Ainsworth saves Loyola win over Fenwick
Junior GK's high-flying deflection preserves 2-1 conference victory
By Bill Stone
RIVER FOREST -- Since starting for the Loyola varsity as a freshman, junior goalie Alex Ainsworth has grown a bit in many ways.
“A bit is an understatement,” joked senior teammate Tommy Zipprich.
“It’s so much different (since 2018), physically mainly,” Ainsworth explained. “I’ve grown a bit, put on some weight.
“My distribution has gotten a lot better. I can definitely play that big role a lot more comfortably than I used to be able to. And then if I’m more commanding in the box, it assures my defense as well.”
When Ainsworth had to make his one big save Tuesday against Fenwick, he stood tall.
Ainsworth’s right glove deflection of a blast over the crossbar in the 61st minute truly saved the Ramblers’ 2-1 Chicago Catholic League Blue Division victory in River Forest.
Loyola (5-1-0, 2-0-0), no. 6 in this week’s Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, controlled the first half and appeared in control after taking a 2-0 lead with 30:12 remaining, but no. 11 Fenwick (2-1-0, 1-1-0) scored just 24 seconds later and kept on coming.
Ainsworth thwarted Fenwick junior Jack Powers after he surged around a defender along the right side of the box after a give-and-go with senior David Capron and delivered a shot that appeared to be just under the crossbar.
Of course, the goal would have tied the game and perhaps given the Friars the lift to score again. If not, no overtime would have been tied if the game remained deadlocked after regulation.
“If it wasn’t for Alex’s terrific save, the game could have gone either way,” Loyola coach Baer Fisher said.
For his save after contributing to four previous shutouts this season, Ainsworth was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match.
“Our defense was great the whole game. But sometimes as a goalkeeper you’ve got to stay focused, because you may have only one or two chances like that. It’s important that I have to step up for the team in these CCL games,” Ainsworth said.
“You’ve got to stay focused. You’ve got to make sure your defense stays organized. Credit to (our defenders). They were excellent blocking shots, playing out of the back when they had to.”
Zipprich scored just 6:23 into the contest from the left of the box off a right-wing cross from junior Frank Miedema. With 30:36 remaining, Loyola senior Michael Sullivan converted a penalty kick into the low left corner of the net after he was fouled.
Fenwick’s goal, on junior Ryan Bero’s deflected shot from the upper left corner of the box, was the Friars’ first shot on goal that was not a restart. Bero received a left-wing end line pass by senior Anders Luthringhausen.
“Ryan Bero is talented enough. He was determined to get a shot on goal and got the deflection, and that’s what we wanted,” Fenwick coach Craig Blazer said.
“Jack Powers turned the corner. (Ainsworth) made just a fantastic save. Not only just to save it, but he didn’t let in a rebound. On another day, that’s a goal.
“They made a lot of good plays inside the 18, and that was the big difference. But it was a fun game for the Catholic League and good for these kids to be able to play and have this experience and memory. We’ll just build on it, and Loyola is going to keep going, too.”
The Ramblers won the annual meeting for the fifth-straight season and the second-straight by a 2-1 margin. They won the 2019 meeting at home with a goal in the final three minutes.
There is the added incentive that Blazer coaches many Loyola players during the FC United club season. Blazer’s son Oscar is a senior for the Ramblers, but he is just back from injury and did not play.
“It’s always a battle. It’s always a blast playing against (coach Blazer), but it’s always a tough one,” Zipprich said. “He’s a fantastic coach and you saw the way they played us in the second half. It was a grind-it-out win.”
Despite spirited play between the 25-yard lines, quality scoring chances were few. Loyola led 9-7 in shots and 4-3 on the few shots on goal. The Friars led 4-3 in corner kicks.
It also was another test for the Ramblers’ defensive line, which after injuries affecting personnel, has gone with seniors Mario Hrvojevic and Colin Redmond, junior John Phillips and sophomore Andrew Newton the past three outings. Junior Niko Douvalakis also contributed significantly in the second half.
Establishing stability is among the strengths of Ainsworth’s presence.
“He’s gotten better and better every year. I feel like now he’s playing the best he’s played,” Fisher said. “He knows he has a good team in front of him but no matter what, when you play good opponents like Fenwick, you’re going to have one or two shots you have to save, and he did it. When he need to step up he did, so we’re very happy with his play.”
“(Ainsworth) was also very loud today,” Zipprich said. “He was the loudest I’ve ever heard him all year. I could hear him all the way across the field so that was great.”
Several scoring opportunities were blocked or thwarted by great defenses. Two of the best were by Loyola’s Andrew Newton in the 37th minute and Fenwick senior Luke Coffey in the second half with the score still 1-0.
“I think that both defenses did really well. (Fenwick’s) Dylan Kupiec and Joey Karris were blocking up the forwards for the most part,” said Fenwick senior and co-captain Narayan Sharma, who put a 30-yard free kick just over the goal in the 63rd minute.
“I feel like there weren’t that many shots besides for a few fouls. Both teams played really played well defensively. It was just a matter of who capitalized on their shots.”
The pace and late surge was exhausting enough for Zipprich to require a brief sideline spell in the 73rd minute. He took over at forward when Miedema, the Ramblers’ leading scorer with five goals, was lost to an ankle injury with 23:30 left in the first half.
Zipprich returned in the 76th minute to continue harassing Fenwick’s backline.
“I was gassed. I was playing the lone striker so I was pressing from side to side. I felt like I didn’t stop running once the entire second half,” Zipprich said.
“It was definitely the hardest I’ve worked all year in a game. I’ve never felt this dead, not this year at least.”
After Bero’s second goal of the season, the Friars had no shots on goal and only two shots at goal and one corner kick.
“We got a little too comfortable right after that second goal. They made us pay, but we grinded it out for sure,” Zipprich said.
“We dealt with it but we were on our heels for a good 10 minutes,” Fisher said. “I thought the first half we were the better team and thought we were playing well. Right after we scored the second goal, we stopped playing. And credit to them, they kept fighting. They wanted it, and basically our backs were against the wall a good 10-to-15 minutes.”
Ainsworth’s big save kept Fenwick from scoring multiple goals for the first time this season. In the second half, senior Ari Velliotis moved to forward and Luthringhausen switched from outside defender to midfielder, his position before this season.
“When I saw the shot (by Powers), I thought it was going to go in, but it was a great save by the keeper,” Sharma said.
“The goal from Ryan Bero was amazing. I just wish that we were able to attack faster, earlier as well, in the first half. I feel like the momentum shifted as well after we scored that. We need that to happen earlier, attack earlier, get the overall momentum earlier, but overall I think from there on, I think we played well.”
Zipprich’s fourth goal of the season came after a great run from Miedema along the right side after a lead pass from Phillips.
“It was a great run by Frank to bring in the defender behind. Instead of kind of crashing to the goal, I kind of held right round the PK area, and he slipped it to me. I let it kind of roll across my body and took a touch and slipped it in,” Zipprich said.
Zipprich also had the Ramblers’ other first half shot on goal. Fenwick’s two first half scoring chances came on restarts, including Bero’s 30-yard, one-bounce shot on goal.
The Ramblers’ second goal came on a second effort. Zipprich made that right-wing cross from a pass by sophomore Joey Vehovsky and put the ball to the right of the goal.
A Fenwick defender intercepted the cross but was unable to gain control. The hovering Sullivan gained control and then was fouled.
Sullivan’s first goal this season came after winning another battle over of who would attempt the penalty kick.
“Michael and I played rock, paper, scissors to decide,” Zipprich said. “He won that one so he got this one, but I’m on the next one.”
Fenwick had allowed just one goal previously, but only had played two games. Both teams have had multiple games postponed by COVID-19 protocol involving opponents. While Loyola picked up a game Saturday with rival New Trier, losing to the top-ranked, undefeated and now top-ranked Trevians 2-0, the Friars hadn’t played in one week since their 2-1 CCL home victory over St. Ignatius.
“Giving up two goals at home and being down 2-0 is disappointing -- the penalty kick, disappointing. Loyola’s a good team, no doubt about it, a lot of good players. We have a lot of respect for them and their coaching staff,’ Blazer said.
“It’s only our third game, and we’re still trying to get ourselves together, but the way we came back was good. We still thought we got fouled in and around the box, got some corner kicks and were just not able to get through.”
“I think you’re just got to take it game by game. Don’t take any game for granted,” Sharma added. “Every game is kind of a gift, and we’ve got to accept it as one. We have to gain the confidence and not worry about any cancellations. We’ve got to build up from that and attack back in our next game, not worry about what happened in the past.”
Starting lineups
Loyola
GK: Alex Ainsworth
D: John Phillips
D: Colin Redmond
D: Andrew Newton
D: Mario Hrvojevic
MF: Tommy Zipprich
MF: Michael Sullivan
MF: Dylan Gripman
MF: Joseph Roscoe
MF: Joey Vehovsky
F: Frank Miedema
Fenwick
GK: Greg Price
D: Anders Luthringhausen
D: Dylan Kupiec
D: Joey Karris
D: Matty Garcia
M: Narayan Sharma
M: Ari Velliotis
M: Diego Salinas
M: Ryan Bero
F: David Capron
F: Jack Powers
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Alex Ainsworth, jr. G, Loyola Academy
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola — Tommy Zipprich (Frank Miedema) 7th minute (6:23)
Second half
Loyola — Michael Sullivan (penalty kick) 50th minute (49:24)
Fenwick — Ryan Bero (Anders Luthringhausen) 50th minute (49:48)
Junior GK's high-flying deflection preserves 2-1 conference victory
By Bill Stone
RIVER FOREST -- Since starting for the Loyola varsity as a freshman, junior goalie Alex Ainsworth has grown a bit in many ways.
“A bit is an understatement,” joked senior teammate Tommy Zipprich.
“It’s so much different (since 2018), physically mainly,” Ainsworth explained. “I’ve grown a bit, put on some weight.
“My distribution has gotten a lot better. I can definitely play that big role a lot more comfortably than I used to be able to. And then if I’m more commanding in the box, it assures my defense as well.”
When Ainsworth had to make his one big save Tuesday against Fenwick, he stood tall.
Ainsworth’s right glove deflection of a blast over the crossbar in the 61st minute truly saved the Ramblers’ 2-1 Chicago Catholic League Blue Division victory in River Forest.
Loyola (5-1-0, 2-0-0), no. 6 in this week’s Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, controlled the first half and appeared in control after taking a 2-0 lead with 30:12 remaining, but no. 11 Fenwick (2-1-0, 1-1-0) scored just 24 seconds later and kept on coming.
Ainsworth thwarted Fenwick junior Jack Powers after he surged around a defender along the right side of the box after a give-and-go with senior David Capron and delivered a shot that appeared to be just under the crossbar.
Of course, the goal would have tied the game and perhaps given the Friars the lift to score again. If not, no overtime would have been tied if the game remained deadlocked after regulation.
“If it wasn’t for Alex’s terrific save, the game could have gone either way,” Loyola coach Baer Fisher said.
For his save after contributing to four previous shutouts this season, Ainsworth was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match.
“Our defense was great the whole game. But sometimes as a goalkeeper you’ve got to stay focused, because you may have only one or two chances like that. It’s important that I have to step up for the team in these CCL games,” Ainsworth said.
“You’ve got to stay focused. You’ve got to make sure your defense stays organized. Credit to (our defenders). They were excellent blocking shots, playing out of the back when they had to.”
Zipprich scored just 6:23 into the contest from the left of the box off a right-wing cross from junior Frank Miedema. With 30:36 remaining, Loyola senior Michael Sullivan converted a penalty kick into the low left corner of the net after he was fouled.
Fenwick’s goal, on junior Ryan Bero’s deflected shot from the upper left corner of the box, was the Friars’ first shot on goal that was not a restart. Bero received a left-wing end line pass by senior Anders Luthringhausen.
“Ryan Bero is talented enough. He was determined to get a shot on goal and got the deflection, and that’s what we wanted,” Fenwick coach Craig Blazer said.
“Jack Powers turned the corner. (Ainsworth) made just a fantastic save. Not only just to save it, but he didn’t let in a rebound. On another day, that’s a goal.
“They made a lot of good plays inside the 18, and that was the big difference. But it was a fun game for the Catholic League and good for these kids to be able to play and have this experience and memory. We’ll just build on it, and Loyola is going to keep going, too.”
The Ramblers won the annual meeting for the fifth-straight season and the second-straight by a 2-1 margin. They won the 2019 meeting at home with a goal in the final three minutes.
There is the added incentive that Blazer coaches many Loyola players during the FC United club season. Blazer’s son Oscar is a senior for the Ramblers, but he is just back from injury and did not play.
“It’s always a battle. It’s always a blast playing against (coach Blazer), but it’s always a tough one,” Zipprich said. “He’s a fantastic coach and you saw the way they played us in the second half. It was a grind-it-out win.”
Despite spirited play between the 25-yard lines, quality scoring chances were few. Loyola led 9-7 in shots and 4-3 on the few shots on goal. The Friars led 4-3 in corner kicks.
It also was another test for the Ramblers’ defensive line, which after injuries affecting personnel, has gone with seniors Mario Hrvojevic and Colin Redmond, junior John Phillips and sophomore Andrew Newton the past three outings. Junior Niko Douvalakis also contributed significantly in the second half.
Establishing stability is among the strengths of Ainsworth’s presence.
“He’s gotten better and better every year. I feel like now he’s playing the best he’s played,” Fisher said. “He knows he has a good team in front of him but no matter what, when you play good opponents like Fenwick, you’re going to have one or two shots you have to save, and he did it. When he need to step up he did, so we’re very happy with his play.”
“(Ainsworth) was also very loud today,” Zipprich said. “He was the loudest I’ve ever heard him all year. I could hear him all the way across the field so that was great.”
Several scoring opportunities were blocked or thwarted by great defenses. Two of the best were by Loyola’s Andrew Newton in the 37th minute and Fenwick senior Luke Coffey in the second half with the score still 1-0.
“I think that both defenses did really well. (Fenwick’s) Dylan Kupiec and Joey Karris were blocking up the forwards for the most part,” said Fenwick senior and co-captain Narayan Sharma, who put a 30-yard free kick just over the goal in the 63rd minute.
“I feel like there weren’t that many shots besides for a few fouls. Both teams played really played well defensively. It was just a matter of who capitalized on their shots.”
The pace and late surge was exhausting enough for Zipprich to require a brief sideline spell in the 73rd minute. He took over at forward when Miedema, the Ramblers’ leading scorer with five goals, was lost to an ankle injury with 23:30 left in the first half.
Zipprich returned in the 76th minute to continue harassing Fenwick’s backline.
“I was gassed. I was playing the lone striker so I was pressing from side to side. I felt like I didn’t stop running once the entire second half,” Zipprich said.
“It was definitely the hardest I’ve worked all year in a game. I’ve never felt this dead, not this year at least.”
After Bero’s second goal of the season, the Friars had no shots on goal and only two shots at goal and one corner kick.
“We got a little too comfortable right after that second goal. They made us pay, but we grinded it out for sure,” Zipprich said.
“We dealt with it but we were on our heels for a good 10 minutes,” Fisher said. “I thought the first half we were the better team and thought we were playing well. Right after we scored the second goal, we stopped playing. And credit to them, they kept fighting. They wanted it, and basically our backs were against the wall a good 10-to-15 minutes.”
Ainsworth’s big save kept Fenwick from scoring multiple goals for the first time this season. In the second half, senior Ari Velliotis moved to forward and Luthringhausen switched from outside defender to midfielder, his position before this season.
“When I saw the shot (by Powers), I thought it was going to go in, but it was a great save by the keeper,” Sharma said.
“The goal from Ryan Bero was amazing. I just wish that we were able to attack faster, earlier as well, in the first half. I feel like the momentum shifted as well after we scored that. We need that to happen earlier, attack earlier, get the overall momentum earlier, but overall I think from there on, I think we played well.”
Zipprich’s fourth goal of the season came after a great run from Miedema along the right side after a lead pass from Phillips.
“It was a great run by Frank to bring in the defender behind. Instead of kind of crashing to the goal, I kind of held right round the PK area, and he slipped it to me. I let it kind of roll across my body and took a touch and slipped it in,” Zipprich said.
Zipprich also had the Ramblers’ other first half shot on goal. Fenwick’s two first half scoring chances came on restarts, including Bero’s 30-yard, one-bounce shot on goal.
The Ramblers’ second goal came on a second effort. Zipprich made that right-wing cross from a pass by sophomore Joey Vehovsky and put the ball to the right of the goal.
A Fenwick defender intercepted the cross but was unable to gain control. The hovering Sullivan gained control and then was fouled.
Sullivan’s first goal this season came after winning another battle over of who would attempt the penalty kick.
“Michael and I played rock, paper, scissors to decide,” Zipprich said. “He won that one so he got this one, but I’m on the next one.”
Fenwick had allowed just one goal previously, but only had played two games. Both teams have had multiple games postponed by COVID-19 protocol involving opponents. While Loyola picked up a game Saturday with rival New Trier, losing to the top-ranked, undefeated and now top-ranked Trevians 2-0, the Friars hadn’t played in one week since their 2-1 CCL home victory over St. Ignatius.
“Giving up two goals at home and being down 2-0 is disappointing -- the penalty kick, disappointing. Loyola’s a good team, no doubt about it, a lot of good players. We have a lot of respect for them and their coaching staff,’ Blazer said.
“It’s only our third game, and we’re still trying to get ourselves together, but the way we came back was good. We still thought we got fouled in and around the box, got some corner kicks and were just not able to get through.”
“I think you’re just got to take it game by game. Don’t take any game for granted,” Sharma added. “Every game is kind of a gift, and we’ve got to accept it as one. We have to gain the confidence and not worry about any cancellations. We’ve got to build up from that and attack back in our next game, not worry about what happened in the past.”
Starting lineups
Loyola
GK: Alex Ainsworth
D: John Phillips
D: Colin Redmond
D: Andrew Newton
D: Mario Hrvojevic
MF: Tommy Zipprich
MF: Michael Sullivan
MF: Dylan Gripman
MF: Joseph Roscoe
MF: Joey Vehovsky
F: Frank Miedema
Fenwick
GK: Greg Price
D: Anders Luthringhausen
D: Dylan Kupiec
D: Joey Karris
D: Matty Garcia
M: Narayan Sharma
M: Ari Velliotis
M: Diego Salinas
M: Ryan Bero
F: David Capron
F: Jack Powers
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Alex Ainsworth, jr. G, Loyola Academy
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola — Tommy Zipprich (Frank Miedema) 7th minute (6:23)
Second half
Loyola — Michael Sullivan (penalty kick) 50th minute (49:24)
Fenwick — Ryan Bero (Anders Luthringhausen) 50th minute (49:48)