Lemont seeks to even history, tops Marist
Indians roll to 5-1 win, Ruane scores 4 in quest for state title
By Bill Stone
LEMONT -- Most girls soccer programs would be envious of Lemont’s postseason streak.
But for the Indians, especially seniors like all-stater Mairead Ruane, it has become somewhat of an issue.
Lemont has earned five trips to the Class AA state semifinals in the last 10 years, but all of them have come in odd years -- second in 2009, third in 2011 and fourth in 2013, 2015 and last season -- and not ended with a title. Could this be the year the coveted state title trophy returns home with the Indians?
The way the home team took charge early Tuesday for a 5-1 victory over Marist in the sectional semifinals on the school pitch, history might be prepared to start evening out.
“After last year and the year before we just really want to prove everyone wrong,” Ruane said. “We just want to end (the title drought and odd-year streak). We want to be the team to just go all of the way. We have the players; we have the team. I think we can do it.”
The 10th-ranked team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and no. 1 sectional seed, Lemont (22-1-0) advanced to Friday’s 4 p.m. final at the Lemont Sports Complex against no. 2-seed Providence (13-9-2), a 7-1 winner over no. 3-seed Oak Forest (15-7-1) Tuesday.
The winner will advance to the Notre Dame (Peoria) Supersectional at 7 p.m. May 29 against top-seeded Notre Dame (Peoria) or second-seeded Dunlap.
Ruane scored Tuesday’s first four goals. The scoring spree started with an electrifying one-timer just 1:45 into action after a pass to the left-wing and a run and cross from the combo of sophomore Erin Crispo and senior Jacqueline Aleman. Ruane’s second and third came on penalty kicks after handballs and her fourth on a bending corner kick.
Freshman call-up Sydney Lumsden scored on a 30-yard blast with 9:50 remaining.
Marist freshman Cece Light converted a penalty kick for the no. 4-seeded RedHawks (14-11-2) with 5:14 to go after a foul on junior Anne Callaghan’s free kick into the crease.
Lemont has won eight straight since its only loss, a 2-1 decision April 28 to Class A power Columbia, which ranked on top of the Chicagoland Soccer's final regular season Illinois 10 poll.
“The last five odd years we’ve gone to state and the even years we’ve fallen short every time. We’re trying to get that monkey off our back and for our senior class,” Lemont coach Rick Prangen said. “Six of those eight (seniors) have been with me since freshman year so it’s kind of a special group for me.”
While losing just one starter to graduation in 2017, Lemont also has supplemented its talent pool with newcomers like Crispo, who was named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match for her high energy that set the tone in Lemont's favor from the opening whistle.
Quickly dribbling along left wing, the forward delivered a perfect cross to Ruane, who under defensive pressure re-directed a one-timer into the right corner of the net.
“That (cross) was great. And Mairead just flicked it on wonderfully,” Prangen said. “You talk about converting your first chance of the game and if you can do that, you can really put another team under pressure. Mairead’s an all-state player and in a game like that you need your best players to step up.”
“(Scoring early) was awesome. That just got everyone going. That just got so much energy into us,” Ruane said. “It means nothing if it’s not a good service so props to Erin.”
Crispo has made a big impact after having to watch Lemont’s success from the sidelines in 2017 with ACL and growth plate injuries in her right knee.
“I’m doing good. It’s completely healed. Occasionally it gets sore, but I’m pushing through it,” Crispo said. “It’s awesome to be with them (playing). And especially to be a part of it because last year they went so far. I’m so excited to be a part of it this year, because it’s a great experience.”
Crispo had her knee was wrapped in an ice bag afterwards, but opponents would agree she looks backs to full strength.
“She would have been with us (on varsity) last year. We could have used her,” Prangen said. “We weren’t a very fast team last year. We had all of the components but a bit of pace, and that’s what she gives us, that speed up-top. And she’s a good kid. She works hard. She’s coachable. What more do you want?”
After Lemont junior Michaela Egan shook the crossbar a minute later, junior forward Katie Knutte, another varsity newcomer, created Lemont’s second goal.
Working down right wing, Knutte’s cross unintentionally struck a Marist defender’s arm against her body and a penalty shot was ruled.
Only 6:34 into play, the RedHawks trailed 2-0.
“We talk about that on a daily basis about starting quick," said Marist coach Chris Roe. "It was one of our Achilles heels all year. You’re climbing the mountain. It was rough. I understand the PK, the second goal, but it was questionable in my opinion. It’s a knee-jerk reaction.”
Lemont’s strong defense added height to the peak. Starting Lemont senior goalie Michelle Jerantowski only made three saves, but her point-blank stop of Light’s turn and blast in the 37th minute off a pass by senior Alessa Corcoran kept the lead at two.
“We would have been back in the game (at 2-1) and momentum on our side,” Roe said. “I can’t take anything away from them. They’re a solid team. Against solid teams you can’t make mistakes, and we gave up the ball way too much unforced. That ultimately, I think, killed us.”
Ruane made the score 3-0 on her second penalty kick conversion with 35:18 to go.
Things certainly would have been worse if not for the inspired effort by Marist goalie Cassie Eraci, who earned co-MVP of the Match honors. The senior thwarted numerous shooters and also broke up or smothered countless crosses and other crease balls and endured nine corner kicks.
“She probably made 10-12 solid plays,” Roe said.
“There were a lot of kicks, a lot of fast rebounds. I had to be ready for anything,” Eraci said. “I had kind of a lot bouncing off my hands and then back to them. I had to be ready to get it again.”
Eraci basically stopped everything she reasonably could. Even Ruane’s fourth goal was a high, bending corner kick that a Marist defender headed into the net.
Eraci especially was tough at the outset of the second half, withstanding six shots before Ruane’s second penalty kick.
“I think it was the fact that it was 2-0. We could still come back and take a win,” Eraci said. “We lost to Lemont last year in the sectional final so I just really wanted it right there. Everyone really wanted it. I didn’t want to let anything else in. I wanted to give our offense a chance.”
With reserves in action, Lemont allowed only its ninth goal this season to go with 18 shutouts. It’s a veteran group with Jerantowski, a Division I Jacksonville (Fla.) recruit, and the defensive core of seniors Sarah Knoepfle and Leti Salazar and junior Katrina Retzke.
“I think we work well together and cover each other good and just know how each other plays,” Knoepfle said.
“We knew they (Marist) were going to come out strong because two years ago they beat us. We came out and beat them (last year), so we knew they were going to come out wanting to get revenge. We ... played up to that.”
Marist also entered Tuesday with four-straight wins, and triumphs in seven of its last eight games. That included three shutouts, and the RedHawks allowed more than one goal only twice.
Roe felt that the RedHawks’ disappointing 3-2 loss to DePaul for the title of a PepsiCo Showdown bracket April 22 was indication that the turnaround was coming.
“We just had a lot of young skill, which was really good,” said Eraci, who will attend the University of Arizona. “We definitely had a lot of talent. It was a lot of individual talent, and then it took a little while for us to come together and put that individual talent into a team talent and figure out how to work together.”
“In the beginning of the season we didn’t have a set lineup,” added Marist senior defender Michelle Lenz, who is considering club soccer at Texas A&M.
“We were moving people around and by the end we worked out all of the problems. We were just playing up to our fullest potential.
“I think one of the big factors was finally getting a lineup that works. Almost every game, every half was a different lineup and that’s just hard to get used to. We had enough practice together, we knew where people were moving (on the field). Also we just got along really well. We looked out for each other, we were like a family and that translated into games.”
Starting lineups
Marist
GK Cassie Eraci
D Michelle Lenz
D Sofia Perez
D Alexis O’Brien
D Katherine Pappas
M Cece Light
M Lindsey Richter
M Anne Callaghan
M Ciara Bridges
F Alessa Corcoran
F Amanda Rizzo
Lemont
GK Michelle Jerantowski
D Katrina Retzke
D Leti Salazar
D Sarah Knoepfle
M Adriana Patino
M Mairead Ruane
M Danielle Irwin
M Michaela Egan
M Jacqueline Aleman
F Erin Crispo
F Katie Knutte
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match – Erin Crispo, so., F, Lemont
Cassie Eraci, sr., GK, Marist
Scoring summary
Marist 0 1 – 1
Lemont 2 3 – 5
First half
Lemont: Mairead Ruane (Erin Crispo) 1:45
Lemont: Mairead Ruane (PK) 6:34
Second half
Lemont: Mairead Ruane (PK) 44:42
Lemont: Mairead Ruane 59:15
Lemont: Sydney Lumsden 70:10
Marist: Cece Light (PK) 74:46
Goalies (saves)
Marist: Cassie Eraci (5)
Lemont: Michelle Jerantowski (3), Grace Kucharski (0)
Shots (on goal)
Marist: 8 ( 4)
Lemont: 19 (11)
Corner kicks
Marist: 1
Lemont: 9
Indians roll to 5-1 win, Ruane scores 4 in quest for state title
By Bill Stone
LEMONT -- Most girls soccer programs would be envious of Lemont’s postseason streak.
But for the Indians, especially seniors like all-stater Mairead Ruane, it has become somewhat of an issue.
Lemont has earned five trips to the Class AA state semifinals in the last 10 years, but all of them have come in odd years -- second in 2009, third in 2011 and fourth in 2013, 2015 and last season -- and not ended with a title. Could this be the year the coveted state title trophy returns home with the Indians?
The way the home team took charge early Tuesday for a 5-1 victory over Marist in the sectional semifinals on the school pitch, history might be prepared to start evening out.
“After last year and the year before we just really want to prove everyone wrong,” Ruane said. “We just want to end (the title drought and odd-year streak). We want to be the team to just go all of the way. We have the players; we have the team. I think we can do it.”
The 10th-ranked team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and no. 1 sectional seed, Lemont (22-1-0) advanced to Friday’s 4 p.m. final at the Lemont Sports Complex against no. 2-seed Providence (13-9-2), a 7-1 winner over no. 3-seed Oak Forest (15-7-1) Tuesday.
The winner will advance to the Notre Dame (Peoria) Supersectional at 7 p.m. May 29 against top-seeded Notre Dame (Peoria) or second-seeded Dunlap.
Ruane scored Tuesday’s first four goals. The scoring spree started with an electrifying one-timer just 1:45 into action after a pass to the left-wing and a run and cross from the combo of sophomore Erin Crispo and senior Jacqueline Aleman. Ruane’s second and third came on penalty kicks after handballs and her fourth on a bending corner kick.
Freshman call-up Sydney Lumsden scored on a 30-yard blast with 9:50 remaining.
Marist freshman Cece Light converted a penalty kick for the no. 4-seeded RedHawks (14-11-2) with 5:14 to go after a foul on junior Anne Callaghan’s free kick into the crease.
Lemont has won eight straight since its only loss, a 2-1 decision April 28 to Class A power Columbia, which ranked on top of the Chicagoland Soccer's final regular season Illinois 10 poll.
“The last five odd years we’ve gone to state and the even years we’ve fallen short every time. We’re trying to get that monkey off our back and for our senior class,” Lemont coach Rick Prangen said. “Six of those eight (seniors) have been with me since freshman year so it’s kind of a special group for me.”
While losing just one starter to graduation in 2017, Lemont also has supplemented its talent pool with newcomers like Crispo, who was named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match for her high energy that set the tone in Lemont's favor from the opening whistle.
Quickly dribbling along left wing, the forward delivered a perfect cross to Ruane, who under defensive pressure re-directed a one-timer into the right corner of the net.
“That (cross) was great. And Mairead just flicked it on wonderfully,” Prangen said. “You talk about converting your first chance of the game and if you can do that, you can really put another team under pressure. Mairead’s an all-state player and in a game like that you need your best players to step up.”
“(Scoring early) was awesome. That just got everyone going. That just got so much energy into us,” Ruane said. “It means nothing if it’s not a good service so props to Erin.”
Crispo has made a big impact after having to watch Lemont’s success from the sidelines in 2017 with ACL and growth plate injuries in her right knee.
“I’m doing good. It’s completely healed. Occasionally it gets sore, but I’m pushing through it,” Crispo said. “It’s awesome to be with them (playing). And especially to be a part of it because last year they went so far. I’m so excited to be a part of it this year, because it’s a great experience.”
Crispo had her knee was wrapped in an ice bag afterwards, but opponents would agree she looks backs to full strength.
“She would have been with us (on varsity) last year. We could have used her,” Prangen said. “We weren’t a very fast team last year. We had all of the components but a bit of pace, and that’s what she gives us, that speed up-top. And she’s a good kid. She works hard. She’s coachable. What more do you want?”
After Lemont junior Michaela Egan shook the crossbar a minute later, junior forward Katie Knutte, another varsity newcomer, created Lemont’s second goal.
Working down right wing, Knutte’s cross unintentionally struck a Marist defender’s arm against her body and a penalty shot was ruled.
Only 6:34 into play, the RedHawks trailed 2-0.
“We talk about that on a daily basis about starting quick," said Marist coach Chris Roe. "It was one of our Achilles heels all year. You’re climbing the mountain. It was rough. I understand the PK, the second goal, but it was questionable in my opinion. It’s a knee-jerk reaction.”
Lemont’s strong defense added height to the peak. Starting Lemont senior goalie Michelle Jerantowski only made three saves, but her point-blank stop of Light’s turn and blast in the 37th minute off a pass by senior Alessa Corcoran kept the lead at two.
“We would have been back in the game (at 2-1) and momentum on our side,” Roe said. “I can’t take anything away from them. They’re a solid team. Against solid teams you can’t make mistakes, and we gave up the ball way too much unforced. That ultimately, I think, killed us.”
Ruane made the score 3-0 on her second penalty kick conversion with 35:18 to go.
Things certainly would have been worse if not for the inspired effort by Marist goalie Cassie Eraci, who earned co-MVP of the Match honors. The senior thwarted numerous shooters and also broke up or smothered countless crosses and other crease balls and endured nine corner kicks.
“She probably made 10-12 solid plays,” Roe said.
“There were a lot of kicks, a lot of fast rebounds. I had to be ready for anything,” Eraci said. “I had kind of a lot bouncing off my hands and then back to them. I had to be ready to get it again.”
Eraci basically stopped everything she reasonably could. Even Ruane’s fourth goal was a high, bending corner kick that a Marist defender headed into the net.
Eraci especially was tough at the outset of the second half, withstanding six shots before Ruane’s second penalty kick.
“I think it was the fact that it was 2-0. We could still come back and take a win,” Eraci said. “We lost to Lemont last year in the sectional final so I just really wanted it right there. Everyone really wanted it. I didn’t want to let anything else in. I wanted to give our offense a chance.”
With reserves in action, Lemont allowed only its ninth goal this season to go with 18 shutouts. It’s a veteran group with Jerantowski, a Division I Jacksonville (Fla.) recruit, and the defensive core of seniors Sarah Knoepfle and Leti Salazar and junior Katrina Retzke.
“I think we work well together and cover each other good and just know how each other plays,” Knoepfle said.
“We knew they (Marist) were going to come out strong because two years ago they beat us. We came out and beat them (last year), so we knew they were going to come out wanting to get revenge. We ... played up to that.”
Marist also entered Tuesday with four-straight wins, and triumphs in seven of its last eight games. That included three shutouts, and the RedHawks allowed more than one goal only twice.
Roe felt that the RedHawks’ disappointing 3-2 loss to DePaul for the title of a PepsiCo Showdown bracket April 22 was indication that the turnaround was coming.
“We just had a lot of young skill, which was really good,” said Eraci, who will attend the University of Arizona. “We definitely had a lot of talent. It was a lot of individual talent, and then it took a little while for us to come together and put that individual talent into a team talent and figure out how to work together.”
“In the beginning of the season we didn’t have a set lineup,” added Marist senior defender Michelle Lenz, who is considering club soccer at Texas A&M.
“We were moving people around and by the end we worked out all of the problems. We were just playing up to our fullest potential.
“I think one of the big factors was finally getting a lineup that works. Almost every game, every half was a different lineup and that’s just hard to get used to. We had enough practice together, we knew where people were moving (on the field). Also we just got along really well. We looked out for each other, we were like a family and that translated into games.”
Starting lineups
Marist
GK Cassie Eraci
D Michelle Lenz
D Sofia Perez
D Alexis O’Brien
D Katherine Pappas
M Cece Light
M Lindsey Richter
M Anne Callaghan
M Ciara Bridges
F Alessa Corcoran
F Amanda Rizzo
Lemont
GK Michelle Jerantowski
D Katrina Retzke
D Leti Salazar
D Sarah Knoepfle
M Adriana Patino
M Mairead Ruane
M Danielle Irwin
M Michaela Egan
M Jacqueline Aleman
F Erin Crispo
F Katie Knutte
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match – Erin Crispo, so., F, Lemont
Cassie Eraci, sr., GK, Marist
Scoring summary
Marist 0 1 – 1
Lemont 2 3 – 5
First half
Lemont: Mairead Ruane (Erin Crispo) 1:45
Lemont: Mairead Ruane (PK) 6:34
Second half
Lemont: Mairead Ruane (PK) 44:42
Lemont: Mairead Ruane 59:15
Lemont: Sydney Lumsden 70:10
Marist: Cece Light (PK) 74:46
Goalies (saves)
Marist: Cassie Eraci (5)
Lemont: Michelle Jerantowski (3), Grace Kucharski (0)
Shots (on goal)
Marist: 8 ( 4)
Lemont: 19 (11)
Corner kicks
Marist: 1
Lemont: 9