Jones overcomes loss, subdues Solorio
Bianchi 1st half goal holds up, GK Barry stars in shutout win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- It was hard to differentiate which hurt more, the lower leg injury suffered by the gifted young Jones midfielder Parker Ellis or seeing her team experience a wrenching 5-4 shootout loss against Young on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Chicago Public League tournament.
Two days later, a bitter aftertaste remained.
“We put in all of our effort, and I think for most of us, we already thought we had it in the bag, and we were going to be playing Lane for the city title,” junior midfielder Martina Bianchi said.
Jones had to recover emotionally and physically and find a way in the third place game against a rising, young Solorio team that went through a different psychological register, a 7-0 semifinal loss against Lane, which holds the highest rank of any city team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 at 11.
“It was mentally tough to get excited for this game after Tuesday,” Solorio coach Greta Kringle said. “So I was really pleased to see how we played and responded today. We were able to get over the loss and show up and remember just how good we are.”
Bianchi continued to show how good her versatility as a creator and finisher is by smashing home a ball off a corner in the 21st minute that propelled the no. 24 Eagles past Solorio 1-0 in the third place game of the city tournament Thursday at UIC.
Sophomore midfielder Laura Rios, the corner specialist, served the ball. Bianchi is a physical player with unusual grace and power. She finished for her team-best 15th goal of the year.
Jones (17-6-0) set a new school record for single-season victories. Star keeper Devin Barry secured the victory with three spectacular saves in the second half that repelled a strong performance by the Sun Warriors.
Solorio midfielder Yadira Ortiz nearly forced another shootout with her wind-directed blast from about 28 yards in the closing seconds that took an unexpected angle and nearly eluded the grasp of Barry.
She made a game-saving touch with four seconds remaining that sealed the victory.
“The last couple of games my keeper coach has been telling me to watch my line, and if they a shot from distance be careful not to come too far out,” Barry said. “It seems like every single game this year has been so windy. Today I wanted to be cautious, especially with the clock winding down.”
Barry made two highlight-reel saves off Sun Warriors’ star sophomore Giovanna Martinez, who scored two goals in Solorio’s 3-2 upset over the Eagles during the Premier Division regular season.
The skilled forward, who has a team-best 27 goals, drilled a rocket ball from about 17 yards in the right wing that Barry deflected with her right hand off the near post. Barry also made a leaping stop of a drive to her left in the 61st minute that stopped another strong ball by Martinez.
“The goalie was really good, and she saved some of our best shots,” Martinez said. “I gave it my best out there. However the rest of my team was down, I looked to pick them up by scoring goals. I wanted to play with some aggressiveness and not hold back.”
Despite the loss, Solorio (15-7-0) proved this is a program to watch, especially in the city. Kringle is gifted and ambitious and clearly she has a rapport with her young team.
The regular-season victory over Jones, just after the team returned from spring break, was the turning point. A deeper realization came with it. “That was the moment where we saw we were fully capable of doing something special,” Kringle said.
Barry earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her superb play. The game marked her final city game over her superb four-year starting career. Her play has overlapped with the rise of the Eagles as a Public League contender. As a sophomore two years ago, she started on the Eagles’ team that played in the city championship.
She shared praise for her opponents.
"Their two forwards [Martinez and sophomore Esmeralda Diaz] were really good,” Barry said. “They were very dangerous, and I was really impressed with them. They came out and had a lot of good scoring opportunities. They are dangerous up-top.
“I think this game just goes to show how well we came back after the loss on Tuesday, with the tired legs and keeping them at bay.”
Jones also survived despite losing senior standout Avery Kaplan early in the first half with a quad injury. Her absence deprived the Eagles of a key offensive threat and a player who unlocks the attack through her combination play with standout sophomore Carmen Marshall and Bianchi in the middle.
“Not having Avery hurt, and caused us to play a little differently,” Jones coach Derek Bylsma said. “We could not find Carmen, who has been playing really excellent lately. What happened Tuesday was such a big letdown, and we really wanted to be playing in the title game.
“But we also had added incentive, because we lost to them in the regular season. Solorio has been hot, and they have a dangerous team that really came together at the end of the year. If you don’t get them early, they get energy from that. The longer they stay in the game they get energized. I like how they play. They are a very well-coached team.”
Marshall has been lights out in her breakthrough year. Her speed is next level. On Tuesday, Young coach Ross LaBauex kept exhorting his team to tackle her. She scored the Eagles’ goal in regulation. It turned out to be easier said than done.
Bianchi, a physical and heady presence in her own right, balances well with her speed and quickness. “Because she is so fast, Carmen is a target,” Bianchi said. “I think I am able to put good, slotted balls out there for her and she is able to run on. I have a pretty good idea of where I want the ball to go and how she takes advantage.”
If Bylsma thought the Eagles were sluggish offensively, they made the play when they absolutely needed it. On a little bit of a melancholy day, that was enough.
“At the end of the day we figured out a way to win the game,” Bylsma said. “To me that is the mark of a good team when you cannot play your best and you can still win.”
Starting lineups
Solorio
GK: Lizbeth Barajas
D: Damaris Castaneda
D: Vanessa Guillen
D: Yulexi Diaz
D: Gabriella Guillen
MF: Sofia Aguilera
MF: Laura Saucedo
MF: Yadira Ortiz
MF: Azury Sanchez
F: Esmeralda Diaz
F: Giovanna Martinez
Jones
DK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Natalie Loos
D: Izzy Kamba
D: Olivia Rodriguez
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Audrey Bruce
MF: Sophie Jennerjahn
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Devin Barry, sr., GK, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Martina Bianchi (Laura Rios), 21st minute
Second half
No scoring
Bianchi 1st half goal holds up, GK Barry stars in shutout win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- It was hard to differentiate which hurt more, the lower leg injury suffered by the gifted young Jones midfielder Parker Ellis or seeing her team experience a wrenching 5-4 shootout loss against Young on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Chicago Public League tournament.
Two days later, a bitter aftertaste remained.
“We put in all of our effort, and I think for most of us, we already thought we had it in the bag, and we were going to be playing Lane for the city title,” junior midfielder Martina Bianchi said.
Jones had to recover emotionally and physically and find a way in the third place game against a rising, young Solorio team that went through a different psychological register, a 7-0 semifinal loss against Lane, which holds the highest rank of any city team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 at 11.
“It was mentally tough to get excited for this game after Tuesday,” Solorio coach Greta Kringle said. “So I was really pleased to see how we played and responded today. We were able to get over the loss and show up and remember just how good we are.”
Bianchi continued to show how good her versatility as a creator and finisher is by smashing home a ball off a corner in the 21st minute that propelled the no. 24 Eagles past Solorio 1-0 in the third place game of the city tournament Thursday at UIC.
Sophomore midfielder Laura Rios, the corner specialist, served the ball. Bianchi is a physical player with unusual grace and power. She finished for her team-best 15th goal of the year.
Jones (17-6-0) set a new school record for single-season victories. Star keeper Devin Barry secured the victory with three spectacular saves in the second half that repelled a strong performance by the Sun Warriors.
Solorio midfielder Yadira Ortiz nearly forced another shootout with her wind-directed blast from about 28 yards in the closing seconds that took an unexpected angle and nearly eluded the grasp of Barry.
She made a game-saving touch with four seconds remaining that sealed the victory.
“The last couple of games my keeper coach has been telling me to watch my line, and if they a shot from distance be careful not to come too far out,” Barry said. “It seems like every single game this year has been so windy. Today I wanted to be cautious, especially with the clock winding down.”
Barry made two highlight-reel saves off Sun Warriors’ star sophomore Giovanna Martinez, who scored two goals in Solorio’s 3-2 upset over the Eagles during the Premier Division regular season.
The skilled forward, who has a team-best 27 goals, drilled a rocket ball from about 17 yards in the right wing that Barry deflected with her right hand off the near post. Barry also made a leaping stop of a drive to her left in the 61st minute that stopped another strong ball by Martinez.
“The goalie was really good, and she saved some of our best shots,” Martinez said. “I gave it my best out there. However the rest of my team was down, I looked to pick them up by scoring goals. I wanted to play with some aggressiveness and not hold back.”
Despite the loss, Solorio (15-7-0) proved this is a program to watch, especially in the city. Kringle is gifted and ambitious and clearly she has a rapport with her young team.
The regular-season victory over Jones, just after the team returned from spring break, was the turning point. A deeper realization came with it. “That was the moment where we saw we were fully capable of doing something special,” Kringle said.
Barry earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her superb play. The game marked her final city game over her superb four-year starting career. Her play has overlapped with the rise of the Eagles as a Public League contender. As a sophomore two years ago, she started on the Eagles’ team that played in the city championship.
She shared praise for her opponents.
"Their two forwards [Martinez and sophomore Esmeralda Diaz] were really good,” Barry said. “They were very dangerous, and I was really impressed with them. They came out and had a lot of good scoring opportunities. They are dangerous up-top.
“I think this game just goes to show how well we came back after the loss on Tuesday, with the tired legs and keeping them at bay.”
Jones also survived despite losing senior standout Avery Kaplan early in the first half with a quad injury. Her absence deprived the Eagles of a key offensive threat and a player who unlocks the attack through her combination play with standout sophomore Carmen Marshall and Bianchi in the middle.
“Not having Avery hurt, and caused us to play a little differently,” Jones coach Derek Bylsma said. “We could not find Carmen, who has been playing really excellent lately. What happened Tuesday was such a big letdown, and we really wanted to be playing in the title game.
“But we also had added incentive, because we lost to them in the regular season. Solorio has been hot, and they have a dangerous team that really came together at the end of the year. If you don’t get them early, they get energy from that. The longer they stay in the game they get energized. I like how they play. They are a very well-coached team.”
Marshall has been lights out in her breakthrough year. Her speed is next level. On Tuesday, Young coach Ross LaBauex kept exhorting his team to tackle her. She scored the Eagles’ goal in regulation. It turned out to be easier said than done.
Bianchi, a physical and heady presence in her own right, balances well with her speed and quickness. “Because she is so fast, Carmen is a target,” Bianchi said. “I think I am able to put good, slotted balls out there for her and she is able to run on. I have a pretty good idea of where I want the ball to go and how she takes advantage.”
If Bylsma thought the Eagles were sluggish offensively, they made the play when they absolutely needed it. On a little bit of a melancholy day, that was enough.
“At the end of the day we figured out a way to win the game,” Bylsma said. “To me that is the mark of a good team when you cannot play your best and you can still win.”
Starting lineups
Solorio
GK: Lizbeth Barajas
D: Damaris Castaneda
D: Vanessa Guillen
D: Yulexi Diaz
D: Gabriella Guillen
MF: Sofia Aguilera
MF: Laura Saucedo
MF: Yadira Ortiz
MF: Azury Sanchez
F: Esmeralda Diaz
F: Giovanna Martinez
Jones
DK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Natalie Loos
D: Izzy Kamba
D: Olivia Rodriguez
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Audrey Bruce
MF: Sophie Jennerjahn
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Devin Barry, sr., GK, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Martina Bianchi (Laura Rios), 21st minute
Second half
No scoring