Lockport 2nd half surge topples Plainfield N.
Porters open Plainfield Classic with impressive 3-1 win
By Dave Owen
PLAINFIELD -- It wasn’t quite the reversal or takedown that other members of the Oster family are known for, but it was just as effective.
An 18-yard strike by Lockport’s Emma Oster early in the second half of Saturday’s Plainfield Classic game broke a scoreless tie, and helped turn a generally solid performance for Plainfield North (4-4-1) into a painfully deceiving 3-1 loss to the Porters (6-1-3).
From a family that has produced three individual state wrestling champions (Shayne, Jake and Jameson Oster) and head wrestling coach Josh Oster, soccer’s branch of the family tree proverbially poked the Tigers in the eye Saturday.
“They’re all my uncles and cousins,” Oster said. “I don’t wrestle though -- people always ask that.”
Wrestling free of defenders to score a huge goal is more Oster’s style.
Just 2:28 into the second half, Lockport’s Finley Travis’ run into the box was seemingly denied by Tigers defender Marissa Richmond’s nice positioning and block.
But the loose ball spun to Oster at the right edge of the box, who lined a perfectly struck 18-yard one-timer into the lower right corner of the net.
“I didn’t know if it was going to go in,” Oster said, “but then I hit it to the corner so that was pretty good. I knew she (Tigers goalkeeper Ashley Clark) was tall so I went for the lower corner shot (instead of high).”
That goal began a big early second half momentum shift, after a first 40 minutes that Plainfield North controlled.
Lindsey Dusatko began the Plainfield North onslaught 10 minutes in, when she burst in past two defenders but was denied by Lockport goalkeeper Reagan Tompkins charging off her line to slide and deflect Dusatko’s shot wide.
On Makenna Woodill’s ensuing corner kick, Tompkins showed she was equally successful on high shots with a deflection just over the crossbar.
Tompkins later met another key challenge in the 23rd minute, grabbing Richmond’s 15-yard shot from right of the box.
“I think we needed an early goal,” Woodill said. “And the fact that we didn’t get it, we kind of hung our heads. We have to learn to get over that.
“But I honestly thought our team played pretty well. I think we just made some silly mistakes and fouls that brought us down.”
Lockport adjustments also made for a different second half.
“They (Plainfield North) have more speed, they’re athletic, and they play with three (forwards) up-front,” Porters coach Todd Elkei said. “It took us awhile to adjust with communicating and all that. Once we sorted that out and our center mids starting marking the correct people it helped.
“And it helped us once we won the ball, because we had transition because we were in the right space instead of giving them the ball back like we did in the first half.”
Lockport’s aggressive and opportunistic second half play began with Oster’s goal, and continued with 27:27 left. After Tigers goalie Ashley Clark nicely punched a Jenifer Latoza shot over the crossbar to deny a goal, the Porters’ ensuing set piece was on target.
Hannah Henson’s corner kick found Travis free back post for a header putaway, making the score 2-0.
Plainfield North’s tough luck continued in multiple forms. Senior co-captain Claudia Baginski had to be helped off the field with a knee injury with 25:33 left and never returned.
And offensively, good chances for Allie Kroll (liner just wide of the left post with 25 minutes to go) and Woodill (high 22-yard free kick swatted out by Tompkins near the post with 18:45 left) narrowly missed.
The game clincher then came with 17:15 to play. Lockport midfielder Chloe Barrett’s long left side run ended with her being tripped in the box. Bennett’s ensuing penalty kick score made the lead an insurmountable 3-0.
The Tigers took off a hard-fought 2-1 win Friday at Oswego, in which Dusatko and Baginski scored goals. That game had been postponed from Thursday due to bad weather.
“Moving that to the night before, it’s hard to do back-to-back (games),” Tigers coach Steve Berry said.
“But we’re OK. We’ll come back. We’re still missing kids: our starting center back (sophomore Sophie Adzia) is at a funeral today. And then our captain (Baginski) goes down with a knee injury.”
Woodill also noted the weekend’s adversity but liked her team’s effort.
“It was a battle,” Woodill said of Friday’s win. “I feel like we played well today. I don’t think we played tired today, and we tried to fight to the end.”
That fight under adversity Saturday showed with 9:35 left. With Plainfield North down 3-0, Woodill’s nice send from the right side found Jessie Gruben left of the net.
Drawing two defenders, Gruben passed to Dusatko cutting to the middle. The shot inside the left post drew the Tigers within 3-1.
But Plainfield North would manage just one more shot on net the rest of the way, as Lockport’s high level of respect for the Tigers allowed no letup.
“This should be one of the toughest games in our (Plainfield Classic) bracket,” Elkei said. “They’re all tough, but Plainfield North -- you play the name and you feel like you’re already down 1-0. It was good for the girls. They’re working well together.
“Once we settled down we were able to start getting some balls in the attacking third,” Elkei added. “It was a good win. Plainfield North’s a good team. The girls needed it for their confidence. They came in knowing the history of Plainfield North -- they were a little shellshocked at first. Then they showed their composure and sorted it out.”
Berry was impressed by Lockport’s knack for finishing plays.
“They deserved to beat us, because they scored three goals, but I’m not sure they’re better than us,” Berry said. “We had the ball for almost the entire time, but we need to get cleaner in the final third.
“They actually probably outworked us in that third of the field and made it difficult, and their goalie was good.
“We still haven’t put our best group on the field health-wise,” Berry added. “But we still have the ball most of the time, play good soccer and do all the right things. We’re just inconsistent right now and need to find ways to defend properly at key moments, which they took advantage of. Today we just didn’t clean-up in the final third, and they did a good job defending us.”
One recent positive on the injury front for the Tigers has been the return from injury of goalkeeper Clark.
“We’re piecing it together this year,” Berry said. “We were without a goalie, and now she (Clark) is back and working herself back into it.
“It’ll take her some time with fitness, but it’s a confidence builder for sure. We’re happy to have her back.”
Said Woodill: “This is only her (Clark’s) second or third game, but it’s really helpful to have her back. And she feels close to 100 percent, which is really good.”
Between a young roster and lineup uncertainty due to injuries, Woodill and fellow seniors Baginski and Ann Marie Krusiwiecz have provided guidance.
“I think being a freshman on varsity (in 2016), Claudia and Ann Marie were as well, has really helped us out,” Woodill said.
“I think I’ve been on teams with 11 seniors, so this is very new for us. I think it’s just trusting them and having them trust us. But we’ve done a lot of team bonding. We had a team sleepover, pasta parties, all that kind of stuff. I think we’re getting there.”
Team chemistry has also helped Lockport to a strong start, which became even stronger at an event in Missouri last weekend and a key win Saturday.
“We’re doing a lot better,” Oster said. “We had a couple of ties towards the middle of the season, but we’re playing a lot better now.
“St. Louis (last weekend) is a big team bonding tournament. It helped us get to know each other and stuff, because we have a lot of new people. So it’s good to get them into the team dynamic.”
For Plainfield North, focusing on Saturday’s positives will be the main job.
“I think we just learn to not hang our heads,” Woodill said. “A loss is a loss. We’re so early on in the season. So I think we’re getting back up there for sure.”
Those positives include continued hope for a Plainfield Classic run.
“We’ll see,” Berry said. “We’ll come back and try to get two wins (in the Classic) and advance to the semifinals through a secondary way. There’s always a way.”
Starting lineups
Lockport
GK: Reagan Tompkins
D: Lia Fiffles
D: Jenifer Latoza
D: Lauren Phillips
D: Grace Galfano
M: Hailey Bartagla
M: Natalie Miller
M: Emma Oster
M: Chloe Barrett
F: Anna Domina
F: Finley Travis
Plainfield North
GK: Ashley Clark
D: Makenna Woodill
D: Marissa Richmond
D: Payton Strausberger
D: Claudia Baginski
M: Ann Marie Krusiewicz
M: Madi Buck
M: Reese Capion
F: Lindsey Dusatko
F: Allie Kroll
F: Jessie Gruben
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emma Oster, jr. MF, Lockport
Scoring summary
First half
None
Second half
L – Emma Oster, 43rd minute
L – Finley Travis (Hannah Henson), 53rd minute
L – Chloe Barrett (PK), 63rd minute
PN – Lindsey Dusatko (Jessie Gruben), 71st minute
Porters open Plainfield Classic with impressive 3-1 win
By Dave Owen
PLAINFIELD -- It wasn’t quite the reversal or takedown that other members of the Oster family are known for, but it was just as effective.
An 18-yard strike by Lockport’s Emma Oster early in the second half of Saturday’s Plainfield Classic game broke a scoreless tie, and helped turn a generally solid performance for Plainfield North (4-4-1) into a painfully deceiving 3-1 loss to the Porters (6-1-3).
From a family that has produced three individual state wrestling champions (Shayne, Jake and Jameson Oster) and head wrestling coach Josh Oster, soccer’s branch of the family tree proverbially poked the Tigers in the eye Saturday.
“They’re all my uncles and cousins,” Oster said. “I don’t wrestle though -- people always ask that.”
Wrestling free of defenders to score a huge goal is more Oster’s style.
Just 2:28 into the second half, Lockport’s Finley Travis’ run into the box was seemingly denied by Tigers defender Marissa Richmond’s nice positioning and block.
But the loose ball spun to Oster at the right edge of the box, who lined a perfectly struck 18-yard one-timer into the lower right corner of the net.
“I didn’t know if it was going to go in,” Oster said, “but then I hit it to the corner so that was pretty good. I knew she (Tigers goalkeeper Ashley Clark) was tall so I went for the lower corner shot (instead of high).”
That goal began a big early second half momentum shift, after a first 40 minutes that Plainfield North controlled.
Lindsey Dusatko began the Plainfield North onslaught 10 minutes in, when she burst in past two defenders but was denied by Lockport goalkeeper Reagan Tompkins charging off her line to slide and deflect Dusatko’s shot wide.
On Makenna Woodill’s ensuing corner kick, Tompkins showed she was equally successful on high shots with a deflection just over the crossbar.
Tompkins later met another key challenge in the 23rd minute, grabbing Richmond’s 15-yard shot from right of the box.
“I think we needed an early goal,” Woodill said. “And the fact that we didn’t get it, we kind of hung our heads. We have to learn to get over that.
“But I honestly thought our team played pretty well. I think we just made some silly mistakes and fouls that brought us down.”
Lockport adjustments also made for a different second half.
“They (Plainfield North) have more speed, they’re athletic, and they play with three (forwards) up-front,” Porters coach Todd Elkei said. “It took us awhile to adjust with communicating and all that. Once we sorted that out and our center mids starting marking the correct people it helped.
“And it helped us once we won the ball, because we had transition because we were in the right space instead of giving them the ball back like we did in the first half.”
Lockport’s aggressive and opportunistic second half play began with Oster’s goal, and continued with 27:27 left. After Tigers goalie Ashley Clark nicely punched a Jenifer Latoza shot over the crossbar to deny a goal, the Porters’ ensuing set piece was on target.
Hannah Henson’s corner kick found Travis free back post for a header putaway, making the score 2-0.
Plainfield North’s tough luck continued in multiple forms. Senior co-captain Claudia Baginski had to be helped off the field with a knee injury with 25:33 left and never returned.
And offensively, good chances for Allie Kroll (liner just wide of the left post with 25 minutes to go) and Woodill (high 22-yard free kick swatted out by Tompkins near the post with 18:45 left) narrowly missed.
The game clincher then came with 17:15 to play. Lockport midfielder Chloe Barrett’s long left side run ended with her being tripped in the box. Bennett’s ensuing penalty kick score made the lead an insurmountable 3-0.
The Tigers took off a hard-fought 2-1 win Friday at Oswego, in which Dusatko and Baginski scored goals. That game had been postponed from Thursday due to bad weather.
“Moving that to the night before, it’s hard to do back-to-back (games),” Tigers coach Steve Berry said.
“But we’re OK. We’ll come back. We’re still missing kids: our starting center back (sophomore Sophie Adzia) is at a funeral today. And then our captain (Baginski) goes down with a knee injury.”
Woodill also noted the weekend’s adversity but liked her team’s effort.
“It was a battle,” Woodill said of Friday’s win. “I feel like we played well today. I don’t think we played tired today, and we tried to fight to the end.”
That fight under adversity Saturday showed with 9:35 left. With Plainfield North down 3-0, Woodill’s nice send from the right side found Jessie Gruben left of the net.
Drawing two defenders, Gruben passed to Dusatko cutting to the middle. The shot inside the left post drew the Tigers within 3-1.
But Plainfield North would manage just one more shot on net the rest of the way, as Lockport’s high level of respect for the Tigers allowed no letup.
“This should be one of the toughest games in our (Plainfield Classic) bracket,” Elkei said. “They’re all tough, but Plainfield North -- you play the name and you feel like you’re already down 1-0. It was good for the girls. They’re working well together.
“Once we settled down we were able to start getting some balls in the attacking third,” Elkei added. “It was a good win. Plainfield North’s a good team. The girls needed it for their confidence. They came in knowing the history of Plainfield North -- they were a little shellshocked at first. Then they showed their composure and sorted it out.”
Berry was impressed by Lockport’s knack for finishing plays.
“They deserved to beat us, because they scored three goals, but I’m not sure they’re better than us,” Berry said. “We had the ball for almost the entire time, but we need to get cleaner in the final third.
“They actually probably outworked us in that third of the field and made it difficult, and their goalie was good.
“We still haven’t put our best group on the field health-wise,” Berry added. “But we still have the ball most of the time, play good soccer and do all the right things. We’re just inconsistent right now and need to find ways to defend properly at key moments, which they took advantage of. Today we just didn’t clean-up in the final third, and they did a good job defending us.”
One recent positive on the injury front for the Tigers has been the return from injury of goalkeeper Clark.
“We’re piecing it together this year,” Berry said. “We were without a goalie, and now she (Clark) is back and working herself back into it.
“It’ll take her some time with fitness, but it’s a confidence builder for sure. We’re happy to have her back.”
Said Woodill: “This is only her (Clark’s) second or third game, but it’s really helpful to have her back. And she feels close to 100 percent, which is really good.”
Between a young roster and lineup uncertainty due to injuries, Woodill and fellow seniors Baginski and Ann Marie Krusiwiecz have provided guidance.
“I think being a freshman on varsity (in 2016), Claudia and Ann Marie were as well, has really helped us out,” Woodill said.
“I think I’ve been on teams with 11 seniors, so this is very new for us. I think it’s just trusting them and having them trust us. But we’ve done a lot of team bonding. We had a team sleepover, pasta parties, all that kind of stuff. I think we’re getting there.”
Team chemistry has also helped Lockport to a strong start, which became even stronger at an event in Missouri last weekend and a key win Saturday.
“We’re doing a lot better,” Oster said. “We had a couple of ties towards the middle of the season, but we’re playing a lot better now.
“St. Louis (last weekend) is a big team bonding tournament. It helped us get to know each other and stuff, because we have a lot of new people. So it’s good to get them into the team dynamic.”
For Plainfield North, focusing on Saturday’s positives will be the main job.
“I think we just learn to not hang our heads,” Woodill said. “A loss is a loss. We’re so early on in the season. So I think we’re getting back up there for sure.”
Those positives include continued hope for a Plainfield Classic run.
“We’ll see,” Berry said. “We’ll come back and try to get two wins (in the Classic) and advance to the semifinals through a secondary way. There’s always a way.”
Starting lineups
Lockport
GK: Reagan Tompkins
D: Lia Fiffles
D: Jenifer Latoza
D: Lauren Phillips
D: Grace Galfano
M: Hailey Bartagla
M: Natalie Miller
M: Emma Oster
M: Chloe Barrett
F: Anna Domina
F: Finley Travis
Plainfield North
GK: Ashley Clark
D: Makenna Woodill
D: Marissa Richmond
D: Payton Strausberger
D: Claudia Baginski
M: Ann Marie Krusiewicz
M: Madi Buck
M: Reese Capion
F: Lindsey Dusatko
F: Allie Kroll
F: Jessie Gruben
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emma Oster, jr. MF, Lockport
Scoring summary
First half
None
Second half
L – Emma Oster, 43rd minute
L – Finley Travis (Hannah Henson), 53rd minute
L – Chloe Barrett (PK), 63rd minute
PN – Lindsey Dusatko (Jessie Gruben), 71st minute