Loyola turns it on in 2nd half, bests Montini
Leider scores bookend goals in 4-0 win CCL cross-over
By Matt Le Cren
LOMBARD -- Loyola’s Daniel Montaquila has the physique most coaches want in a center back.
The burly senior has height, bulk and enough quickness to deal with opposing strikers.
But after playing defense for the first five games of the season, Montaquila was moved to striker to make way for John Wilson.
The move might seem incongruous to some, seeing as how the speedy Ramblers like to attack from the flanks. But Montaquila is proving he can shine at both ends of the field.
He had a goal and an assist Thursday as Loyola knocked off host Montini 4-0 in a Chicago Catholic League crossover.
“It’s a lot different,” Loyola senior midfielder Collin Leider said. “We’re usually used to playing (the ball) in behind because we have speed, but with him you’ve got a body that you can play the ball into.”
The Ramblers (4-1-3) still play a lot of dump-and-chase, and Montaquila is doing some of the chasing, but his presence in the middle does diversify the skill set of what is shaping up to be a potent attack.
“Yes, I think we’re showing that,” Loyola coach Baer Fisher said. “I still think we have a ways to go in all areas of our game, but it’s been a good start to the year.
“There are still inconsistencies that we need to work on.”
The Ramblers were dominant throughout but ineffective early against the host Broncos (2-5-0), who played a high line defensively in an effort to thwart Loyola’s speed. It worked in the first half, when the visitors were called offsides several times, with one goal being disallowed on such a call.
Montaquila, who was the first to beat the trap when he raced onto a send from Tommy Zipprich only to have his breakaway denied on a kick save by Montini goalkeeper Garrick Nielsen, needed a little time to curb his natural aggressiveness. But he eventually got the hang of it.
“It’s definitely different (playing striker), just knowing if I’m offsides or not,” Montaquila said. “I’ve got to check to the ball. It’s a different feel.”
But the Ramblers weren’t worried despite having only a 1-0 lead after a first half of fine play but unfinished chances.
“Once you play (against the trap) a bunch of times, they will drop off so you can play (more normally),” Montaquila said. “(Nick) Roscoe played well defensively and
Tommy was good at checking in, and I would back out to let Tommy get the ball.”
The combination play from Montaquila, Zipprich and Leider, who scored two goals to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, plus the dangerous ability of defender Mario Hrvojevic on restarts, eventually wore down the Broncos, who were outshot 17-7 and spent much of the match chasing the ball.
“It was a rough first half but a better second half,” Fisher said. “Playing behind them I thought helped us and that opened up a little bit of space to actually play in the middle because they started dropping in the second half.
Leider got the Ramblers on the board at the 30:44 mark of the first half when he lobbed a 30-yard shot over the head of Nielsen, who kept Montini in contention by making nine saves.
Five of Nielsen’s stops came in the first half, including diving stops on a partial breakaway by Michael Sullivan, who had raced around the defense on the right wing, and Zipprich, whose header in front with 4:10 left was ticketed for the lower right corner of the net.
One minute after that, Montaquila latched onto a long ball over the top and chipped a bouncing ball over the head of Nielsen, but the shot struck the crossbar and was eventually corralled by the Montini keeper.
But Leider and Montaquila took over the game after intermission when the Ramblers scored three times in a 10-minute span, including back-to-back shots.
“Both of them were good, especially in the second half,” Fisher said. “I thought we were a much different team in the second half compared to the first.
“We spoke a lot (at halftime) about just playing a little more direct, flying into the channels and keeping Daniel more centrally (located), and it worked.”
Indeed, the Ramblers broke through with 28:16 after intercepting a goal kick. Sullivan raced into the box on the left wing and crossed to Montaquila, whose one-timer from the doorstep got past Nielsen for a 2-0 lead.
Five minutes later, Jack Latterman bulled his way past two defenders into the left side of the box and passed to Zipprich, who was knocked to the ground and converted the ensuing penalty kick.
Loyola’s next shot came with 18:48 remaining off a beautifully executed set piece. Hrvojevic launched a 40-yard free kick from the right wing into the middle of the Montini box, where Montaquila nodded it forward to Leider, whose volley made it 4-0.
“It shouldn’t have taken that long,” Leider said of the scoring spree. “But it helps offensively to get some confidence. Hopefully against hose better teams we’ll make more of those opportunities.”
Starting lineups
Loyola
GK Alex Ainsworth
D Oscar Blazer
D Mario Hrvojevic
D John Wilson
M Michael Sullivan
M Nick Roscoe
M Andrew Hoepfner
M Collin Leider
M Christian Jimenez
F Tommy Zipprich
F Daniel Montaquila
Montini
GK Garrick Nielsen
D Joel Camba
D George Lambesis
D Adam Belmares
D Johnny McManus
D Justin Mondschean
M Joshua Gonzaga
M Cody Collier
F Benjamin Snukst
F Luc Larson
F Jack Sidler
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Collin Leider, sr., M, Loyola.
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola – Collin Leider (UA), 10th minute
Second half
Loyola – Daniel Montaquila (Michael Sullivan), 52nd minute
Loyola – Tommy Zipprich (PK), 57th minute
Loyola – Leider (Montaquila, Mario Hrvojevic), 62nd minute
Leider scores bookend goals in 4-0 win CCL cross-over
By Matt Le Cren
LOMBARD -- Loyola’s Daniel Montaquila has the physique most coaches want in a center back.
The burly senior has height, bulk and enough quickness to deal with opposing strikers.
But after playing defense for the first five games of the season, Montaquila was moved to striker to make way for John Wilson.
The move might seem incongruous to some, seeing as how the speedy Ramblers like to attack from the flanks. But Montaquila is proving he can shine at both ends of the field.
He had a goal and an assist Thursday as Loyola knocked off host Montini 4-0 in a Chicago Catholic League crossover.
“It’s a lot different,” Loyola senior midfielder Collin Leider said. “We’re usually used to playing (the ball) in behind because we have speed, but with him you’ve got a body that you can play the ball into.”
The Ramblers (4-1-3) still play a lot of dump-and-chase, and Montaquila is doing some of the chasing, but his presence in the middle does diversify the skill set of what is shaping up to be a potent attack.
“Yes, I think we’re showing that,” Loyola coach Baer Fisher said. “I still think we have a ways to go in all areas of our game, but it’s been a good start to the year.
“There are still inconsistencies that we need to work on.”
The Ramblers were dominant throughout but ineffective early against the host Broncos (2-5-0), who played a high line defensively in an effort to thwart Loyola’s speed. It worked in the first half, when the visitors were called offsides several times, with one goal being disallowed on such a call.
Montaquila, who was the first to beat the trap when he raced onto a send from Tommy Zipprich only to have his breakaway denied on a kick save by Montini goalkeeper Garrick Nielsen, needed a little time to curb his natural aggressiveness. But he eventually got the hang of it.
“It’s definitely different (playing striker), just knowing if I’m offsides or not,” Montaquila said. “I’ve got to check to the ball. It’s a different feel.”
But the Ramblers weren’t worried despite having only a 1-0 lead after a first half of fine play but unfinished chances.
“Once you play (against the trap) a bunch of times, they will drop off so you can play (more normally),” Montaquila said. “(Nick) Roscoe played well defensively and
Tommy was good at checking in, and I would back out to let Tommy get the ball.”
The combination play from Montaquila, Zipprich and Leider, who scored two goals to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, plus the dangerous ability of defender Mario Hrvojevic on restarts, eventually wore down the Broncos, who were outshot 17-7 and spent much of the match chasing the ball.
“It was a rough first half but a better second half,” Fisher said. “Playing behind them I thought helped us and that opened up a little bit of space to actually play in the middle because they started dropping in the second half.
Leider got the Ramblers on the board at the 30:44 mark of the first half when he lobbed a 30-yard shot over the head of Nielsen, who kept Montini in contention by making nine saves.
Five of Nielsen’s stops came in the first half, including diving stops on a partial breakaway by Michael Sullivan, who had raced around the defense on the right wing, and Zipprich, whose header in front with 4:10 left was ticketed for the lower right corner of the net.
One minute after that, Montaquila latched onto a long ball over the top and chipped a bouncing ball over the head of Nielsen, but the shot struck the crossbar and was eventually corralled by the Montini keeper.
But Leider and Montaquila took over the game after intermission when the Ramblers scored three times in a 10-minute span, including back-to-back shots.
“Both of them were good, especially in the second half,” Fisher said. “I thought we were a much different team in the second half compared to the first.
“We spoke a lot (at halftime) about just playing a little more direct, flying into the channels and keeping Daniel more centrally (located), and it worked.”
Indeed, the Ramblers broke through with 28:16 after intercepting a goal kick. Sullivan raced into the box on the left wing and crossed to Montaquila, whose one-timer from the doorstep got past Nielsen for a 2-0 lead.
Five minutes later, Jack Latterman bulled his way past two defenders into the left side of the box and passed to Zipprich, who was knocked to the ground and converted the ensuing penalty kick.
Loyola’s next shot came with 18:48 remaining off a beautifully executed set piece. Hrvojevic launched a 40-yard free kick from the right wing into the middle of the Montini box, where Montaquila nodded it forward to Leider, whose volley made it 4-0.
“It shouldn’t have taken that long,” Leider said of the scoring spree. “But it helps offensively to get some confidence. Hopefully against hose better teams we’ll make more of those opportunities.”
Starting lineups
Loyola
GK Alex Ainsworth
D Oscar Blazer
D Mario Hrvojevic
D John Wilson
M Michael Sullivan
M Nick Roscoe
M Andrew Hoepfner
M Collin Leider
M Christian Jimenez
F Tommy Zipprich
F Daniel Montaquila
Montini
GK Garrick Nielsen
D Joel Camba
D George Lambesis
D Adam Belmares
D Johnny McManus
D Justin Mondschean
M Joshua Gonzaga
M Cody Collier
F Benjamin Snukst
F Luc Larson
F Jack Sidler
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Collin Leider, sr., M, Loyola.
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola – Collin Leider (UA), 10th minute
Second half
Loyola – Daniel Montaquila (Michael Sullivan), 52nd minute
Loyola – Tommy Zipprich (PK), 57th minute
Loyola – Leider (Montaquila, Mario Hrvojevic), 62nd minute