Pride of Lyons' takes down Fremd
Lions score 3-1 win in Naperville consolation finale
By Steve Nemeth
NAPERVILLE -- Dictionaries state that lions live in a “pride”, but specify that if they’re all females, it’s referred to as “a pride of lions.”
When it came to Saturday’s Naperville Invitational consolation pool finale against Fremd, the 3-1 triumph was clearly based on the performance of Lyons’ "pride of Lions."
When asked if it was difficult to find motivation for a second consolation match, junior Eileen Murphy bristled at the question.
“Every match is a chance to build up our record and every win shows how well we can play,” Murphy stated.
“Even if it’s not for a tourney trophy, we want to win just as bad as if it was. We want to play our best every time out,” insisted Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Meara Hilling.
Maggie Gilchrist did not forget the sting of the Lions' tournament losses. First came a 2-0 defeat to eventual invite runner-up Naperville North, ranked ninth at the time, in pool play. After a 4-0 win over Lincoln-Way Central, the Lions then fell 1-0 to Benet. The senior’s unmistakable hustle was visual evidence of a desire to put the setbacks behind the team and finish at 2-2 in the prestigious 24-school event.
Back on the winning track, the Lions (8-5-0, 3-0-0) resume their quest to defend their West Suburban Conference Silver Division crown.
Against Fremd, they expected to continue their improvement against a team also perched in the honorable mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. Therefore, a loss to the Vikings (5-6-2) was not in the gameplan.
Lyons was clearly the aggressor from the opening whistle and less than three minutes in only back-to-back saves kept Fremd from trailing. With standout sophomore keeper Jennifer Norris sidelined, Kennedy Gosell was called into duty and made a stellar block and tried to recover for another when a defensive teammate absorbed a follow-up shot and cleared the ball.
At just over 25 minutes into play, the Lions had a free kick sail across the front of the goal begging for any kind of redirect.
With 10:26 remaining before intermission, Lyons took the lead thanks to Hilling’s goal and Ava Dallavo’s assist.
“Coming off a throw-in I was able to pass the ball Ava (Dallavo), who gave me the perfect return, and it was just like what we do in practice,” said Hilling, who added duplicating the feat against an opponent felt “awesome. Scoring like that in a game is when you know your work is really paying off.”
The closest Fremd came to countering came with two opportunities. With 8:14 to go before halftime, the Vikings sent in a free kick that Lyons starting goalie Mattigan Kelly squarely caught. Three minutes later, the Vikings’ Caleigh Stone dribbled by a couple defenders into the penalty box only to have the Lions’ Catherina Johnson dispossess the ball and end the threat.
With 1:25 remaining, the Lions doubled their lead. Gilchrist, who seemed to be everywhere, whether from box to box or sideline to sideline, landed a corner kick into prime scoring territory. A carom was ultimately headed home by Lindsey Hahn. Fueled by that success, Lyons followed with a Gilchrist through-ball that enabled Murphy to close in on the Fremd net before the Viking defense was able to poke it away.
For those who insist a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous, Fremd appeared to prove that theory with the best kind of second half start. Not only was Elizabeth Prigge’s 44th-minute corner kick potentially curving inside the far post, teammate Stone was in position to make certain the deficit was cut in half. That score came against the Lions’ Sophie Grabis, who took over in goal for the final 40 minutes.
“Having gotten into position near the back post, I just need to get my leg on it enough to redirect the cross,” Stone explained in regard to her eighth goal and the third time the duo believe they combined on a goal from a corner.”
Prigge knew the plan.
“I’m always trying to find a teammate with where I place it, and I’m always confidence Caleigh will be near the back post,” she said. “Momentum definitely was back on our side, and we got a few more chances, but just couldn’t seem to finish those.”
Fremd coach Steve Keller applauded the goal but lamented the situation.
“We did fight back and that quick score put us back in the game,” Fremd coach Steve Keller agreed. “The problem was we didn’t come out with our best effort in the first half and were in a hole. The second half we started to make them chase us, but the bottom line is they’re a good team. While we hung in there, we needed more from everyone.
“I thought the Prigge sisters (sophomores Elizabeth and Allie) did a great job for us in back. And Marta (Cholewa) is consistently strong,” added Keller, who has continued to adjust line-ups based on youth and injuries.
Midway through the second half, Fremd goalie Gosell made a notable save on an Elizabeth Hall header from another Gilchrist corner service. A minute later, Georgia Dougherty booted a laser shot that Gosell saved to keep the Vikings’ hopes alive.
But with 12:01 remaining in regulation, a trip resulted in a penalty kick opportunity for Lyons, and Johnson converted with a blast that Gosell was unable to catch cleanly. Having three different scorers was an example of another point of pride for the Lions.
“That was absolutely part of our character. We don’t have a 20-25 goal scorer like some teams,” Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary noted. “We’ll have one or two people score, and the next match we’ll have two or three others contribute. I think it’s a good example of how this group shares the ball.
“In this match I think getting on the scoreboard first was a big key, so Meara is an MVP. Fremd had bottled up, and she got us going. That first goal loosened up their defense. The other thing is Meara does a nice job helping us out at both ends. She really did control the middle for us.
“The unsung hero would be Elizabeth (Hall), who did a great job defensively,” Lanspeary said. “She often closed down their attack before it could become dangerous. Her ability to force their offense from operating was a key factor.”
Murphy thought her teammates in the are often overlooked.
“They both do such a solid job for us and switching halves is tough for both, whoever has to come out after doing well and whoever has to come in and get into the flow of the match,” Murphy said.
Murphy herself was filling in as a center defender, essentially emulating Gilchrist’s “do whatever is needed” philosophy.
Her teammate knows the feeling.
“Last year I was strictly a defender, now playing midfield or forward is something that’s changed my view of the game,” Gilchrist noted. “I see the importance of us working on connecting passes, being able to adjust to a fast pace and play fluid soccer.”
With three-straight West Suburban Conference Silver Division matches ahead, Lyons hopes for a second-straight league crown are clearly on the line. On Monday, Hinsdale Central pays a visit. The Red Devils denied the second place Lions the title in the 2015 and 2016 standings.
After a Tuesday trip to Glenbard West, Lyons is back home to welcome Downers Grove North, which is currently 2-0 in the conference, last season’s runner-up and another member of Chicagoland Soccer's honorable mention teams list.
Fremd’s week consists of four consecutive Mid-Suburban League outings with which to improve on a current 5-2-0 league ledger. The Vikings host no. 3-ranked Barrington in a must-win game on Monday, visit Rolling Meadows on Wednesday, welcome Schaumburg on Friday and make-up a postponed road date with Elk Grove on Saturday.
Starting lineups
Fremd
GK: Kennedy Gosell
D: Emma Katovich
D: Marta Cholewa
D: Lauren Burk
D: Elizabeth Prigge
M: Maya Poyraz
M: Mack Stein
M: Madeline McCarthy
F: Ashley Scesniak
F: Caleigh Stone
F: Layla Dib
Lyons
GK: Mattigan Kelly
D: Bri Stirrat
D: Catherina Johnson
D: Eileen Murphy
D: Grace Truaz
M: Elizabeth Hall
M: Meara Hilling
M: Maggie Gilchrist
F: Bella Lestina
F: Olivia Wirtz
F: Ava Dallavo
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Meara Hilling, jr., MF, Lyons
Referees: George Wilhelmsen, Dylan Kramer, Jose Gonzalez
Game summary
Lyons 3, Fremd 1
Fremd 0 1 --- 1 (5-6-2)
Lyons 2 1 --- 3 (8-5-0)
Scoring
First half
L --- Hilling nine-yard finish off textbook give-and-go (Dallavo assist), 29:34 gone
L --- Hahn solid eight-yard header to finish scramble from corner kick (Gilchrist assist), 38:35 gone
Second half
F --- Stewart four-yard redirect off corner kick (E. Prigge assist), 43:30 gone
L --- Johnson penalty kick conversion (unassisted), 67:59 gone
Shots
F 0 – 5 --- 5
L 8 – 5 --- 13
Shots on goal
F 1 – 3 --- 4
T 6 – 3 --- 9
Saves (goalie)
F (Gosell 3 / 1 by defender) 4 – 2 --- 6
L (Kelly) 1 – (Grabis) 2 --- 3
Corner kicks
F 0 – 2 --- 2
L 3 – 1 --- 4
Offsides
F 0 – 0 --- 0
L 0 – 1 --- 1
Lions score 3-1 win in Naperville consolation finale
By Steve Nemeth
NAPERVILLE -- Dictionaries state that lions live in a “pride”, but specify that if they’re all females, it’s referred to as “a pride of lions.”
When it came to Saturday’s Naperville Invitational consolation pool finale against Fremd, the 3-1 triumph was clearly based on the performance of Lyons’ "pride of Lions."
When asked if it was difficult to find motivation for a second consolation match, junior Eileen Murphy bristled at the question.
“Every match is a chance to build up our record and every win shows how well we can play,” Murphy stated.
“Even if it’s not for a tourney trophy, we want to win just as bad as if it was. We want to play our best every time out,” insisted Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Meara Hilling.
Maggie Gilchrist did not forget the sting of the Lions' tournament losses. First came a 2-0 defeat to eventual invite runner-up Naperville North, ranked ninth at the time, in pool play. After a 4-0 win over Lincoln-Way Central, the Lions then fell 1-0 to Benet. The senior’s unmistakable hustle was visual evidence of a desire to put the setbacks behind the team and finish at 2-2 in the prestigious 24-school event.
Back on the winning track, the Lions (8-5-0, 3-0-0) resume their quest to defend their West Suburban Conference Silver Division crown.
Against Fremd, they expected to continue their improvement against a team also perched in the honorable mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. Therefore, a loss to the Vikings (5-6-2) was not in the gameplan.
Lyons was clearly the aggressor from the opening whistle and less than three minutes in only back-to-back saves kept Fremd from trailing. With standout sophomore keeper Jennifer Norris sidelined, Kennedy Gosell was called into duty and made a stellar block and tried to recover for another when a defensive teammate absorbed a follow-up shot and cleared the ball.
At just over 25 minutes into play, the Lions had a free kick sail across the front of the goal begging for any kind of redirect.
With 10:26 remaining before intermission, Lyons took the lead thanks to Hilling’s goal and Ava Dallavo’s assist.
“Coming off a throw-in I was able to pass the ball Ava (Dallavo), who gave me the perfect return, and it was just like what we do in practice,” said Hilling, who added duplicating the feat against an opponent felt “awesome. Scoring like that in a game is when you know your work is really paying off.”
The closest Fremd came to countering came with two opportunities. With 8:14 to go before halftime, the Vikings sent in a free kick that Lyons starting goalie Mattigan Kelly squarely caught. Three minutes later, the Vikings’ Caleigh Stone dribbled by a couple defenders into the penalty box only to have the Lions’ Catherina Johnson dispossess the ball and end the threat.
With 1:25 remaining, the Lions doubled their lead. Gilchrist, who seemed to be everywhere, whether from box to box or sideline to sideline, landed a corner kick into prime scoring territory. A carom was ultimately headed home by Lindsey Hahn. Fueled by that success, Lyons followed with a Gilchrist through-ball that enabled Murphy to close in on the Fremd net before the Viking defense was able to poke it away.
For those who insist a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous, Fremd appeared to prove that theory with the best kind of second half start. Not only was Elizabeth Prigge’s 44th-minute corner kick potentially curving inside the far post, teammate Stone was in position to make certain the deficit was cut in half. That score came against the Lions’ Sophie Grabis, who took over in goal for the final 40 minutes.
“Having gotten into position near the back post, I just need to get my leg on it enough to redirect the cross,” Stone explained in regard to her eighth goal and the third time the duo believe they combined on a goal from a corner.”
Prigge knew the plan.
“I’m always trying to find a teammate with where I place it, and I’m always confidence Caleigh will be near the back post,” she said. “Momentum definitely was back on our side, and we got a few more chances, but just couldn’t seem to finish those.”
Fremd coach Steve Keller applauded the goal but lamented the situation.
“We did fight back and that quick score put us back in the game,” Fremd coach Steve Keller agreed. “The problem was we didn’t come out with our best effort in the first half and were in a hole. The second half we started to make them chase us, but the bottom line is they’re a good team. While we hung in there, we needed more from everyone.
“I thought the Prigge sisters (sophomores Elizabeth and Allie) did a great job for us in back. And Marta (Cholewa) is consistently strong,” added Keller, who has continued to adjust line-ups based on youth and injuries.
Midway through the second half, Fremd goalie Gosell made a notable save on an Elizabeth Hall header from another Gilchrist corner service. A minute later, Georgia Dougherty booted a laser shot that Gosell saved to keep the Vikings’ hopes alive.
But with 12:01 remaining in regulation, a trip resulted in a penalty kick opportunity for Lyons, and Johnson converted with a blast that Gosell was unable to catch cleanly. Having three different scorers was an example of another point of pride for the Lions.
“That was absolutely part of our character. We don’t have a 20-25 goal scorer like some teams,” Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary noted. “We’ll have one or two people score, and the next match we’ll have two or three others contribute. I think it’s a good example of how this group shares the ball.
“In this match I think getting on the scoreboard first was a big key, so Meara is an MVP. Fremd had bottled up, and she got us going. That first goal loosened up their defense. The other thing is Meara does a nice job helping us out at both ends. She really did control the middle for us.
“The unsung hero would be Elizabeth (Hall), who did a great job defensively,” Lanspeary said. “She often closed down their attack before it could become dangerous. Her ability to force their offense from operating was a key factor.”
Murphy thought her teammates in the are often overlooked.
“They both do such a solid job for us and switching halves is tough for both, whoever has to come out after doing well and whoever has to come in and get into the flow of the match,” Murphy said.
Murphy herself was filling in as a center defender, essentially emulating Gilchrist’s “do whatever is needed” philosophy.
Her teammate knows the feeling.
“Last year I was strictly a defender, now playing midfield or forward is something that’s changed my view of the game,” Gilchrist noted. “I see the importance of us working on connecting passes, being able to adjust to a fast pace and play fluid soccer.”
With three-straight West Suburban Conference Silver Division matches ahead, Lyons hopes for a second-straight league crown are clearly on the line. On Monday, Hinsdale Central pays a visit. The Red Devils denied the second place Lions the title in the 2015 and 2016 standings.
After a Tuesday trip to Glenbard West, Lyons is back home to welcome Downers Grove North, which is currently 2-0 in the conference, last season’s runner-up and another member of Chicagoland Soccer's honorable mention teams list.
Fremd’s week consists of four consecutive Mid-Suburban League outings with which to improve on a current 5-2-0 league ledger. The Vikings host no. 3-ranked Barrington in a must-win game on Monday, visit Rolling Meadows on Wednesday, welcome Schaumburg on Friday and make-up a postponed road date with Elk Grove on Saturday.
Starting lineups
Fremd
GK: Kennedy Gosell
D: Emma Katovich
D: Marta Cholewa
D: Lauren Burk
D: Elizabeth Prigge
M: Maya Poyraz
M: Mack Stein
M: Madeline McCarthy
F: Ashley Scesniak
F: Caleigh Stone
F: Layla Dib
Lyons
GK: Mattigan Kelly
D: Bri Stirrat
D: Catherina Johnson
D: Eileen Murphy
D: Grace Truaz
M: Elizabeth Hall
M: Meara Hilling
M: Maggie Gilchrist
F: Bella Lestina
F: Olivia Wirtz
F: Ava Dallavo
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Meara Hilling, jr., MF, Lyons
Referees: George Wilhelmsen, Dylan Kramer, Jose Gonzalez
Game summary
Lyons 3, Fremd 1
Fremd 0 1 --- 1 (5-6-2)
Lyons 2 1 --- 3 (8-5-0)
Scoring
First half
L --- Hilling nine-yard finish off textbook give-and-go (Dallavo assist), 29:34 gone
L --- Hahn solid eight-yard header to finish scramble from corner kick (Gilchrist assist), 38:35 gone
Second half
F --- Stewart four-yard redirect off corner kick (E. Prigge assist), 43:30 gone
L --- Johnson penalty kick conversion (unassisted), 67:59 gone
Shots
F 0 – 5 --- 5
L 8 – 5 --- 13
Shots on goal
F 1 – 3 --- 4
T 6 – 3 --- 9
Saves (goalie)
F (Gosell 3 / 1 by defender) 4 – 2 --- 6
L (Kelly) 1 – (Grabis) 2 --- 3
Corner kicks
F 0 – 2 --- 2
L 3 – 1 --- 4
Offsides
F 0 – 0 --- 0
L 0 – 1 --- 1