West Aurora’s Kuhn, Diaz author 'bittersweet' win over Joliet West
Kuhn scores twice in 3-1 regular-season finale
By Patrick Z. McGavin
AURORA -- The moment Lizzy Kuhn and Krystal Diaz arrived at West Aurora four years ago was colored by dual and conflicting emotions.
Everything felt pure and possible, and also a little bit intimidating. They were new, and everything felt fresh, exciting and a little formidable.
“When I came here, I was scared, and I was the underdog,” Diaz said. “Now I’m leaving, and it’s sad that I’m seeing all of the incoming freshmen.
“I’m not going to be playing with them again.”
Kuhn entered the program as a defensive-oriented stopper. Her range and agility were eye-catching. During her four years, she played every position on the field: keeper, stopper, midfielder and striker.
“Today I definitely thought of the value of teammates,” Kuhn said. “Playing with a fun team makes the game better in itself. What this season taught me is how to play with different strategies when you’re not the more talented team, and just working hard.”
Kuhn and Diaz were two of the six Blackhawks’ seniors honored before the game.
Then the two turned their final home game into a touching tribute and a beautiful summary of their time together.
Kuhn scored two goals, Diaz assisted her second, in the Blackhawks’ 3-1 victory over Joliet West in Southwest Prairie Conference play Wednesday.
West Aurora (7-11-1, 4-7-0) closed out its regular-season on a high note. The emotional coloring was melancholy and pensive for the seniors.
“It is definitively bittersweet that we won our last game,”Kuhn said. “We wanted Krystal to get a goal. She tried her best. We played hard, and we played well.
“You can’t be sad after that fun of a season.”
In scoring her 23rd and 24th goals of the season, Lizzy Kuhn earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
Suddenly the opportunity to reflect arrived.
“Emotionally, it was hard to play this game, just knowing this was my last time playing at home with these girls,” Diaz said. “Lizzy and I have been talking about this day since our freshmen year, and now it’s here.
“Last season, I didn’t really play that much, so today was my first and last full season with this new set of girls. The season went so fast. It’s our last day together.”
In a results-driven sport, success and happiness are naturally linked.
The camaraderie, connections and friendships bypassed or certainly upended the rote expectations.
“I couldn’t care less what my record is,” West Aurora coach Laura Wagley said. “As long as we play hard for 80 minutes, and we’re having fun doing it, the rest will come for us.
“What I’m going to remember about these seniors is just what fun girls they are to be around: hard workers and great soccer players. Just like a breath of fresh air of how fun our program is.”
At 5-foot-9, Kuhn played guard on the basketball team. She often willingly sacrificed her body to guard bigger players in the post.
In soccer, she utilizes her frame, savvy and speed to terrific effect. Having played all over the field, Kuhn has an intuitive command and understanding of every aspect.
She understands how different players react and think on the field. That makes her all the more dangerous to defend.
Kuhn is a blur in space, and Diaz and midfielder Bella Vargas know when and how to look for her.
In the 17th minute, Kuhn created the conditions for her first goal. Her smash that deflected off a Tigers’ defender created the corner opportunity.
Operating from the right edge, Vargas played a terrific ball that Kuhn ran on for the header goal from two yards.
“It has happened a couple of times where Bella just finds my head every time,” Kuhn said. “I never get my head down.
“I have been working on getting it down. We looked at each other right before, and she just played it to me in a perfect spot, and I’m glad I got her an assist.”
Kuhn also played off teammate Alphoncine Tuyisenge at the top of the formation, creating open lanes to run off and getting free for her shots from distance.
Diaz and Vargas were the facilitators working the middle.
“I’m glad that Lizzy got a couple of goals,” Vargas said. “I’m glad for the seniors who got a lot of playing time, and had a lot of opportunities in their last game.
“I’m glad we came out with the win. We definitely tried our hardest. We spent a lot of effort to get another one in. What helped a lot today was just the level of communication with our girls. We just went hard and tried to win every 50/50 ball.”
Diaz and Kuhn combined just before halftime for the crucial second goal.
Diaz operated in the middle and found Kuhn with the necessary space and line on the goal. Kuhn hammered home a sidewinder from about 14 yards inside the near post in the 39th minute.
“Since we have been friends for so long, and we have been playing together for so long, I feel like we have this really good chemistry,” Diaz said.
“Today we were just playing the ball really well in the middle.”
Joliet West (9-12-2, 2-8-1) had intermittent periods of possession, and had some dangerous moments from freshman midfielder Miley Aguierre in the first half.
Forward Kennedi Hosey found a crease in the Blackhawks’ interior, and finished from the top of the box in the 52nd minute for the Tigers’ goal.
“I think there was a sense of relief, and excitement, because we realized we were back in the game at that point, and just a goal away,” Hosey said.
“I think it’s kind of a breakdown that led to their goals. A lot of times we gave them opportunities out of our own mistakes. I think we really controlled the game a lot.”
West Aurora sophomore Emma Mathis restored the two-goal cushion in the 63rd minute, taking advantage of a mishandled ball that she delivered into an open net.
Senior keeper Cara Frielink had four saves for the Blackhawks.
Now the Blackhawks think about the next stage with the start of the Class 3A tournament beginning Tuesday.
As the no. 13-seed at the Naperville Central Sectional, the Blackhawks have the unenviable task of facing second-seeded Metea Valley in a regional semifinal.
“Our seniors have really good leadership, and hopefully our younger girls are paying attention to them,” Wagley said. “They’re always just happy, and we have to shift our focus now that we know that everything matters.
“We start fresh on Tuesday.”
Starting lineups
Joliet West
GK: Kaleigh Blatti
D: Makenzie Mertes
D: Joslyn Prosek
D: Allie Anderson
D: Taya Croom
MF: Abigail Vugteveen
MF: Asia Kocheva
MF: Yoselin Garcia
MF: Miley Aguierre
F: Kennedi Hosey
F: Jalyssa Villafuerte
West Aurora
GK: Cara Frielink
D: Anahi Carlos
D: Arely Lares
D: M.J. Ceron
D: Fatima Burciaga
MF: Arely Soto
MF: Bella Vargas
MF: Krystal Diaz
MF: Brenda Juarez
F: Lizzy Kuhn
F: Alphoncine Tuyisenge
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Lizzy Kuhn, sr., F, West Aurora
Scoring summary
First half
West Aurora—Lizzy Kuhn (Bella Vargas), 17’
West Aurora—Kuhn (Krystal Diaz), 39’
Second half
Joliet West—Kennedi Hosey (Victoria Thom), 52’
West Aurora—Emma Mathis (unassisted), 63’
Kuhn scores twice in 3-1 regular-season finale
By Patrick Z. McGavin
AURORA -- The moment Lizzy Kuhn and Krystal Diaz arrived at West Aurora four years ago was colored by dual and conflicting emotions.
Everything felt pure and possible, and also a little bit intimidating. They were new, and everything felt fresh, exciting and a little formidable.
“When I came here, I was scared, and I was the underdog,” Diaz said. “Now I’m leaving, and it’s sad that I’m seeing all of the incoming freshmen.
“I’m not going to be playing with them again.”
Kuhn entered the program as a defensive-oriented stopper. Her range and agility were eye-catching. During her four years, she played every position on the field: keeper, stopper, midfielder and striker.
“Today I definitely thought of the value of teammates,” Kuhn said. “Playing with a fun team makes the game better in itself. What this season taught me is how to play with different strategies when you’re not the more talented team, and just working hard.”
Kuhn and Diaz were two of the six Blackhawks’ seniors honored before the game.
Then the two turned their final home game into a touching tribute and a beautiful summary of their time together.
Kuhn scored two goals, Diaz assisted her second, in the Blackhawks’ 3-1 victory over Joliet West in Southwest Prairie Conference play Wednesday.
West Aurora (7-11-1, 4-7-0) closed out its regular-season on a high note. The emotional coloring was melancholy and pensive for the seniors.
“It is definitively bittersweet that we won our last game,”Kuhn said. “We wanted Krystal to get a goal. She tried her best. We played hard, and we played well.
“You can’t be sad after that fun of a season.”
In scoring her 23rd and 24th goals of the season, Lizzy Kuhn earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
Suddenly the opportunity to reflect arrived.
“Emotionally, it was hard to play this game, just knowing this was my last time playing at home with these girls,” Diaz said. “Lizzy and I have been talking about this day since our freshmen year, and now it’s here.
“Last season, I didn’t really play that much, so today was my first and last full season with this new set of girls. The season went so fast. It’s our last day together.”
In a results-driven sport, success and happiness are naturally linked.
The camaraderie, connections and friendships bypassed or certainly upended the rote expectations.
“I couldn’t care less what my record is,” West Aurora coach Laura Wagley said. “As long as we play hard for 80 minutes, and we’re having fun doing it, the rest will come for us.
“What I’m going to remember about these seniors is just what fun girls they are to be around: hard workers and great soccer players. Just like a breath of fresh air of how fun our program is.”
At 5-foot-9, Kuhn played guard on the basketball team. She often willingly sacrificed her body to guard bigger players in the post.
In soccer, she utilizes her frame, savvy and speed to terrific effect. Having played all over the field, Kuhn has an intuitive command and understanding of every aspect.
She understands how different players react and think on the field. That makes her all the more dangerous to defend.
Kuhn is a blur in space, and Diaz and midfielder Bella Vargas know when and how to look for her.
In the 17th minute, Kuhn created the conditions for her first goal. Her smash that deflected off a Tigers’ defender created the corner opportunity.
Operating from the right edge, Vargas played a terrific ball that Kuhn ran on for the header goal from two yards.
“It has happened a couple of times where Bella just finds my head every time,” Kuhn said. “I never get my head down.
“I have been working on getting it down. We looked at each other right before, and she just played it to me in a perfect spot, and I’m glad I got her an assist.”
Kuhn also played off teammate Alphoncine Tuyisenge at the top of the formation, creating open lanes to run off and getting free for her shots from distance.
Diaz and Vargas were the facilitators working the middle.
“I’m glad that Lizzy got a couple of goals,” Vargas said. “I’m glad for the seniors who got a lot of playing time, and had a lot of opportunities in their last game.
“I’m glad we came out with the win. We definitely tried our hardest. We spent a lot of effort to get another one in. What helped a lot today was just the level of communication with our girls. We just went hard and tried to win every 50/50 ball.”
Diaz and Kuhn combined just before halftime for the crucial second goal.
Diaz operated in the middle and found Kuhn with the necessary space and line on the goal. Kuhn hammered home a sidewinder from about 14 yards inside the near post in the 39th minute.
“Since we have been friends for so long, and we have been playing together for so long, I feel like we have this really good chemistry,” Diaz said.
“Today we were just playing the ball really well in the middle.”
Joliet West (9-12-2, 2-8-1) had intermittent periods of possession, and had some dangerous moments from freshman midfielder Miley Aguierre in the first half.
Forward Kennedi Hosey found a crease in the Blackhawks’ interior, and finished from the top of the box in the 52nd minute for the Tigers’ goal.
“I think there was a sense of relief, and excitement, because we realized we were back in the game at that point, and just a goal away,” Hosey said.
“I think it’s kind of a breakdown that led to their goals. A lot of times we gave them opportunities out of our own mistakes. I think we really controlled the game a lot.”
West Aurora sophomore Emma Mathis restored the two-goal cushion in the 63rd minute, taking advantage of a mishandled ball that she delivered into an open net.
Senior keeper Cara Frielink had four saves for the Blackhawks.
Now the Blackhawks think about the next stage with the start of the Class 3A tournament beginning Tuesday.
As the no. 13-seed at the Naperville Central Sectional, the Blackhawks have the unenviable task of facing second-seeded Metea Valley in a regional semifinal.
“Our seniors have really good leadership, and hopefully our younger girls are paying attention to them,” Wagley said. “They’re always just happy, and we have to shift our focus now that we know that everything matters.
“We start fresh on Tuesday.”
Starting lineups
Joliet West
GK: Kaleigh Blatti
D: Makenzie Mertes
D: Joslyn Prosek
D: Allie Anderson
D: Taya Croom
MF: Abigail Vugteveen
MF: Asia Kocheva
MF: Yoselin Garcia
MF: Miley Aguierre
F: Kennedi Hosey
F: Jalyssa Villafuerte
West Aurora
GK: Cara Frielink
D: Anahi Carlos
D: Arely Lares
D: M.J. Ceron
D: Fatima Burciaga
MF: Arely Soto
MF: Bella Vargas
MF: Krystal Diaz
MF: Brenda Juarez
F: Lizzy Kuhn
F: Alphoncine Tuyisenge
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Lizzy Kuhn, sr., F, West Aurora
Scoring summary
First half
West Aurora—Lizzy Kuhn (Bella Vargas), 17’
West Aurora—Kuhn (Krystal Diaz), 39’
Second half
Joliet West—Kennedi Hosey (Victoria Thom), 52’
West Aurora—Emma Mathis (unassisted), 63’