WWS mixes victory and charity
2-1 win over Lincoln-Way West has added benefit
By Dave Owen
WHEATON -- Wheaton Warrenville South wasn’t clowning around Thursday.
Playing for a chance to make a donation in the program’s name to the Ronald McDonald House charity, the Tigers (5-1-0) struck for a pair of first half goals and held on for a 2-1 win over visiting Lincoln-Way West (7-4-2).
The win was the third-straight in the PepsiCo Showdown tournament for Wheaton Warrenville South, ranked sixteenth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The last two wins carried an added reward.
“The Tuesday and Thursday games are a round-robin,” Tigers senior Maria Dohse said, “So whoever won this game got $500 for their charity.
“Our charity we chose for the Pepsi Showdown was Ronald McDonald House. We’re very lucky to get an opportunity to give that (donation) to them.”
Dohse’s header goal off a J.J. Aalbue free kick in the 34th minute was on the money, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. That followed Melisa Hadzic’s low 12-yard putaway in the 23rd minute that had staked WW South to a 1-0 lead.
The goals were the first of the season for both players. But other things were more important to them.
“We were really determined to win this game for Ronald McDonald House,” Hadzic said. “We were really happy to see the money go there.”
Community involvement has always been a huge part of Tigers coach Guy Callipari’s girls and boys soccer programs.
“We’re playing for a cause tonight, so that was a major incentive for us,” he said. “To play for Ronald McDonald House, for (sick) kids who don’t have an opportunity to play, we put up a good effort tonight, and I’m glad we showed well.
“We’ve been doing things with Ronald McDonald House for several years, and this gave us the opportunity to do more. To play for them tonight was a great incentive.”
Despite the profitable win, the injury bug wasn’t as charitable to the Tigers on Thursday.
Just three minutes into the match, Northwestern-bound standout Paige Miller nicely won a ball along the sideline but went down to the ground moments later as she began to dribble upfield. She wouldn’t return the rest of the way.
“She twisted her ankle pretty good,” Callipari said, “and at this point in time it’s not necessary to push that. She’ll be back as soon as we can get her back, perhaps not for the weekend now but we’ll try to get her ready. We’re still in the infancy (of the season).”
With Thursday’s game in its infancy, the Tigers didn’t let that setback or anything else slow down their sizzling start.
Cami Terkildsen just missed a connection with a send to the left post that would have given the Tigers the lead 45 seconds into play.
In the eighth minute, Lincoln-Way West goalkeeper Lia Krohe made a nice one-hop catch of Aalbue’s cross to the crease an instant before Tigers players Audrey Siebert and Ellery Fahey arrived.
In the 13th minute, Allie Anderson’s 44-yard free kick deflected off a Warriors defender on net. Krohe again was in the right spot in the 17th minute, making a low grab on Hadzic’s shot off an Aalbue pass.
The key players in those earlier Tigers chances would produce the scoring breakthrough 17:44 before halftime.
After Aalbue’s nice 50-50 ball win and low 30-yard shot was saved by Krohe, WW South quickly won the ensuing goal kick send and made hay.
Siebert took an initial pass from Aalbue and nicely hit Hadzic racing in on the left. Her 12-yard low liner ruffled the netting in the lower right corner for a 1-0 lead.
“I saw J.J. receive the ball, and I know she’s super strong on the ball,” Hadzic said. “So whatever ball she gets is going through. When I saw her and then Audrey I had time to run in, and I got to go back post (on the shot), which turned out to be a good idea.”
But Lincoln-Way West proved to be a resilient opponent, starting with a threat two minutes after Hadzic’s score.
Abby Wasowicz’s midfield win and run right set up Jane Pinkerton’s high 25-yard shot that was grabbed by Tigers goalkeeper Abbie Brennan.
With 14:10 until halftime, Sara Loichinger blistered a 30-yard one-timer just wide of the left post.
“I think we matched up really well (as teams),” Callipari said. “They (the Warriors) were well prepared and well coached. And they had an opportunity to watch us the other night so they had an idea of our strengths and who our go-to people were going to be this evening.”
One constant threat was of particular focus for the Warriors.
“We were trying to mark number 19 (Aalbue) out, which left us a little exposed in the back,” said Lincoln-Way West coach Jeff Theiss. “It was tough.
“I’m very proud of our group. It’s an extremely talented Wheaton team, and they did a good job spreading us out a little bit.
“But (sweeper) Sam (Sarna) was reading the game very fast back there and doing a great job,” Theiss added. “She’s got two freshmen (outside defenders) off her shoulders, and she did a great job organizing that backline. And Lia (Krohe) made some excellent saves to keep us close and keep us in it.”
In the 28th minute, it was impressive defense by the Tigers’ Dohse that led to another wave of late, first half tests for West.
Off a Warriors throw-in, Dohse made a nice block and clear out of the box upfield. An ensuing string of passes by freshmen Sam Aalbue and Elise Farrell and sophomore Becca Haunstein led to a Tigers corner kick.
A Hadzic high 25-yarder just wide of the left post followed 12:05 before halftime. Then on an Anderson 30-yard straight-on free kick two minutes later, Krohe made a high catch at the left post.
The next Tigers set piece with 6:21 to go in the half would be perfect -- and make the score 2-0.
A foul put Aalbue in position to do damage with an 18-yard free kick right of the box. Aalbue’s send found Dohse free at the back post for a header putaway.
“Every free kick and corner, I’d say I’m pretty good at headers,” Dohse said. “So I knew J.J. had the free kick, and I just got back to the back of the line, saw my opportunity, and I took care of it.”
The defender has been an offensive factor on set pieces over her Tigers career.
“Maria always threatens on every opportunity she goes forward,” Callipari said. “She’s just very courageous and has great timing and is athletic, and she’ll stick her head in there no matter what.”
And initiating the play was J.J. Aalbue, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match, who was in the middle of Tigers scoring threats all night.
“Especially when we broke through the different layers of the field, we were really able to exploit the open space and try to find the gaps in the backline,” she said.
“I’m just playing off to other people when I can, but also taking the opportunity (to shoot) when I get it.”
The Tigers defense closed the the last 2:20 of the first half with Sam Buol’s clear of the box on a Warriors free kick, then Brennan’s nice short hop save of a Loichinger 42-yard drive.
Brennan was one of three seniors making a big defensive impact in Thursday’s win.
“Of course Maria in the back and Maddie (Monaco) did a really good job, and Abbie is doing a really good job of communicating back there,” Callipari said.
“I told Abbie ‘If you get everyone around you to do their job, it’ll make your job a lot easier.’ And all you have to do is have the voice, because sometimes they don’t see things and you have that liberty (as a goalkeeper) to see it coming. She’s doing a really good job.
“And our midfield played really well, and our senior core of J.J., Audrey and early on Allie.”
With Anderson resting for much of the second half and Miller already out, the Tigers dug deeper to maintain control of play.
“What I’m pleased about is that we had four reserve players up and six freshmen up,” Callipari said, “and they were able to play at the speed of play and the physicality it presented. They rose to the occasion.
“There were a lot of areas in the game, especially in the middle third where we worked some two-three way combinations with people perhaps not used to those particular roles. But everybody stepped up tonight, so it was a lot of fun to watch.”
The Tigers kept up the attack with two excellent threats in the first six minutes of the second half.
An Aalbue throw-in with 36:20 left found Hadzic for a running 6-foot touch saved by Krohe. Then two minutes later, another close-in Aalbue throw-in resulted in an initial Sarna blocked shot – then an Aalbue 18-yard rebound grabbed by Krohe.
With 25:10 to go, a Hadzic pass found Ellery Fahey in front. But an Elly Hermanson block and Fahey 10-yard rebound try saved by Krohe ended that bid.
Krohe would again face a big test with 11:10 left, when freshman Mia McCoyd alertly intercepted a clearing attempt in the box but had her 12-yard shot stopped by Krohe.
A shot off the side of the net by Loichinger with 10:15 to play would be the last play of the night for Tigers starting goalkeeper Brennan. Replacement Julianna Gonzalez would be tested right away.
A foul with 9:15 left produced a Loichinger 37-yard free kick which Gonzalez would nicely grab away from a Warriors player rushing into the crease.
Back on the offensive, the Tigers came inches away from another Dohse goal with 4:40 to go.
Off a Aalbue corner kick, Dohse’s right side header into the strong wind towards the left post was deflected off the post by a reaching Krohe’s fingertip.
“Against the wind that (header) held it up a little bit,” Callipari said. “And it’s funny because when J.J.’s on the ball or Maria’s winning balls, we all have the tendency to spectate a little bit and not anticipate. Otherwise we’d have more success around the final third.”
That near miss loomed a little larger with 42 seconds left.
After clears by Dohse (2:45 to go) and Hauenstein (1:40 left) denied Warriors bids just outside the box, a Tigers foul gave Loichinger a 22-yard straight-on free kick. Her aim was perfect inside the right post, and the Tigers lead lowered to 2-1.
“Our team was just trying to stay confident and get one in to hopefully get that momentum going,” Loichinger said. “Because if we got one we’d pick our heads up a little bit more and look to find the back of the net again.
“It’s kind of unfortunate that it (the goal) was so late in the game that we weren’t able to keep the momentum going.”
Said Theiss: “At halftime we talked about ‘try to win the second half, give yourselves a chance.’ And the girls did a great job of holding strong in the back and then generating opportunities.
“I think moving forward this bodes really well for us, just as a confidence issue. I’m definitely proud of the effort they put in.”
In the final seconds, Monaco’s clear to midfield 35 yards out squelched the Warriors remote chance at a miracle rally.
With money in the bank for a good cause and a shot at more PepsiCo success this weekend, it was a good night for the Tigers.
“They’re definitely really good at pushing forward,” Loichinger said, “and they have a couple really fast, really technical players. They definitely came out strong.”
With the rest of the tournament and a tough conference schedule to come, the Tigers can't rest on their successes.
“I’m feeling pretty good, but we can improve,” Dohse said. “We’re improving each game and just worrying about focusing on the next game.”
Said Aalbue: “I think we’re definitely going in the right direction. We can definitely improve on a lot of things, but offensively and defensively we’re definitely improving.”
Starting lineups
Lincoln-Way West
GK: Lia Krohe
D: Meaghan Fitzpatrick
D: Samantha Sarna
D: Amanda Yaeger
D: Elly Hermanson
M: Zoey Trout
M: Carissa Knezz
M: Sara Loichinger
M: Anna Kirk
F: Jane Pinkerton
F: Abby Wasowicz
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Abbie Brennan
D: Maria Dohse
D: Maddie Monaco
D: Sara Berardi
D: Becca Hauenstein
M: Allie Anderson
M: J.J. Aalbue
M: Ellery Fahey
M: Audrey Siebert
F: Paige Miller
F: Cami Terkildsen
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: J.J. Aalbue, sr. MF, Wheaton Warrenville South
Scoring summary
First half
WWS- Melisa Hadzic (Audrey Siebert), 23rd minute
WWS- Maria Dohse (J.J. Aalbue), 34th minute
Second half
LWW- Sara Loichinger (free kick), 80th minute
2-1 win over Lincoln-Way West has added benefit
By Dave Owen
WHEATON -- Wheaton Warrenville South wasn’t clowning around Thursday.
Playing for a chance to make a donation in the program’s name to the Ronald McDonald House charity, the Tigers (5-1-0) struck for a pair of first half goals and held on for a 2-1 win over visiting Lincoln-Way West (7-4-2).
The win was the third-straight in the PepsiCo Showdown tournament for Wheaton Warrenville South, ranked sixteenth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The last two wins carried an added reward.
“The Tuesday and Thursday games are a round-robin,” Tigers senior Maria Dohse said, “So whoever won this game got $500 for their charity.
“Our charity we chose for the Pepsi Showdown was Ronald McDonald House. We’re very lucky to get an opportunity to give that (donation) to them.”
Dohse’s header goal off a J.J. Aalbue free kick in the 34th minute was on the money, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. That followed Melisa Hadzic’s low 12-yard putaway in the 23rd minute that had staked WW South to a 1-0 lead.
The goals were the first of the season for both players. But other things were more important to them.
“We were really determined to win this game for Ronald McDonald House,” Hadzic said. “We were really happy to see the money go there.”
Community involvement has always been a huge part of Tigers coach Guy Callipari’s girls and boys soccer programs.
“We’re playing for a cause tonight, so that was a major incentive for us,” he said. “To play for Ronald McDonald House, for (sick) kids who don’t have an opportunity to play, we put up a good effort tonight, and I’m glad we showed well.
“We’ve been doing things with Ronald McDonald House for several years, and this gave us the opportunity to do more. To play for them tonight was a great incentive.”
Despite the profitable win, the injury bug wasn’t as charitable to the Tigers on Thursday.
Just three minutes into the match, Northwestern-bound standout Paige Miller nicely won a ball along the sideline but went down to the ground moments later as she began to dribble upfield. She wouldn’t return the rest of the way.
“She twisted her ankle pretty good,” Callipari said, “and at this point in time it’s not necessary to push that. She’ll be back as soon as we can get her back, perhaps not for the weekend now but we’ll try to get her ready. We’re still in the infancy (of the season).”
With Thursday’s game in its infancy, the Tigers didn’t let that setback or anything else slow down their sizzling start.
Cami Terkildsen just missed a connection with a send to the left post that would have given the Tigers the lead 45 seconds into play.
In the eighth minute, Lincoln-Way West goalkeeper Lia Krohe made a nice one-hop catch of Aalbue’s cross to the crease an instant before Tigers players Audrey Siebert and Ellery Fahey arrived.
In the 13th minute, Allie Anderson’s 44-yard free kick deflected off a Warriors defender on net. Krohe again was in the right spot in the 17th minute, making a low grab on Hadzic’s shot off an Aalbue pass.
The key players in those earlier Tigers chances would produce the scoring breakthrough 17:44 before halftime.
After Aalbue’s nice 50-50 ball win and low 30-yard shot was saved by Krohe, WW South quickly won the ensuing goal kick send and made hay.
Siebert took an initial pass from Aalbue and nicely hit Hadzic racing in on the left. Her 12-yard low liner ruffled the netting in the lower right corner for a 1-0 lead.
“I saw J.J. receive the ball, and I know she’s super strong on the ball,” Hadzic said. “So whatever ball she gets is going through. When I saw her and then Audrey I had time to run in, and I got to go back post (on the shot), which turned out to be a good idea.”
But Lincoln-Way West proved to be a resilient opponent, starting with a threat two minutes after Hadzic’s score.
Abby Wasowicz’s midfield win and run right set up Jane Pinkerton’s high 25-yard shot that was grabbed by Tigers goalkeeper Abbie Brennan.
With 14:10 until halftime, Sara Loichinger blistered a 30-yard one-timer just wide of the left post.
“I think we matched up really well (as teams),” Callipari said. “They (the Warriors) were well prepared and well coached. And they had an opportunity to watch us the other night so they had an idea of our strengths and who our go-to people were going to be this evening.”
One constant threat was of particular focus for the Warriors.
“We were trying to mark number 19 (Aalbue) out, which left us a little exposed in the back,” said Lincoln-Way West coach Jeff Theiss. “It was tough.
“I’m very proud of our group. It’s an extremely talented Wheaton team, and they did a good job spreading us out a little bit.
“But (sweeper) Sam (Sarna) was reading the game very fast back there and doing a great job,” Theiss added. “She’s got two freshmen (outside defenders) off her shoulders, and she did a great job organizing that backline. And Lia (Krohe) made some excellent saves to keep us close and keep us in it.”
In the 28th minute, it was impressive defense by the Tigers’ Dohse that led to another wave of late, first half tests for West.
Off a Warriors throw-in, Dohse made a nice block and clear out of the box upfield. An ensuing string of passes by freshmen Sam Aalbue and Elise Farrell and sophomore Becca Haunstein led to a Tigers corner kick.
A Hadzic high 25-yarder just wide of the left post followed 12:05 before halftime. Then on an Anderson 30-yard straight-on free kick two minutes later, Krohe made a high catch at the left post.
The next Tigers set piece with 6:21 to go in the half would be perfect -- and make the score 2-0.
A foul put Aalbue in position to do damage with an 18-yard free kick right of the box. Aalbue’s send found Dohse free at the back post for a header putaway.
“Every free kick and corner, I’d say I’m pretty good at headers,” Dohse said. “So I knew J.J. had the free kick, and I just got back to the back of the line, saw my opportunity, and I took care of it.”
The defender has been an offensive factor on set pieces over her Tigers career.
“Maria always threatens on every opportunity she goes forward,” Callipari said. “She’s just very courageous and has great timing and is athletic, and she’ll stick her head in there no matter what.”
And initiating the play was J.J. Aalbue, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match, who was in the middle of Tigers scoring threats all night.
“Especially when we broke through the different layers of the field, we were really able to exploit the open space and try to find the gaps in the backline,” she said.
“I’m just playing off to other people when I can, but also taking the opportunity (to shoot) when I get it.”
The Tigers defense closed the the last 2:20 of the first half with Sam Buol’s clear of the box on a Warriors free kick, then Brennan’s nice short hop save of a Loichinger 42-yard drive.
Brennan was one of three seniors making a big defensive impact in Thursday’s win.
“Of course Maria in the back and Maddie (Monaco) did a really good job, and Abbie is doing a really good job of communicating back there,” Callipari said.
“I told Abbie ‘If you get everyone around you to do their job, it’ll make your job a lot easier.’ And all you have to do is have the voice, because sometimes they don’t see things and you have that liberty (as a goalkeeper) to see it coming. She’s doing a really good job.
“And our midfield played really well, and our senior core of J.J., Audrey and early on Allie.”
With Anderson resting for much of the second half and Miller already out, the Tigers dug deeper to maintain control of play.
“What I’m pleased about is that we had four reserve players up and six freshmen up,” Callipari said, “and they were able to play at the speed of play and the physicality it presented. They rose to the occasion.
“There were a lot of areas in the game, especially in the middle third where we worked some two-three way combinations with people perhaps not used to those particular roles. But everybody stepped up tonight, so it was a lot of fun to watch.”
The Tigers kept up the attack with two excellent threats in the first six minutes of the second half.
An Aalbue throw-in with 36:20 left found Hadzic for a running 6-foot touch saved by Krohe. Then two minutes later, another close-in Aalbue throw-in resulted in an initial Sarna blocked shot – then an Aalbue 18-yard rebound grabbed by Krohe.
With 25:10 to go, a Hadzic pass found Ellery Fahey in front. But an Elly Hermanson block and Fahey 10-yard rebound try saved by Krohe ended that bid.
Krohe would again face a big test with 11:10 left, when freshman Mia McCoyd alertly intercepted a clearing attempt in the box but had her 12-yard shot stopped by Krohe.
A shot off the side of the net by Loichinger with 10:15 to play would be the last play of the night for Tigers starting goalkeeper Brennan. Replacement Julianna Gonzalez would be tested right away.
A foul with 9:15 left produced a Loichinger 37-yard free kick which Gonzalez would nicely grab away from a Warriors player rushing into the crease.
Back on the offensive, the Tigers came inches away from another Dohse goal with 4:40 to go.
Off a Aalbue corner kick, Dohse’s right side header into the strong wind towards the left post was deflected off the post by a reaching Krohe’s fingertip.
“Against the wind that (header) held it up a little bit,” Callipari said. “And it’s funny because when J.J.’s on the ball or Maria’s winning balls, we all have the tendency to spectate a little bit and not anticipate. Otherwise we’d have more success around the final third.”
That near miss loomed a little larger with 42 seconds left.
After clears by Dohse (2:45 to go) and Hauenstein (1:40 left) denied Warriors bids just outside the box, a Tigers foul gave Loichinger a 22-yard straight-on free kick. Her aim was perfect inside the right post, and the Tigers lead lowered to 2-1.
“Our team was just trying to stay confident and get one in to hopefully get that momentum going,” Loichinger said. “Because if we got one we’d pick our heads up a little bit more and look to find the back of the net again.
“It’s kind of unfortunate that it (the goal) was so late in the game that we weren’t able to keep the momentum going.”
Said Theiss: “At halftime we talked about ‘try to win the second half, give yourselves a chance.’ And the girls did a great job of holding strong in the back and then generating opportunities.
“I think moving forward this bodes really well for us, just as a confidence issue. I’m definitely proud of the effort they put in.”
In the final seconds, Monaco’s clear to midfield 35 yards out squelched the Warriors remote chance at a miracle rally.
With money in the bank for a good cause and a shot at more PepsiCo success this weekend, it was a good night for the Tigers.
“They’re definitely really good at pushing forward,” Loichinger said, “and they have a couple really fast, really technical players. They definitely came out strong.”
With the rest of the tournament and a tough conference schedule to come, the Tigers can't rest on their successes.
“I’m feeling pretty good, but we can improve,” Dohse said. “We’re improving each game and just worrying about focusing on the next game.”
Said Aalbue: “I think we’re definitely going in the right direction. We can definitely improve on a lot of things, but offensively and defensively we’re definitely improving.”
Starting lineups
Lincoln-Way West
GK: Lia Krohe
D: Meaghan Fitzpatrick
D: Samantha Sarna
D: Amanda Yaeger
D: Elly Hermanson
M: Zoey Trout
M: Carissa Knezz
M: Sara Loichinger
M: Anna Kirk
F: Jane Pinkerton
F: Abby Wasowicz
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Abbie Brennan
D: Maria Dohse
D: Maddie Monaco
D: Sara Berardi
D: Becca Hauenstein
M: Allie Anderson
M: J.J. Aalbue
M: Ellery Fahey
M: Audrey Siebert
F: Paige Miller
F: Cami Terkildsen
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: J.J. Aalbue, sr. MF, Wheaton Warrenville South
Scoring summary
First half
WWS- Melisa Hadzic (Audrey Siebert), 23rd minute
WWS- Maria Dohse (J.J. Aalbue), 34th minute
Second half
LWW- Sara Loichinger (free kick), 80th minute