrated Morton with a variety of threatening free and corner kicks as well as spot-on throw-ins. "We have a hefty amount of seniors back, and they've been leading the way. And we've had underclassmen who have stepped up, and I think that our chemistry is amazing.
“I think we're just one group, and we just really work well together. That was a great win today, but we're really looking to improve since we have so much more to do.
"I think I've had a natural throw-in for a while, and our group does a really good job of getting something on them. It doesn't have to go in every time, but just getting little touches it will eventually go in.
“We have Gwen (Johnson) in the middle, who's a giant, and that helps out, and Soph (Brown) finished today. If we get good touches, then we'll finish them.
“I like our chemistry through all levels. We have sophomores who step up huge. They are one of us, and we've done a good job of welcoming newcomers. And we have JV people step up in every game. It's just one team, one program and one family."
The Hilltoppers split their first four matches in the season-opening Wheaton North Kickoff Classic. They beat Sandburg and Benet and lost to Wheaton North and Metea Valley. Other than its 4-0 loss to the Falcons, who it beat on penalties in last season's regional title match at Memorial Field, Glenbard West has allowed just two goals in its six other matches. That includes a road win over Proviso West to kick off WSC Silver Division play.
"We played in a very competitive Wheaton North tournament," Hilltoppers coach Adam Szyszko said. "We had a good win against Sandburg and a bit of a bad loss against Wheaton North. Then we beat a really good Benet team and played Metea Valley in a very close game that we lost 1-0.
“This tournament is competitive. We played Willowbrook on Saturday, and they're big and physical. And Morton is a great side and Jim (Bageanis) does a terrific job with them. No. 21 (Carisma Rosales) is terrific. She's only a sophomore, so he'll have two more years with her.
“They play hard, and they play physical. It was a good game, and we have a budding rivalry with them. It was a quality win.
"With the group that came back, we stress that winning state playoff games comes down to plays like free kicks or a corner kick, and not giving up a cheap foul and giving a team a 30- or 40-yard free kick where anything can happen.
“We've got a couple of built-in advantages in some of our restarts that gives us a chance to eke out a close game. (Seniors) Emma (Kluge), J (Jennifer Fox) and Elise (Pollock) have been in the starting defense since they were sophomores.
“Beaudoin played with us last year after we pulled her up, and she's just been flawless as a center back. She's integrating herself very well. And Ava Callaway is growing into her role as goalie. She had some nervy moments in the first two or three games, but she's starting to control the box. She had a lot of action tonight but was on top of things and solid. There were no nervy moments tonight."
Morton went 3-2-0 in Reavis' 32-team Windy City Ram Classix Tournament. The losses came against Lincoln-Way East in the quarterfinals and Lincoln-Way West in the fifth place match. The Mustangs were held without a goal for the first time in 10 matches. In the seven matches that coach Jim Bageanis' squad has won this season, they haven't allowed a goal.
While it wouldn't have been surprising for the Mustangs to be a bit down after commiting a foul in the box late in the first half and then seeing their streak of three-consecutive shutouts halted on a penalty, they responded to that adversity by opening up the second half with a flurry of good attempts.
After Glenbard West countered with a few serious threats over the next dozen minutes, Morton was back on the attack with Rosales, Andrea Aguirre, Esmeralda Bautista and Mayte Gongora leading the way. However Hilltoppers junior goalie Ava Callaway proved to be up to the challenge and turned away everything that came her way.
"What we've seen so far is that this team doesn't quit," Bageanis said. "They play hard the whole time, and I've told them that as long as the effort is there, then they have nothing to regret at the end of the game.
“We stayed in it, but we have to finish. We had our share of chances to put in one or two, and honestly, I think we could have had two or three.
"We've been moving the ball pretty well, and I knew that if we were able to do it against them that we'd get our opportunities. I have to give them credit. No. 17 (Fox) was just phenomenal out there and is an excellent player. Hopefully we bounce back on Thursday against Willowbrook (in a dual/conference game). It's always a big game for both teams, so we'll see how it goes."
The Mustangs entered the match with a 44-5 advantage in goals and had collected four or more goals in each of their wins, while scoring one goal apiece against the Lincoln-Way squads.
Glenbard West backline seniors Fox, Kluge and Pollock and sophomore Beaudoin did their part to cool off the Mustangs.
Junior goalie Callaway faced a lot of attempts but the Hilltoppers were able to post their third-straight shutout and their fourth in their last five outings. The only goal scored in that stretch came from currently sixth-rated Metea Valley.
"No. 21 (Rosales) was super-fast and super-dominant on her right foot," Fox said. "At halftime, our coach said that we needed to lock down on her and force her to her left.
“We really tried to implement that in the second half, and it started working. Three of us, Emma, Elise and I, have played together for like nine years. So, we have a great group chemistry in the back.
“Ellie has come in and stepped it up. Being an underclassman, she's not afraid to direct us where we need to go. That's a great quality to have, and it makes her fit right in on our backline.
"We're hoping that we can get further this season. I feel like, with returning seniors, that we're a lot more dominant and a lot of seniors on other teams graduated.
“So I'm hoping that this is our time to shine. I think that we get along fantastically, on the field and off the field. And I love having true friendships with all of our players, because I think that also helps us to play well together on the field, as well."
Shortly after the match began, play was briefly halted after one of the officials suffered an injury in a freak accident and was unable to continue.
When action resumed, the Hilltoppers began to apply pressure on Mustangs goalie Krystal Rodriguez, who deflected a shot by Roberts and then stopped an attempt by Brown. After Pollock sent in a long shot, Roberts sent in a pair of throw-ins to Brown. One led to a header that Rodriguez hauled in, and the other try went just wide of the mark.
Not long after Rosales recorded the first of her numerous shots on goal, Pollock sent in another lengthy attempt that was halted. As the opening half wound down, the Hilltoppers were able to capitalize. A Roberts throw-in that was punched away, but there was a foul in the box on the play. Roberts made the subsequent penalty in the 39th minute to give her team a 1-0 halftime advantage.
Once the second half began, Morton went on the attack. Aaliyah Leanos got things started right away and Gongora followed with another shot in the initial minute of play. Rosales then got stymied three times in short order as Callaway halted two and Pollock stopped another.
"We all work together as a team. We don't give up, and that's a good thing about it," said Rosales. "It was a good competition. But the score ended up 2-0 because we didn't get any finishes."
Glenbard West responded to Morton's pressure at the start of the second half with some good attempts of its own. The Hilltoppers persevererd despite losing one of its captains, senior Maggie McDonnell, who left the field for the rest of the match after getting hit in the head on a shot.
Shortly after Brown sent a header wide following a free kick, she found the mark in a different fashion and restart in the 55th minute. Roberts' throw-in landed in front of the net and the junior put in the short attempt to conclude the scoring.
"That's a very aggressive team, and we did a good job of holding them and played up to their level," Brown said. "I think they played aggressive, and we played aggressive back. Having a huge throw-in like she has, no one expects that, so it's like a corner kick. We have a very strong starting lineup, but we also have a lot of people who start on the bench and they can come in and play and do very well."
Although down by two scores, the Morton continued to keep the pressure on. Not long after Rosales was denied, Aguirre followed with a close-range shot and then a longer effort before firing one off the crossbar. Rosales sent in a liner, before Bautista was stopped on an attempt and then sent a cross to Stephanie Salmeron, whose header was hauled in by Callaway.
Glenbard West responded with a solid chance, but Gwen Johnson was thwarted in her effort to make it 3-0.
Morton Aguirre had a late go that was turned away shortly before the match concluded.
"I'm really proud of the team," Gongora said. "We never stopped fighting in the field. Obviously, they're a good team, and we are, too.
“We kept up the momentum, and we never went down. And although the score was 2-0, I'm proud of the team for not stopping. We had a bunch of chances, but unfortunately, we couldn't finish. Carisma had a bunch of chances up-top, too, and she does a great job.
"I like the friendship that we have in the field and off the field. I think we communicate very well in the field as well as off the field. And we're all just very loyal to each other, and that's probably my favorite trait about us."
Starting lineups
Glenbard West
G Ava Callaway
D Elise Pollock
D Emma Kluge
D Jennifer Fox
D Ellie Beaudoin
M Clare Kostolansky
M Maeve Repking
M Maggie O'Donnell
F Emmie Roberts
F Sophia Brown
F Gwen Johnson
Morton
G Krystal Rodriguez
D Stephanie Queved
D Leslie Jiminez
D Mya Hernandez
D Brianna Avalos
M Stephanie Salmeron
M Andrea Aguirre
M Mayte Gongora
M Esmeralda Bautista
F Carisma Rosales
F Aaliyah Leanos
Chicagoland Soccer MFP of the Match:
Emily Roberts, sr., F, Glenbard West
Scoring summary
First half
G: Emily Roberts (PK), 39th minute
Second half
G: Sophia Brown (Emily Roberts), 55th minute