Jones forgets heartbreak, rallies vs. Morton
Eagles erase last-second loss memory, edge Mustangs in PKs
By Dave Owen
PALOS PARK – The last minutes of regulation and a wild penalty kick session would have been enough to make Jones the comeback kids.
What happened before makes the Eagles’ resiliency even more impressive.
Coming off a first round PepsiCo Showdown game Saturday in which Lincoln-Way Central scored at the final whistle to win 3-2, Jones (7-3-0) stared down another tough defeat Tuesday with Morton up 1-0 in the closing minutes.
This time, the buzzer-beating heroics belonged to the Eagles.
With just 2:16 left, Martina Bianchi launched a perfectly struck 35-yard free kick just under the crossbar to tie the game 1-1.
The deciding penalty kick session added more drama in Jones’ favor.
Tied with Morton 3-3 after the first five shooters, a sudden-death sixth shooter produced a finish by Jones’ Audrey Bruce. After a hard-luck shot off the crossbar by Morton’s Lorena Jaimes, Jones had clawed out a victory that seemed unlikely until the 11th hour.
“This would have been really hard, after the way we lost on Saturday to come in and play poorly and lose 1-0 here,” Jones coach Derek Bylsma said. “So this is a good thing.
“I’ve played in college (Wisconsin) and professionally (Milwaukee Wave of the MASL) and never lost on the last play. It was brutal.”
Instead, Tuesday’s last-minute ability to turn pain into gain nicely erased the emotions of the weekend.
“Teams a lot of times get frustrated, feel defeated.” said Bianchi, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match. “That’s when you have to push the hardest.”
Said Jones senior goalkeeper Devin Barry: “This wasn’t our best overall performance, but it shows we’re a strong team that can come back from having a poor first half.
“In the second half we worked hard, and to get that tying goal meant a lot,” added Barry. “Then we kept the energy high, and we knew when we got that goal we felt confident that we could win in a PK situation.”
Early on, it was Morton (4-5-0) that was riding a wave of confidence.
The Mustangs’ strong start culminated 12 minutes in, when Jessica Franco’s high right side corner kick found Melanie Carranza free at the back post.
Carranza’s header inside the post marked her second goal of the year, and Morton led 1-0.
“During practice we work on drills like this (corner kick),” Carranza said, “so it was nice to finally be able to use it on the field. I don’t usually use my head (for header trys), but I was able to challenge the ball.”
With its early lead, Morton continued to challenge and produced the game’s next big chance in the 24th minute.
On a long Morton send, Carranza raced towards the box for the loose ball but goalkeeper Barry came out to clear the send an eyelash before the Mustang arrived.
“They (Morton) are a good team,” Bylsma said. “They pass the ball well. I liked the way they played; they were aggressive and feisty. They kind of get after you. As a coach I respect what they did and like their team a lot.”
Morton’s defense also had strong first half moments.
In the 28th minute, Esperanza Aranda nicely defended a 1-v.-1 end line bid by Jones’ Serena Lindsey to produce a Mustangs goal kick. Then in the 36th minute, Franco nicely cleared Catherine Lorden’s 41-yard free kick towards midfield.
“We were just playing hard,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said, “getting to a lot of balls first, keeping them (Jones) off balance, and not letting them get the flow of their game going.”
After Natalie Loos’ header clear denied a 35-yard free kick by Adriana Moreno in the 38th minute, Jones’ offense made a big push in the last minute of the half. Yadany Martinez burst in left with a step on the Morton defender, but Mustangs goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez came out to smother the shot attempt 10 yards out; Julissa Solano cleared the rebound to secure the 1-0 Morton halftime lead.
Between Saturday’s painful end and Tuesday’s sleepy start, the usually mild-mannered Bylsma had a halftime message.
“This is a group you don’t have to get after much; they’re pretty good about coming out hard,” he said. “But at halftime we had to get after them a little bit, and just be like, ‘Guys, you don’t want to go out like this.’
“The first half for us was so bad. We did so many things that aren’t normal for us. We weren’t going to the ball. We weren’t talking. We were trying to play too direct, and we weren’t looking for the short easy balls like we typically do well.”
The first 15 minutes of the second half remained in Morton’s favor.
After enduring a Jones rush with 30:50 left (a Carmen Marshall right-side attack that set up an Avery Kaplan shot just wide), the Mustangs answered with two quality bids.
A Moreno 26-yard free kick with 28:15 left was blocked and cleared by Jones’ Izzy Kamba. Three minutes later, Moreno’s right side shot off a Franco pass was lined wide right.
But at the midway point of the second half, a mix of desperation and offensive inspiration ignited the Jones offense to a big finish.
“We had some players who got hidden a little bit in the game early who usually aren’t like that,” Bylsma said. “But they kind of came out in the second half – Martina (Bianchi), Natalie (Loos) and Avery (Kaplan).
“Those players will typically put their stamp on a game, and Carmen (Marshall) up-front is really fast and is all over the place.”
Laura Rios’ began the onslaught with 19:15 to go, angling a corner kick that grazed the crossbar.
A Kaplan pass set up a Loos chance right of the net six minutes later, but a nice block and clear by Joanna Solano kept Morton in front.
“I always know we can play better,” Carranza said, “but it was nice to finally be able to communicate the way we did today and organize ourselves. We still made a couple mistakes, but it was nice to see how much we’re growing.
“As individuals we’re all starting to be more dedicated to soccer. We put more pressure to the ball; we pass the ball quicker; we move without the ball better.”
Morton appeared ready to turn its strong play into a win.
Then Jones junior Bianchi continued to kick her game up a notch until it paid off.
With 10:10 left, Bianchi rocketed a 20-yard one-timer off a loose-ball scramble inches wide right.
Hustling to join a push two minutes later, Bianchi took a pass back from Marshall and lined a left side 25-yarder that Morton goalkeeper Gonzalez blocked high at the left post.
Off a 55-yard Lorden free kick with 7:30 left, Gonzalez made the catch save on a Kaplan header redirect.
Then with under three minutes left, a Loos midfield interception and passes by Kaplan and Rios led to Marshall being fouled up-top.
Bianchi made a seemingly difficult 35-yard free kick look easy, perfectly placing it above Gonzalez’s reach and under the crossbar to tie the game 1-1.
“We were a little nervous and frazzled you could say,” Bianchi said, “but I was able to calm myself down (on the free kick) and able to focus.
“I think that’s one of my specialties, to be able to have a powerful shot from far away.”
Bylsma can vouch for that.
“I’ve known her since she was 10 years old coming to camps, and she’s always had that big left foot,” he said. “When I found out she was coming to Jones I was happy, because I knew what she can do. She plays hard.
“I had a feeling we’d score,” Bylsma added. “We were pressuring and had some close calls near the line that we just didn’t put away.”
The 1-1 tie reignited Morton for a great last-minute push.
A Carranza steal set up a Moreno 1-v.-1 chance with 40 seconds left, which Bruce denied with a blocked shot 25-yards out.
Then with 10 seconds left, another Moreno right side 20-yard shot was thwarted by Barry’s short hop block at the right post.
“I thought we did well as a team today,” Bageanis said. “Everyone was all over the field.
“And I really thought our defense did well today. They (Jones) have been scoring against some good teams, and we held them pretty much until the end there when we gave up that free kick.”
More drama awaited in the PK session.
Barry made a diving save on the first Morton shooter as Jones led 2-1 after two shots. After just entering the game for the PK session, Morton goalkeeper Elena Budziszewskmade her own lunging save at the post as the teams were even 3-3 with one shooter to go.
A shot just over the net by Jones’ fifth shooter set up a Morton PK to win, but the attempt clanged off the right post, prompting the need for a sixth shooter.
Jones defender Bruce delivered into the lower right corner for a 4-3 Eagles lead. And when Morton’s bid to answer caromed off the crossbar, Jones had a comeback win to celebrate.
“We got lucky it went off the post and the crossbar,” Barry said. “A little too close for comfort.
“But PK’s are a big thing that Derek is about. We practice them a lot, and I feel like it’s one of my strong suits, that I’m calm under pressure. I made a couple good saves, but they slotted some home really well.
“I feel like it can go either way. We were lucky to come out (with the win).”
But with four-year varsity veteran Barry in net, Bylsma was confident his team’s first PK session of the season would end well.
“Devin is fantastic,” he said. “I felt great going into PKs with Devin, although I could tell the way they played that Morton had good penalty kickers.
“I was proud of the girls. They stepped up and made their shots, Devin stepped up. We got a little lucky with the post, but it takes a little luck.”
PK scorers for Jones were Loos, Kaplan, Lorden (a score Budziszewski got a hand on) and Bruce. Morton PK makes were by Medelin Loza, Nayelly Villalobos and Moreno.
“It’s kind of disappointing,” Carranza said of the narrow loss, “but I’m proud of the way we played. We just have to work more on those (PKs) under pressure.”
Jones’ big finish and win could produce long-term benefits.
“This is an important win for us, because they’re in our same sectional,” Bylsma said. “When the seeds come out it looks better for us to beat some of these teams, especially the suburban teams.
“I’m proud of the girls. I thought they worked hard, and I was really happy with the second half. It’s hard to start the game poorly and then switch it on. You kind of play the way you play the whole game.”
With 27 wins combined in 2017 and 2018, Jones is starting to feel very good about 2019 too.
“Our team is looking really good,” Barry said. “We’ve bonded well. We’re really playing cohesively, and I think it’s only going to grow as the season progresses. I think we’re going to have a really successful year this year.”
Said Bianchi: “I think we’re doing great. I think this is one of our best seasons. And the more we play, the more we’re getting more connected as a team and playing even better.
“We’re starting to bring the level of intensity that we want to meet. It’s a little hard always meeting that level of intensity -- in the first half it was a little shaky. But we were able to work through it.”
Starting lineups
Jones
GK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Audrey Bruce
D: Olivia Rodriguez
D: Izzy Kamba
M: Natalie Loos
M: Laura Rios
M: Elena Eisenberg
M: Shayna Ellis
F: Sophia Jennerjahn
F: Avery Kaplan
Morton
GK: Dayanna Gonzalez
D: Esperanza Aranda
D: Julissa Solano
D: Joanna Solano
D: Nayelly Villalobos
M: Medelin Loza
M: Jessica Franco
M: Melanie Carranza
M: Mayte Gongora
F: Lorena Jaimes
F: Adriana Moreno
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Martina Bianchi, jr., MF, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
M- Melanie Carranza (Jessica Franco), 12:00
Second half
J- Martina Bianchi (free kick), 77:44
PKs
J (4)- Natalie Loos, Avery Kaplan, Catherine Lorden, Audrey Bruce
M (3)- Medelin Loza, Nayelly Villalobos, Adriana Moreno
Eagles erase last-second loss memory, edge Mustangs in PKs
By Dave Owen
PALOS PARK – The last minutes of regulation and a wild penalty kick session would have been enough to make Jones the comeback kids.
What happened before makes the Eagles’ resiliency even more impressive.
Coming off a first round PepsiCo Showdown game Saturday in which Lincoln-Way Central scored at the final whistle to win 3-2, Jones (7-3-0) stared down another tough defeat Tuesday with Morton up 1-0 in the closing minutes.
This time, the buzzer-beating heroics belonged to the Eagles.
With just 2:16 left, Martina Bianchi launched a perfectly struck 35-yard free kick just under the crossbar to tie the game 1-1.
The deciding penalty kick session added more drama in Jones’ favor.
Tied with Morton 3-3 after the first five shooters, a sudden-death sixth shooter produced a finish by Jones’ Audrey Bruce. After a hard-luck shot off the crossbar by Morton’s Lorena Jaimes, Jones had clawed out a victory that seemed unlikely until the 11th hour.
“This would have been really hard, after the way we lost on Saturday to come in and play poorly and lose 1-0 here,” Jones coach Derek Bylsma said. “So this is a good thing.
“I’ve played in college (Wisconsin) and professionally (Milwaukee Wave of the MASL) and never lost on the last play. It was brutal.”
Instead, Tuesday’s last-minute ability to turn pain into gain nicely erased the emotions of the weekend.
“Teams a lot of times get frustrated, feel defeated.” said Bianchi, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match. “That’s when you have to push the hardest.”
Said Jones senior goalkeeper Devin Barry: “This wasn’t our best overall performance, but it shows we’re a strong team that can come back from having a poor first half.
“In the second half we worked hard, and to get that tying goal meant a lot,” added Barry. “Then we kept the energy high, and we knew when we got that goal we felt confident that we could win in a PK situation.”
Early on, it was Morton (4-5-0) that was riding a wave of confidence.
The Mustangs’ strong start culminated 12 minutes in, when Jessica Franco’s high right side corner kick found Melanie Carranza free at the back post.
Carranza’s header inside the post marked her second goal of the year, and Morton led 1-0.
“During practice we work on drills like this (corner kick),” Carranza said, “so it was nice to finally be able to use it on the field. I don’t usually use my head (for header trys), but I was able to challenge the ball.”
With its early lead, Morton continued to challenge and produced the game’s next big chance in the 24th minute.
On a long Morton send, Carranza raced towards the box for the loose ball but goalkeeper Barry came out to clear the send an eyelash before the Mustang arrived.
“They (Morton) are a good team,” Bylsma said. “They pass the ball well. I liked the way they played; they were aggressive and feisty. They kind of get after you. As a coach I respect what they did and like their team a lot.”
Morton’s defense also had strong first half moments.
In the 28th minute, Esperanza Aranda nicely defended a 1-v.-1 end line bid by Jones’ Serena Lindsey to produce a Mustangs goal kick. Then in the 36th minute, Franco nicely cleared Catherine Lorden’s 41-yard free kick towards midfield.
“We were just playing hard,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said, “getting to a lot of balls first, keeping them (Jones) off balance, and not letting them get the flow of their game going.”
After Natalie Loos’ header clear denied a 35-yard free kick by Adriana Moreno in the 38th minute, Jones’ offense made a big push in the last minute of the half. Yadany Martinez burst in left with a step on the Morton defender, but Mustangs goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez came out to smother the shot attempt 10 yards out; Julissa Solano cleared the rebound to secure the 1-0 Morton halftime lead.
Between Saturday’s painful end and Tuesday’s sleepy start, the usually mild-mannered Bylsma had a halftime message.
“This is a group you don’t have to get after much; they’re pretty good about coming out hard,” he said. “But at halftime we had to get after them a little bit, and just be like, ‘Guys, you don’t want to go out like this.’
“The first half for us was so bad. We did so many things that aren’t normal for us. We weren’t going to the ball. We weren’t talking. We were trying to play too direct, and we weren’t looking for the short easy balls like we typically do well.”
The first 15 minutes of the second half remained in Morton’s favor.
After enduring a Jones rush with 30:50 left (a Carmen Marshall right-side attack that set up an Avery Kaplan shot just wide), the Mustangs answered with two quality bids.
A Moreno 26-yard free kick with 28:15 left was blocked and cleared by Jones’ Izzy Kamba. Three minutes later, Moreno’s right side shot off a Franco pass was lined wide right.
But at the midway point of the second half, a mix of desperation and offensive inspiration ignited the Jones offense to a big finish.
“We had some players who got hidden a little bit in the game early who usually aren’t like that,” Bylsma said. “But they kind of came out in the second half – Martina (Bianchi), Natalie (Loos) and Avery (Kaplan).
“Those players will typically put their stamp on a game, and Carmen (Marshall) up-front is really fast and is all over the place.”
Laura Rios’ began the onslaught with 19:15 to go, angling a corner kick that grazed the crossbar.
A Kaplan pass set up a Loos chance right of the net six minutes later, but a nice block and clear by Joanna Solano kept Morton in front.
“I always know we can play better,” Carranza said, “but it was nice to finally be able to communicate the way we did today and organize ourselves. We still made a couple mistakes, but it was nice to see how much we’re growing.
“As individuals we’re all starting to be more dedicated to soccer. We put more pressure to the ball; we pass the ball quicker; we move without the ball better.”
Morton appeared ready to turn its strong play into a win.
Then Jones junior Bianchi continued to kick her game up a notch until it paid off.
With 10:10 left, Bianchi rocketed a 20-yard one-timer off a loose-ball scramble inches wide right.
Hustling to join a push two minutes later, Bianchi took a pass back from Marshall and lined a left side 25-yarder that Morton goalkeeper Gonzalez blocked high at the left post.
Off a 55-yard Lorden free kick with 7:30 left, Gonzalez made the catch save on a Kaplan header redirect.
Then with under three minutes left, a Loos midfield interception and passes by Kaplan and Rios led to Marshall being fouled up-top.
Bianchi made a seemingly difficult 35-yard free kick look easy, perfectly placing it above Gonzalez’s reach and under the crossbar to tie the game 1-1.
“We were a little nervous and frazzled you could say,” Bianchi said, “but I was able to calm myself down (on the free kick) and able to focus.
“I think that’s one of my specialties, to be able to have a powerful shot from far away.”
Bylsma can vouch for that.
“I’ve known her since she was 10 years old coming to camps, and she’s always had that big left foot,” he said. “When I found out she was coming to Jones I was happy, because I knew what she can do. She plays hard.
“I had a feeling we’d score,” Bylsma added. “We were pressuring and had some close calls near the line that we just didn’t put away.”
The 1-1 tie reignited Morton for a great last-minute push.
A Carranza steal set up a Moreno 1-v.-1 chance with 40 seconds left, which Bruce denied with a blocked shot 25-yards out.
Then with 10 seconds left, another Moreno right side 20-yard shot was thwarted by Barry’s short hop block at the right post.
“I thought we did well as a team today,” Bageanis said. “Everyone was all over the field.
“And I really thought our defense did well today. They (Jones) have been scoring against some good teams, and we held them pretty much until the end there when we gave up that free kick.”
More drama awaited in the PK session.
Barry made a diving save on the first Morton shooter as Jones led 2-1 after two shots. After just entering the game for the PK session, Morton goalkeeper Elena Budziszewskmade her own lunging save at the post as the teams were even 3-3 with one shooter to go.
A shot just over the net by Jones’ fifth shooter set up a Morton PK to win, but the attempt clanged off the right post, prompting the need for a sixth shooter.
Jones defender Bruce delivered into the lower right corner for a 4-3 Eagles lead. And when Morton’s bid to answer caromed off the crossbar, Jones had a comeback win to celebrate.
“We got lucky it went off the post and the crossbar,” Barry said. “A little too close for comfort.
“But PK’s are a big thing that Derek is about. We practice them a lot, and I feel like it’s one of my strong suits, that I’m calm under pressure. I made a couple good saves, but they slotted some home really well.
“I feel like it can go either way. We were lucky to come out (with the win).”
But with four-year varsity veteran Barry in net, Bylsma was confident his team’s first PK session of the season would end well.
“Devin is fantastic,” he said. “I felt great going into PKs with Devin, although I could tell the way they played that Morton had good penalty kickers.
“I was proud of the girls. They stepped up and made their shots, Devin stepped up. We got a little lucky with the post, but it takes a little luck.”
PK scorers for Jones were Loos, Kaplan, Lorden (a score Budziszewski got a hand on) and Bruce. Morton PK makes were by Medelin Loza, Nayelly Villalobos and Moreno.
“It’s kind of disappointing,” Carranza said of the narrow loss, “but I’m proud of the way we played. We just have to work more on those (PKs) under pressure.”
Jones’ big finish and win could produce long-term benefits.
“This is an important win for us, because they’re in our same sectional,” Bylsma said. “When the seeds come out it looks better for us to beat some of these teams, especially the suburban teams.
“I’m proud of the girls. I thought they worked hard, and I was really happy with the second half. It’s hard to start the game poorly and then switch it on. You kind of play the way you play the whole game.”
With 27 wins combined in 2017 and 2018, Jones is starting to feel very good about 2019 too.
“Our team is looking really good,” Barry said. “We’ve bonded well. We’re really playing cohesively, and I think it’s only going to grow as the season progresses. I think we’re going to have a really successful year this year.”
Said Bianchi: “I think we’re doing great. I think this is one of our best seasons. And the more we play, the more we’re getting more connected as a team and playing even better.
“We’re starting to bring the level of intensity that we want to meet. It’s a little hard always meeting that level of intensity -- in the first half it was a little shaky. But we were able to work through it.”
Starting lineups
Jones
GK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Audrey Bruce
D: Olivia Rodriguez
D: Izzy Kamba
M: Natalie Loos
M: Laura Rios
M: Elena Eisenberg
M: Shayna Ellis
F: Sophia Jennerjahn
F: Avery Kaplan
Morton
GK: Dayanna Gonzalez
D: Esperanza Aranda
D: Julissa Solano
D: Joanna Solano
D: Nayelly Villalobos
M: Medelin Loza
M: Jessica Franco
M: Melanie Carranza
M: Mayte Gongora
F: Lorena Jaimes
F: Adriana Moreno
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Martina Bianchi, jr., MF, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
M- Melanie Carranza (Jessica Franco), 12:00
Second half
J- Martina Bianchi (free kick), 77:44
PKs
J (4)- Natalie Loos, Avery Kaplan, Catherine Lorden, Audrey Bruce
M (3)- Medelin Loza, Nayelly Villalobos, Adriana Moreno