Lyons steps forward against Lake Forest
Lions stay unbeaten with a 3-1 win over the Scouts
By Gary Larsen
WILMETTE — Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary was happy with the win his girls posted on Tuesday over West Suburban Silver rival Hinsdale Central.
And then he wasn’t.
“I was very pleased. We were coming off a big rivalry game against Hinsdale and we got off with a 3-0 win,” Lanspeary said. “But when we watched the film, we knew that we have to play better. And today they responded.”
Lyons won 3-1 over Lake Forest on Saturday in opening-round pool play of the Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Classic in a game played on tournament host Loyola’s home field.
The problems Lanspeary saw in watching film of the Hinsdale Central game guided the Lions’ work week before taking on Lake Forest.
“We had a lot we needed to work on just to connect as a team,” midfielder Meara Hilling said. “We’ve been working all week on connecting passes and possessing the ball better. We got a lot more chances and combinations today.”
At game time Lyons (3-0-1) was ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 with Lake Forest (4-1-0) at no. 22.
The Lions got on the board at 10 minutes with a Grace Truax goal, and led 2-0 at halftime when Georgia Dougherty ran onto a Lily Mattern free kick and touched it on the hop past Scouts keeper Sophia DiVagno.
Lake Forest fought well throughout the second half. At 57 minutes, Lindsey Asmussen turned the corner deep in Lions territory and fired on keeper Sophie Grabis, who made the stop and then retreated to her line to save a follow-up shot from the Scouts’ Emerson Waddle.
Grabis saved another shot taken by Lake Forest’s Grace Hardy before the Scouts cut their deficit in half on a penalty kick by Camy Esplin at 69 minutes.
But when the Lions’ Colleen Kulinski buried an Ava Dallavo feed from 16 yards at 77 minutes, Lyons regained its two-goal cushion. Kulinski was named Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match for her play coming off the bench.
“Colleen Kulinsky stepped up and had a good game for us up-top, kind of holding the ball and being a target,” Lanspeary said. “So I’m very pleased and happy for her.”
The Lions have now scored eight goals in four games as their attack finds seasoning.
“Sometimes we kind of freak out and just kick it, but I feel like today we were definitely more calm with the ball,” Kulinski said. “But we’re kind of a new team so I think now we’re just starting to get more comfortable.”
Lanspeary wants to see his side continue to fine-tune its attack.
“Connecting passes, getting their heads up, moving off the ball, and playing with a little more poise,” Lanspeary said. “You have to play fast but you also have to play with poise under pressure.”
Midfielder Eileen Murphy will also be a key to the Lions’ attacking success. Murphy is a four-year varsity player and no secret to any defense the Lions will face this season.
“(Murphy) gets a lot of attention, but she’s gotten used to it and realizes ‘If I’ve got two on me, somebody’s open,’” Lanspeary said. “She’s got the vision and the feel for the game to do that and make that happen.
“Our possession and movement were better today but they’re still not where they need to be. But they’re starting to see it, and starting to play off of each other a little bit better.
“There were still times when there was a little bit of panic, or players reacting when they should be anticipating, but it’s early and those are things that we can hopefully get better at.”
The penalty kick that Lake Forest converted was significant beyond the game’s final score. It also marked the first goal scored against Grabis and her defense this season.
The Lions have yet to give up a goal in the run of play as Grabis has shined in her second varsity season in net. “She has kept us in games,” Hilling said.
Lanspeary agreed.
“She has really improved since last year, and she has worked very hard,” Lanspeary said.
“There have been some breakdowns, and some good plays by opposing teams, and she has come up big for us. She’s had to react to that one or two chances coming at her, which can sometimes be more difficult for a keeper than if she’s busy handling more shots during a game.”
During Lake Forest’s second half attacking surge, the Lions’ relied on a stable of defenders in Truax, Mattern, Peri Kracker, Bri Stirrat, Alex Drobny, and Lizzy Vear.
“Our backs have done a nice job, and they’re getting better,” Lanspeary said. “They always work hard, and now they’re playing smarter. They’re talking to each other more and not getting flat.”
The Lions take on Glenbrook South in second-round tournament play on Monday, and play West Suburban Silver foe Proviso West on Tuesday before returning to tournament play against Loyola on Wednesday.
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK Sophie Grabis
D Grace Truax
D Bri Stirrat
D Lily Mattern
D Peri Kracker
M Eileen Murphy
M Meara Hilling
M Ava Dallavo
M Elaina Simms
M Linea Nelson-Sandall
F Olivia Wirtz
Lake Forest
GK Sophia DiVagno
D Lily Bryant
D Maggie Mick
D Leland Keller
D Lindsey Asmussen
M Emerson Waddle
M Katie Bondoc
M Camy Esplin
M Ashley Bufe
M Ainsley Allan
F Eiise Stanley
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Colleen Kulinski, jr., F, Lyons
Scoring summary
First half
Lyons: Truax (UA) at 10 minutes
Lyons: Dougherty (Mattern) at 38 minutes
Second half
Lake Forest: Esplin (PK) at 69 minutes
Lyons: Kulinski (Dallavo) at 77 minutes
Lions stay unbeaten with a 3-1 win over the Scouts
By Gary Larsen
WILMETTE — Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary was happy with the win his girls posted on Tuesday over West Suburban Silver rival Hinsdale Central.
And then he wasn’t.
“I was very pleased. We were coming off a big rivalry game against Hinsdale and we got off with a 3-0 win,” Lanspeary said. “But when we watched the film, we knew that we have to play better. And today they responded.”
Lyons won 3-1 over Lake Forest on Saturday in opening-round pool play of the Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Classic in a game played on tournament host Loyola’s home field.
The problems Lanspeary saw in watching film of the Hinsdale Central game guided the Lions’ work week before taking on Lake Forest.
“We had a lot we needed to work on just to connect as a team,” midfielder Meara Hilling said. “We’ve been working all week on connecting passes and possessing the ball better. We got a lot more chances and combinations today.”
At game time Lyons (3-0-1) was ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 with Lake Forest (4-1-0) at no. 22.
The Lions got on the board at 10 minutes with a Grace Truax goal, and led 2-0 at halftime when Georgia Dougherty ran onto a Lily Mattern free kick and touched it on the hop past Scouts keeper Sophia DiVagno.
Lake Forest fought well throughout the second half. At 57 minutes, Lindsey Asmussen turned the corner deep in Lions territory and fired on keeper Sophie Grabis, who made the stop and then retreated to her line to save a follow-up shot from the Scouts’ Emerson Waddle.
Grabis saved another shot taken by Lake Forest’s Grace Hardy before the Scouts cut their deficit in half on a penalty kick by Camy Esplin at 69 minutes.
But when the Lions’ Colleen Kulinski buried an Ava Dallavo feed from 16 yards at 77 minutes, Lyons regained its two-goal cushion. Kulinski was named Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match for her play coming off the bench.
“Colleen Kulinsky stepped up and had a good game for us up-top, kind of holding the ball and being a target,” Lanspeary said. “So I’m very pleased and happy for her.”
The Lions have now scored eight goals in four games as their attack finds seasoning.
“Sometimes we kind of freak out and just kick it, but I feel like today we were definitely more calm with the ball,” Kulinski said. “But we’re kind of a new team so I think now we’re just starting to get more comfortable.”
Lanspeary wants to see his side continue to fine-tune its attack.
“Connecting passes, getting their heads up, moving off the ball, and playing with a little more poise,” Lanspeary said. “You have to play fast but you also have to play with poise under pressure.”
Midfielder Eileen Murphy will also be a key to the Lions’ attacking success. Murphy is a four-year varsity player and no secret to any defense the Lions will face this season.
“(Murphy) gets a lot of attention, but she’s gotten used to it and realizes ‘If I’ve got two on me, somebody’s open,’” Lanspeary said. “She’s got the vision and the feel for the game to do that and make that happen.
“Our possession and movement were better today but they’re still not where they need to be. But they’re starting to see it, and starting to play off of each other a little bit better.
“There were still times when there was a little bit of panic, or players reacting when they should be anticipating, but it’s early and those are things that we can hopefully get better at.”
The penalty kick that Lake Forest converted was significant beyond the game’s final score. It also marked the first goal scored against Grabis and her defense this season.
The Lions have yet to give up a goal in the run of play as Grabis has shined in her second varsity season in net. “She has kept us in games,” Hilling said.
Lanspeary agreed.
“She has really improved since last year, and she has worked very hard,” Lanspeary said.
“There have been some breakdowns, and some good plays by opposing teams, and she has come up big for us. She’s had to react to that one or two chances coming at her, which can sometimes be more difficult for a keeper than if she’s busy handling more shots during a game.”
During Lake Forest’s second half attacking surge, the Lions’ relied on a stable of defenders in Truax, Mattern, Peri Kracker, Bri Stirrat, Alex Drobny, and Lizzy Vear.
“Our backs have done a nice job, and they’re getting better,” Lanspeary said. “They always work hard, and now they’re playing smarter. They’re talking to each other more and not getting flat.”
The Lions take on Glenbrook South in second-round tournament play on Monday, and play West Suburban Silver foe Proviso West on Tuesday before returning to tournament play against Loyola on Wednesday.
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK Sophie Grabis
D Grace Truax
D Bri Stirrat
D Lily Mattern
D Peri Kracker
M Eileen Murphy
M Meara Hilling
M Ava Dallavo
M Elaina Simms
M Linea Nelson-Sandall
F Olivia Wirtz
Lake Forest
GK Sophia DiVagno
D Lily Bryant
D Maggie Mick
D Leland Keller
D Lindsey Asmussen
M Emerson Waddle
M Katie Bondoc
M Camy Esplin
M Ashley Bufe
M Ainsley Allan
F Eiise Stanley
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Colleen Kulinski, jr., F, Lyons
Scoring summary
First half
Lyons: Truax (UA) at 10 minutes
Lyons: Dougherty (Mattern) at 38 minutes
Second half
Lake Forest: Esplin (PK) at 69 minutes
Lyons: Kulinski (Dallavo) at 77 minutes