1st half goals lead Loyola past Lake Forest
Pikarski's 2 helpers keep Loyola unbeaten in Malnati's group play
By Michael Wojtychiw
WILMETTE -- The late former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis once said, "You can't teach speed. Everything else in the game can be taught, but speed is a gift from God."
In the game of soccer, having speed is an asset if used properly. It's easy for a team to just kick the ball upfield and have a player or players chase the ball, showcasing their speed. But for the best teams, they're able to use that speed not only in a flat-out footrace, but also when possessing and using the middle of the field in order to move up and down the pitch.
Loyola, ranked 14th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, is arguably one of the fastest squads in the area. The Ramblers showcased that they're able to play quickly and under control in a 2-0 defeat of Lake Forest on Monday afternoon in Wilmette. The win moved Loyola to 2-0-0 in Group C of the Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Classic.
"We know what runs to make down the line, knowing that we can run onto the ball if we need to," Loyola's Ella Couri said. "I think it's just about recognizing that's how we play and using it to our advantage, whether it's down the middle or down the line."
"We stress possession," Loyola manager Shannon Hartinger said. "A lot of our exercises are possession-based, but also building quickly, playing quickly.
“There are times that we can utilize the breakaway speed, but I think what's most important for us is attacking as a team quickly. We're much better when we connect on the short passes, though, because it allows our players to run into the slots."
The Ramblers (8-2-1), who came off of a 3-0 win over Glenbrook South, were looking to continue their high-scoring ways when they took on the Scouts (2-5-0) on a beautiful day for a match.
After pressuring the Lake Forest goal and pushing deep into the Scouts' defensive zone, the Ramblers were finally able to capitalize when Couri knocked in a ball delivered by Emily Pikarski in the 15th minute that gave the hosts a 1-0 lead.
"We're really good with set pieces," Couri said. "It's all about seeing the ball and finishing chances when it's at your feet."
A little under 12 minutes later, Loyola's Grace Ehlert put a shot on goal that Lake Forest keeper Sarah Constantine was able to save, but her save also gave the Ramblers a corner opportunity as the ball sailed out of bounds.
Loyola, which has used a variety of different players to take successful set pieces, hit the jackpot again when Pikarski's service into the box found Ehlert's head and went into the net. The insurance goal gave the Ramblers the cushion they'd need to safeguard their hopes to advance to the semifinals.
While the Loyola offense was clicking, the defense did much of the same. The visitors were not allowed much opportunity to threaten offensively.
"It's really about staying intense and having the midfield organized so that they can't play balls through," Pattison said. "Staying tight is a key part of our defense as well."
"They're very fast, and it's hard to match that speed," Lake Forest manager Ty Stuckslager said. "As a collective group, they go to the ball well. When a team does that, it's hard to beat. Especially when you're not used to that, and you're half a step behind."
Putting the ball into the back of the net has been a struggle for the Scouts early in the season.
Lake Forest has only scored seven goals on the season, most of which came in the squad's second game of the year, a 5-0 win over Antioch. Four of its five losses have been shutouts, which now include back-to-back 2-0 Malnati’s losses at the feet of ranked Lyons and Loyola.
For the Scouts' manager it's been a struggle, but he knows better times will come.
"When we play schools that are closer to our size, we're able to compete more. We are going against schools that are bigger than us," Stuckslager said.
Lake Forest’s enrollment is 1,561. Loyola’s is 1,985, but using the IHSA multiplier balloons it to the equivalent of 3,275 students.
"However, this makes us better,” continued Stuckslager. “In the second half, we played a better game, generated some situations that put them under pressure. While we didn't have the quantity of chances they had, some of our chances were just as quality.”
Even with the loss Monday, Stuckslager is hopeful with some of the things he's seen from his squad.
"I liked to see the physicality extending into late in the second half," he said. "You go to the ball, you go to the ball strong. For those who go to the ball, good things come. Hopefully we learn from that."
After halftime, it seemed as if the Scouts regained some of their footing and confidence, pushing the ball downfield and putting more pressure onto the Loyola defense.
Stuckslager said that isn't the first time this year that his squad has played better in the second half of matches and joked that maybe his halftime speech should be broken out earlier.
"The messages have just been to play it simple, go attack the ball but also just bring energy," he said. "But I think one of the things is maybe we need a better pregame speech. Maybe we need to move the halftime speech to pregame and see how we can do."
Loyola, which suffered its only losses of the season back on March 22 and 26, learned what it had to do to be successful from those matches. The Ramblers used those lessons it as a re-starting point ever since.
"We've grown a lot as a team." Pattison said. "We've all become really closer and gotten used to each other's play. Working though the middle is something we've really worked on as well."
The Ramblers' final match of pool play is against third-ranked Lyons. The battle between the Group C will decide who gets the automatic bid to the semis Thursday. The loser has a shot at the wild card semifinal berth.
Lions have outscored their opponents 23-2 and currently own a five-game clean-sheet streak.
Hartinger and her squad are excited for the matchup, however, knowing that it should be a good game between two highly-skilled squads.
"It's going to be a great competitive game and that's why we like these two events between the Lou Malnati's and Naperville invite," she said. "We get to see quality opponents in every single match. For us, we've not talked about Lyons, and now we turn our attention to Lyons.
“We know it's going to be a great game, and we're looking to see if we can step up and play at that level and continue to do the things that have made us successful."
Lake Forest, on the other hand, is in the middle of a tough stretch. After seeing Lyons and Loyola, Evanston and Stevenson are on the horizon.
"This is all an understanding of how quickly the game is played," Stuckslager said. "Situations like this are hard to replicate in practice. When you have a situation where you're playing against girls who are so talented, so strong technically and tactically, you may give up a lot of goals.
"The last two games we've given up all the goals in the first half. If we can bring that energy to the first half, we might have a good chance."
Starting lineups
Lake Forest
GK: Sarah Constantine
D: Sophie Benjakul
D: Hanna Sands
D: Riley Hoskins
D: Charlotte Andress
D: Lyla Walsh
MF: Emerson Waddle
MF: Lainey Tabor
MF: Kathy Peterson-Ross
F: Ava Walsh
F: Ashleigh Rupprecht
F: Maeve Bradley
Loyola
GK: Ellie Bradley
D: Maria Nikas
D: Emily Pikarski
D: Ellianna Seeley
D: Eva Pattison
MF: Grace Ehlert
MF: Emma Shaffer
F: Kathryn Diblik
F: Ella Couri
F: Kaitlyn Kurtz
F: Emmy Christopher
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emily Pikarski, jr., D, Loyola
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola - Ella Couri (Emily Pikarski), 15th minute
Loyola - Grace Ehlert (Pikarski), 27th minute
Second half
No scoring
Pikarski's 2 helpers keep Loyola unbeaten in Malnati's group play
By Michael Wojtychiw
WILMETTE -- The late former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis once said, "You can't teach speed. Everything else in the game can be taught, but speed is a gift from God."
In the game of soccer, having speed is an asset if used properly. It's easy for a team to just kick the ball upfield and have a player or players chase the ball, showcasing their speed. But for the best teams, they're able to use that speed not only in a flat-out footrace, but also when possessing and using the middle of the field in order to move up and down the pitch.
Loyola, ranked 14th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, is arguably one of the fastest squads in the area. The Ramblers showcased that they're able to play quickly and under control in a 2-0 defeat of Lake Forest on Monday afternoon in Wilmette. The win moved Loyola to 2-0-0 in Group C of the Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Classic.
"We know what runs to make down the line, knowing that we can run onto the ball if we need to," Loyola's Ella Couri said. "I think it's just about recognizing that's how we play and using it to our advantage, whether it's down the middle or down the line."
"We stress possession," Loyola manager Shannon Hartinger said. "A lot of our exercises are possession-based, but also building quickly, playing quickly.
“There are times that we can utilize the breakaway speed, but I think what's most important for us is attacking as a team quickly. We're much better when we connect on the short passes, though, because it allows our players to run into the slots."
The Ramblers (8-2-1), who came off of a 3-0 win over Glenbrook South, were looking to continue their high-scoring ways when they took on the Scouts (2-5-0) on a beautiful day for a match.
After pressuring the Lake Forest goal and pushing deep into the Scouts' defensive zone, the Ramblers were finally able to capitalize when Couri knocked in a ball delivered by Emily Pikarski in the 15th minute that gave the hosts a 1-0 lead.
"We're really good with set pieces," Couri said. "It's all about seeing the ball and finishing chances when it's at your feet."
A little under 12 minutes later, Loyola's Grace Ehlert put a shot on goal that Lake Forest keeper Sarah Constantine was able to save, but her save also gave the Ramblers a corner opportunity as the ball sailed out of bounds.
Loyola, which has used a variety of different players to take successful set pieces, hit the jackpot again when Pikarski's service into the box found Ehlert's head and went into the net. The insurance goal gave the Ramblers the cushion they'd need to safeguard their hopes to advance to the semifinals.
While the Loyola offense was clicking, the defense did much of the same. The visitors were not allowed much opportunity to threaten offensively.
"It's really about staying intense and having the midfield organized so that they can't play balls through," Pattison said. "Staying tight is a key part of our defense as well."
"They're very fast, and it's hard to match that speed," Lake Forest manager Ty Stuckslager said. "As a collective group, they go to the ball well. When a team does that, it's hard to beat. Especially when you're not used to that, and you're half a step behind."
Putting the ball into the back of the net has been a struggle for the Scouts early in the season.
Lake Forest has only scored seven goals on the season, most of which came in the squad's second game of the year, a 5-0 win over Antioch. Four of its five losses have been shutouts, which now include back-to-back 2-0 Malnati’s losses at the feet of ranked Lyons and Loyola.
For the Scouts' manager it's been a struggle, but he knows better times will come.
"When we play schools that are closer to our size, we're able to compete more. We are going against schools that are bigger than us," Stuckslager said.
Lake Forest’s enrollment is 1,561. Loyola’s is 1,985, but using the IHSA multiplier balloons it to the equivalent of 3,275 students.
"However, this makes us better,” continued Stuckslager. “In the second half, we played a better game, generated some situations that put them under pressure. While we didn't have the quantity of chances they had, some of our chances were just as quality.”
Even with the loss Monday, Stuckslager is hopeful with some of the things he's seen from his squad.
"I liked to see the physicality extending into late in the second half," he said. "You go to the ball, you go to the ball strong. For those who go to the ball, good things come. Hopefully we learn from that."
After halftime, it seemed as if the Scouts regained some of their footing and confidence, pushing the ball downfield and putting more pressure onto the Loyola defense.
Stuckslager said that isn't the first time this year that his squad has played better in the second half of matches and joked that maybe his halftime speech should be broken out earlier.
"The messages have just been to play it simple, go attack the ball but also just bring energy," he said. "But I think one of the things is maybe we need a better pregame speech. Maybe we need to move the halftime speech to pregame and see how we can do."
Loyola, which suffered its only losses of the season back on March 22 and 26, learned what it had to do to be successful from those matches. The Ramblers used those lessons it as a re-starting point ever since.
"We've grown a lot as a team." Pattison said. "We've all become really closer and gotten used to each other's play. Working though the middle is something we've really worked on as well."
The Ramblers' final match of pool play is against third-ranked Lyons. The battle between the Group C will decide who gets the automatic bid to the semis Thursday. The loser has a shot at the wild card semifinal berth.
Lions have outscored their opponents 23-2 and currently own a five-game clean-sheet streak.
Hartinger and her squad are excited for the matchup, however, knowing that it should be a good game between two highly-skilled squads.
"It's going to be a great competitive game and that's why we like these two events between the Lou Malnati's and Naperville invite," she said. "We get to see quality opponents in every single match. For us, we've not talked about Lyons, and now we turn our attention to Lyons.
“We know it's going to be a great game, and we're looking to see if we can step up and play at that level and continue to do the things that have made us successful."
Lake Forest, on the other hand, is in the middle of a tough stretch. After seeing Lyons and Loyola, Evanston and Stevenson are on the horizon.
"This is all an understanding of how quickly the game is played," Stuckslager said. "Situations like this are hard to replicate in practice. When you have a situation where you're playing against girls who are so talented, so strong technically and tactically, you may give up a lot of goals.
"The last two games we've given up all the goals in the first half. If we can bring that energy to the first half, we might have a good chance."
Starting lineups
Lake Forest
GK: Sarah Constantine
D: Sophie Benjakul
D: Hanna Sands
D: Riley Hoskins
D: Charlotte Andress
D: Lyla Walsh
MF: Emerson Waddle
MF: Lainey Tabor
MF: Kathy Peterson-Ross
F: Ava Walsh
F: Ashleigh Rupprecht
F: Maeve Bradley
Loyola
GK: Ellie Bradley
D: Maria Nikas
D: Emily Pikarski
D: Ellianna Seeley
D: Eva Pattison
MF: Grace Ehlert
MF: Emma Shaffer
F: Kathryn Diblik
F: Ella Couri
F: Kaitlyn Kurtz
F: Emmy Christopher
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emily Pikarski, jr., D, Loyola
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola - Ella Couri (Emily Pikarski), 15th minute
Loyola - Grace Ehlert (Pikarski), 27th minute
Second half
No scoring