Forwards' speedy start sparks St. Francis
Spartans open season with 8-1 league win over Mother McAuley
By Bill Stone
WHEATON -- St. Francis junior Hannah Rittenhouse realized quickly that things probably were going to go well in Thursday’s season opener.
Her first shot of the season -- and the first for the Spartans -- was a goal.
“I was kind of ready for it. It just always feels good to get out there and score,” Rittenhouse said. “It was good to be back out there. I thought I’d take it, get the first shot off. I thought it really boosted our confidence and brought us together as a team.”
Senior Erin Peck followed suit with her first shot of 2018 fewer than two minutes later.
Another goal.
The Spartans were off and running to an 8-1 Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division victory over Mother McAuley.
“(My first goal) was similar to Hannah’s. It was kind of shocking that my first shot was a goal, but since we warmed up in practice, shooting all week, I think both of us were ready,” said Peck, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match whose second goal opened a 3-0 lead.
“Once we had the opportunity, we just knew we needed to finish it. Last year, there were games where there was one shot that we missed and that’s why we lost. We just knew that we had to score it right away once we had the chance.”
The Spartans, ranked no. 21 in the Chicagoland Soccer preseason poll, dominated Mother McAuley (1-1-0), which posted a 5-0 season-opening victory Wednesday over visiting De La Salle in a match rescheduled from Tuesday.
St. Francis senior Caroline Zimmer scored 55 seconds before halftime for a 4-0 lead after senior Kendra Pasquale dug out the ball in the penalty area.
In the second half, junior Julia Mills on a counterattack breakaway with 20:46 left off a lead pass from junior Mickey Corrigan. Sophomore Bella DeFeo's two goals and senior Lauren Douglass' contribution all received helpers from senior Adeline Shaw.
“I was happy with, after you get through those first 20 minutes, we stated to play the ball around more,” St. Francis coach Jim Winslow said. “It’s great to get those two (goals) right away, especially for those two (Rittenhouse and Peck). When they’re goal scorers and they score, they tend to settle in and play and relax as opposed to when they don’t score and tighten up.”
In many ways, Thursday was somewhat a familiar scenario from 2017, when Rittenhouse (16 goals, 7 assists), Peck (13 goals, 11 assists) and senior Kendra Pasquale (13 goals, 7 assists) tormented many a defense.
They’re just part of an experienced, deep and determined group with 12 seniors, five of whom are already set for college soccer, and numerous returning starters.
They want a postseason run more like the Spartans’ fourth-place Class AA finish in 2016 rather than last season’s 3-1 loss to Hinsdale South in the sectional finals that ended an 11-6-3 season.
“If you want to add kids that have actually started games, it’s probably 12 to 14 (returning starters),” Winslow said. “If I can play 18 to 22 kids, I’m going to play them. (It’s) the luxury of having that many number of kids who can play and do a good job.”
Fittingly, Rittenhouse also scored the Spartans’ first goal in 2017 to initiate a 6-0 victory at Glenbard North. While a more difficult shot, that one wasn’t only 2:20 into the game like Thursday, when Rittenhouse gained control of the ball and darted down the left wing with her deceptive
speed.
“I remember (scoring last year). It was high up over the goalie’s head,” Rittenhouse said. “It’s just a good feeling to know that I can start off and lead the rest of the team and boost their confidence.”
Just 1:42 later, the speedy Peck struck down right wing after getting a lead pass from Zimmer.
Peck scored again 2:40 before halftime, putting the ball into an empty net after Pasquale, Mother McAuley goalie Caitlin Fitzsimmons and a defender converged on a cross just steps outside the box and the ball leaked through.
Even better, Peck, who will play at Illinois Wesleyan, Rittenhouse (Iowa) and Pasquale (Illinois) showed their progress as tacticians and as a unit, controlling, passing and moving the ball amongst themselves and their teammates. Senior center midfielder Claire Hensley will play at St. Bonaventure and senior reserve Nicole Platt at Loras College.
“Each game we all get better together, especially us three up-top because we did start up-top together,” Peck said. “We know how each plays. For me, Hannah’s the strong one so if you find her, you know she’ll be able to keep it. Kendra’s so technically strong. You just know each player’s job and what they’re supposed to do.”
Junior Emma Armbrust watched it all unfold from the sidelines last season. She was out all of 2017 recovering from a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament.
On Thursday, Armbrust started at center defender in an alignment with junior Jill DiTusa and seniors Christine Fasana and Alex Preusser on the outsides and senior goalie Courtney Kozak.
Fasana, one of the team’s fastest players, returns from offseason knee surgery after playing forward in 2017. Armbrust played defender in her last active St. Francis season for the 2016 junior varsity.
“It feels really good to back out on the field and playing and being a part of this team finally, because I’ve been looking forward for a long time,” Armbrust said. “(Last season) I paid attention a lot because I was scorekeeper. I paid attention to how everyone played and connected and had this synergy. I think jumping in here was easier for me having to watch with detail.”
The Spartans allowed just two shots for the first half and none on goal before going with almost an entirely new lineup most of the second half.
While stressful at times, Winslow said the backline tried to create play instead of just “hoofing the ball down the field.”
With the Mighty Macs’ first shot on goal, sophomore reserve Jenna Badali scored just 2:58 into the second half when she got open on the far post to head home a left-wing corner kick by freshman Abigial Grobarcik.
Winslow liked what he saw afterward. The Spartans quickly regrouped and regained momentum even before Mills scored. The final three goals came off Shaw passes, including a give-and-go with Douglass.
Kozak handled only two more relatively easy shots on goal, a 40-yard free kick in the 46th minute and a right-wing shot by Badali in the 80th minute.
“We’re a small school, but we’re athletic. When you’re playing some of these other (larger, ranked) schools, you can’t just depend on being athletic. You’ve got to be able to play and do some certain things,” Winslow said.
“The last two (first half goals) were better (as were) the second half goals, where the ball was being shared, moved. Those balls Allie played were great, because she could have gone in and forced a tough shot but the ball came over and she’s giving Isabelle shot right in front of the 18, and Isabelle buries those.”
McAuley, which started four of its five seniors and two freshmen, was 9-10-0 last season, losing its Class 3A Lincoln-Way East Regional semifinal 1-0 to Eisenhower.
St. Francis’ 6-0 2017 victory over McAuley April 20 at the more spacious St. Xavier University field was one of their six shutouts.
Rittenhouse recalled the Spartans' 2017 sectional final loss -- it was about as bitter as the cold air by the end of Thursday’s victory.
“We are really pushing for state this year. We’ve been working really hard, and we’re really committed to one another. We just need to keep pushing and work game by game,” Rittenhouse said.
“Our main goal is state and taking it game by game is really what we have to focus on,” Peck said. “Last season, I think we got a little too ahead of ourselves, so we’re just taking it game by game and playing as a team.”
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK Courtney Kozak
D Alex Preusser
D Emma Armbrust
D Jill DiTusa
D Christine Fasana
M Claire Hensley
M Ava Hensley
M Caroline Zimmer
M Kendra Pasquale
F Hannah Rittenhouse
F Erin Peck
Mother McAuley
GK Caitlin Fitzsimmons
D Veronica Zapata
D Margo Chakinis
D Emily Lieser
M Julissa Gomez
M Isabella Garrity
M Grace Hynes
M Clare Murphy
M Jane Hynes
F Maeve Sheridan
F Brenna Keaty
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Erin Peck, sr. F, St. Francis
Game summary
St. Francis 4 4 – 8
Mother McAuley 0 1 – 1
1st half
St. Francis – Hannah Rittenhouse 2:20
St. Francis – Erin Peck (Caroline Zimmer) 4:02
St. Francis -- Peck 37:20
St. Francis -- Zimmer (Kendra Pasquale) 39:05
2nd half
Mother McAuley -- Jenna Badali (Abigail Grobarcik) 42:58
St. Francis – Julia Mills (Mickey Corrigan) 59:14
St. Francis – Isabella DeFeo (Adeline Shaw) 61:06
St. Francis -- DeFeo (Shaw) 63:45
St Francis -- Lauren Douglass (Shaw) 72:45
Goalies
St. Francis: Courtney Kozak (2 saves), Mother McAuley: Caitlin
Fitzsimmons (5 saves)
Shots (on goal): St. Francis 17 (10), Mother McAuley 6 (3)
Corner kicks: St. Francis 5, Mother McAuley 3
Spartans open season with 8-1 league win over Mother McAuley
By Bill Stone
WHEATON -- St. Francis junior Hannah Rittenhouse realized quickly that things probably were going to go well in Thursday’s season opener.
Her first shot of the season -- and the first for the Spartans -- was a goal.
“I was kind of ready for it. It just always feels good to get out there and score,” Rittenhouse said. “It was good to be back out there. I thought I’d take it, get the first shot off. I thought it really boosted our confidence and brought us together as a team.”
Senior Erin Peck followed suit with her first shot of 2018 fewer than two minutes later.
Another goal.
The Spartans were off and running to an 8-1 Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division victory over Mother McAuley.
“(My first goal) was similar to Hannah’s. It was kind of shocking that my first shot was a goal, but since we warmed up in practice, shooting all week, I think both of us were ready,” said Peck, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match whose second goal opened a 3-0 lead.
“Once we had the opportunity, we just knew we needed to finish it. Last year, there were games where there was one shot that we missed and that’s why we lost. We just knew that we had to score it right away once we had the chance.”
The Spartans, ranked no. 21 in the Chicagoland Soccer preseason poll, dominated Mother McAuley (1-1-0), which posted a 5-0 season-opening victory Wednesday over visiting De La Salle in a match rescheduled from Tuesday.
St. Francis senior Caroline Zimmer scored 55 seconds before halftime for a 4-0 lead after senior Kendra Pasquale dug out the ball in the penalty area.
In the second half, junior Julia Mills on a counterattack breakaway with 20:46 left off a lead pass from junior Mickey Corrigan. Sophomore Bella DeFeo's two goals and senior Lauren Douglass' contribution all received helpers from senior Adeline Shaw.
“I was happy with, after you get through those first 20 minutes, we stated to play the ball around more,” St. Francis coach Jim Winslow said. “It’s great to get those two (goals) right away, especially for those two (Rittenhouse and Peck). When they’re goal scorers and they score, they tend to settle in and play and relax as opposed to when they don’t score and tighten up.”
In many ways, Thursday was somewhat a familiar scenario from 2017, when Rittenhouse (16 goals, 7 assists), Peck (13 goals, 11 assists) and senior Kendra Pasquale (13 goals, 7 assists) tormented many a defense.
They’re just part of an experienced, deep and determined group with 12 seniors, five of whom are already set for college soccer, and numerous returning starters.
They want a postseason run more like the Spartans’ fourth-place Class AA finish in 2016 rather than last season’s 3-1 loss to Hinsdale South in the sectional finals that ended an 11-6-3 season.
“If you want to add kids that have actually started games, it’s probably 12 to 14 (returning starters),” Winslow said. “If I can play 18 to 22 kids, I’m going to play them. (It’s) the luxury of having that many number of kids who can play and do a good job.”
Fittingly, Rittenhouse also scored the Spartans’ first goal in 2017 to initiate a 6-0 victory at Glenbard North. While a more difficult shot, that one wasn’t only 2:20 into the game like Thursday, when Rittenhouse gained control of the ball and darted down the left wing with her deceptive
speed.
“I remember (scoring last year). It was high up over the goalie’s head,” Rittenhouse said. “It’s just a good feeling to know that I can start off and lead the rest of the team and boost their confidence.”
Just 1:42 later, the speedy Peck struck down right wing after getting a lead pass from Zimmer.
Peck scored again 2:40 before halftime, putting the ball into an empty net after Pasquale, Mother McAuley goalie Caitlin Fitzsimmons and a defender converged on a cross just steps outside the box and the ball leaked through.
Even better, Peck, who will play at Illinois Wesleyan, Rittenhouse (Iowa) and Pasquale (Illinois) showed their progress as tacticians and as a unit, controlling, passing and moving the ball amongst themselves and their teammates. Senior center midfielder Claire Hensley will play at St. Bonaventure and senior reserve Nicole Platt at Loras College.
“Each game we all get better together, especially us three up-top because we did start up-top together,” Peck said. “We know how each plays. For me, Hannah’s the strong one so if you find her, you know she’ll be able to keep it. Kendra’s so technically strong. You just know each player’s job and what they’re supposed to do.”
Junior Emma Armbrust watched it all unfold from the sidelines last season. She was out all of 2017 recovering from a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament.
On Thursday, Armbrust started at center defender in an alignment with junior Jill DiTusa and seniors Christine Fasana and Alex Preusser on the outsides and senior goalie Courtney Kozak.
Fasana, one of the team’s fastest players, returns from offseason knee surgery after playing forward in 2017. Armbrust played defender in her last active St. Francis season for the 2016 junior varsity.
“It feels really good to back out on the field and playing and being a part of this team finally, because I’ve been looking forward for a long time,” Armbrust said. “(Last season) I paid attention a lot because I was scorekeeper. I paid attention to how everyone played and connected and had this synergy. I think jumping in here was easier for me having to watch with detail.”
The Spartans allowed just two shots for the first half and none on goal before going with almost an entirely new lineup most of the second half.
While stressful at times, Winslow said the backline tried to create play instead of just “hoofing the ball down the field.”
With the Mighty Macs’ first shot on goal, sophomore reserve Jenna Badali scored just 2:58 into the second half when she got open on the far post to head home a left-wing corner kick by freshman Abigial Grobarcik.
Winslow liked what he saw afterward. The Spartans quickly regrouped and regained momentum even before Mills scored. The final three goals came off Shaw passes, including a give-and-go with Douglass.
Kozak handled only two more relatively easy shots on goal, a 40-yard free kick in the 46th minute and a right-wing shot by Badali in the 80th minute.
“We’re a small school, but we’re athletic. When you’re playing some of these other (larger, ranked) schools, you can’t just depend on being athletic. You’ve got to be able to play and do some certain things,” Winslow said.
“The last two (first half goals) were better (as were) the second half goals, where the ball was being shared, moved. Those balls Allie played were great, because she could have gone in and forced a tough shot but the ball came over and she’s giving Isabelle shot right in front of the 18, and Isabelle buries those.”
McAuley, which started four of its five seniors and two freshmen, was 9-10-0 last season, losing its Class 3A Lincoln-Way East Regional semifinal 1-0 to Eisenhower.
St. Francis’ 6-0 2017 victory over McAuley April 20 at the more spacious St. Xavier University field was one of their six shutouts.
Rittenhouse recalled the Spartans' 2017 sectional final loss -- it was about as bitter as the cold air by the end of Thursday’s victory.
“We are really pushing for state this year. We’ve been working really hard, and we’re really committed to one another. We just need to keep pushing and work game by game,” Rittenhouse said.
“Our main goal is state and taking it game by game is really what we have to focus on,” Peck said. “Last season, I think we got a little too ahead of ourselves, so we’re just taking it game by game and playing as a team.”
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK Courtney Kozak
D Alex Preusser
D Emma Armbrust
D Jill DiTusa
D Christine Fasana
M Claire Hensley
M Ava Hensley
M Caroline Zimmer
M Kendra Pasquale
F Hannah Rittenhouse
F Erin Peck
Mother McAuley
GK Caitlin Fitzsimmons
D Veronica Zapata
D Margo Chakinis
D Emily Lieser
M Julissa Gomez
M Isabella Garrity
M Grace Hynes
M Clare Murphy
M Jane Hynes
F Maeve Sheridan
F Brenna Keaty
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Erin Peck, sr. F, St. Francis
Game summary
St. Francis 4 4 – 8
Mother McAuley 0 1 – 1
1st half
St. Francis – Hannah Rittenhouse 2:20
St. Francis – Erin Peck (Caroline Zimmer) 4:02
St. Francis -- Peck 37:20
St. Francis -- Zimmer (Kendra Pasquale) 39:05
2nd half
Mother McAuley -- Jenna Badali (Abigail Grobarcik) 42:58
St. Francis – Julia Mills (Mickey Corrigan) 59:14
St. Francis – Isabella DeFeo (Adeline Shaw) 61:06
St. Francis -- DeFeo (Shaw) 63:45
St Francis -- Lauren Douglass (Shaw) 72:45
Goalies
St. Francis: Courtney Kozak (2 saves), Mother McAuley: Caitlin
Fitzsimmons (5 saves)
Shots (on goal): St. Francis 17 (10), Mother McAuley 6 (3)
Corner kicks: St. Francis 5, Mother McAuley 3