Young’s Senior Day moment gives
Neuqua Valley key draw vs. Naperville N.
Defender’s 1st goal of season is equalizer in 2-2 DVC clash
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – Reaghan Young had a senior moment on Friday.
It’s one she won’t forget.
The Neuqua Valley senior got a rare start and made the most of it, scoring the game-tying goal late in the second half as the host Wildcats rallied for a 2-2 overtime draw against Naperville North.
Young, who will play college soccer at Webster in the fall, hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time thanks to Neuqua’s deep well of talent, but she was in the lineup on Senior Day.
“This is a big night for me,” Young said. “I’ve been working really hard for the last four years, and I’m super excited.
“I’ve been working really hard trying to do as much as I can for the team, so I was really glad that I could help them.”
Young’s goal, her first of the season, came with 3:57 left in regulation when she used her body to deflect a high cross from Piper Biziorek, tying the game at 2. The ball traveled less than five yards, but it changed the complexion of the DuPage Valley Conference race.
The Wildcats (8-3-4, 2-0-1) control their own destiny. They will earn at least a share of the league title if they can beat Waubonsie Valley on Tuesday.
Naperville North (7-4-3, 1-0-1) also controls its fortunes but needs wins over Metea Valley and Naperville Central next week to assure at least a tie for the crown.
But Young wasn’t thinking about that when she saw Biziorek’s cross coming in from the right wing.
“It just hit off my shoulder,” Young said. “I was just trying to get any part of my body on it to get a goal because we really needed it. It was a great ball from Piper.”
Biziorek has been causing headaches for defenses lately with her speed and relentlessness on the outside. This play was an example of that.
“It’s just something that we’ve been working on for a really long time,” Young said. “We always work on getting our crosses in and getting behind balls.
“Yesterday we spent a lot of time on that, so I just tried to implement what we did in practice, and we did really good. I was super happy that Piper could get (the cross) in because we’ve been talking about getting them in.”
Five other seniors -- starters Kasey Gillespie, Shannon Tagler, Erin McCarthy, Danielle Hopkins and Alison Dovalovsky -- were also honored in postgame ceremonies but the Wildcats were talking mostly about Young, whose post-match interviews were interrupted momentarily by screaming applause from her teammates.
“I’m just so happy for her,” Hopkins said. “I know she hasn’t played probably as much as she would like to, so I was ecstatic that she was able to play and get one in.
“It means basically we have a pretty deep bench. If someone’s hurting or they need a break, we’re comfortable with putting somebody in the game, and we can trust them.”
Young also played a major role in Neuqua’s first goal. She took a ball to the right endline before crossing in front to a spot just outside the 6.
A Naperville North defender deflected the ball toward the back post, where Hopkins pounced on it to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead with 25:30 left in the first half.
The goal came against the early run of play as Naperville North junior Hannah Martin nearly scored twice within the first 14 minutes.
Martin fired a 17-yard shot off the crossbar in the 10th minute and had another hard shot in the box deflected over the crossbar by Gillespie in the 14th minute.
However, Martin would not be denied as she found the back of the net on her third and fourth shots to put the Huskies up 2-1 at the half.
The first came with 17:40 left when Leah Shumate dropped sent a pass into the box to Martin, who was bracketed by two defenders but made a cutback move to get open before sliding a left-footed shot between Gillespie and the right post.
Martin struck again seven minutes later thanks to a misplay by the Neuqua defense. Paige Sylvester’s long ball from the left side of the midfield dropped into the box, where a defender whiffed on it. Martin got it on the bounce and quickly scored.
“It was just really good service from my teammates,” Martin said. “They played great balls over the top and in behind the gaps, which is what we had looked at on their game film.
“We knew coming in we wanted the balls (to get) to me, and they just happened to fall tonight.”
Nothing else did for the Huskies, who were on their heels for much of the time after intermission, though they managed to cling to their lead for over 36 minutes.
“I think probably 2-2 was fair,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “In the first half, obviously we make a mistake in the box, ball falls right to Hopkins from two yards out and she’s going to score that 100-out-of-100 times.
“But then I thought the response from the kids was fantastic. We were all over them in the first half, got two great goals in the run of play.
“Hannah was fantastic tonight, and the work rate to get the ball forward in the first half I thought was very good.
“That second (Neuqua) goal was a little unlucky. I don’t even know whether she knows it hit her and went in the goal, but at the same time, it was a great ball in, a great run by the kid.”
There was a lot of great play by both sides on a wet, grass field that probably could have used a tractor mower. The Wildcats were arguably the better side in terms of attacking play, but both defenses shined at times in overcoming mistakes.
“It was tough today, a wet, muddy field,” Goletz said. “Neuqua’s got so many great attacking pieces and so much speed outside
“We did a fantastic job of marking runners in the box, winning balls. (Defenders Reilly) Riggs and (Emily) Magee were fantastic.”
They needed to be. The Wildcats outshot the Huskies 17-8, including 7-0 in the two overtime periods, during which Naperville North goalkeeper Amanda Johnson made six of her 12 saves.
Neuqua goalie Tara Tesmond, who relieved Gillespie at halftime, made two saves in regulation, including one on a long shot from Martin in the final seconds of regulation.
“I think we were a little tired in the first overtime and kind of got shell-shocked in the first 10 minutes,” Martin said. “But I’m happy with how we battled.
“A tie is a tie. It’s not a loss, but we would have liked to win.”
Since Neuqua was the team that rallied, there was more disappointment on the North sideline.
“(Giving up the lead) is hard, but that’s going to happen,” Martin said. “If you leave a good team in it, they’re going to get one.
“But I’m happy with the result. I think our team played great. It’s a good (performance) to build off of. They’re a great team.”
The Wildcats, who were the last team other than the Huskies to win the Naperville-area sectional, probably get a bigger boost because Naperville North has had their number the last three years.
“I’m super happy,” Young said. “I think this is one of the best games that we’ve played against North in a really long time.
“I’m glad that we could all put in the effort and do it really well. It’s really big thing for us because North is always our biggest competition, so every time we see them we try to play our best game.
“I think today we really did it. We plan on keeping going and getting better and better. Hopefully we’ll see them again and maybe win.”
Another meeting seems inevitable, though nothing is guaranteed. The Huskies and Wildcats are seeded first and second, respectively, at the Class 3A East Aurora Sectional and could meet in the sectional final on May 25.
“I think (this result) is (a confidence boost),” Hopkins said. “I know we’ll definitely kind of regret this a little bit because we kept hammering them for the most part, so we’re going to want to come at them hard next time.”
Martin and her teammates are expecting nothing less.
“We know we’ll see them again in the playoffs,” Martin said. “It will be a different environment, not on their home turf.
“It’s anyone’s game. It’s whoever plays better that day.”
Starting lineups
Naperville North
GK Amanda Johnson
D Paige Sylvester
D Reilly Riggs
D Emily Magee
M Leah Shumate
M Taylor Klaiber
M Jordan Leonard
M Maddie Schlecht
F Hannah Martin
F Katie Murphy
F Emily Dulik
Neuqua Valley
GK Kasey Gillespie
D Paige Munar
D Reaghan Young
D Maddie McGrath
D Alex Lichtman
D Brooke Miller
M Leah Senese
M Danielle Hopkins
F Shannon Tagler
F Erin McCarthy
F Alison Dovalovsky
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Reaghan Young, sr., D, Neuqua Valley
Scoring summary
First half
NV – Danielle Hopkins 25:30
NN – Hannah Martin 17:40
NN – Martin (Paige Sylvester) 10:25
Second half
NV – Reaghan Young (Piper Biziorek) 3:57
First OT
No scoring
Second OT
No scoring
Neuqua Valley key draw vs. Naperville N.
Defender’s 1st goal of season is equalizer in 2-2 DVC clash
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – Reaghan Young had a senior moment on Friday.
It’s one she won’t forget.
The Neuqua Valley senior got a rare start and made the most of it, scoring the game-tying goal late in the second half as the host Wildcats rallied for a 2-2 overtime draw against Naperville North.
Young, who will play college soccer at Webster in the fall, hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time thanks to Neuqua’s deep well of talent, but she was in the lineup on Senior Day.
“This is a big night for me,” Young said. “I’ve been working really hard for the last four years, and I’m super excited.
“I’ve been working really hard trying to do as much as I can for the team, so I was really glad that I could help them.”
Young’s goal, her first of the season, came with 3:57 left in regulation when she used her body to deflect a high cross from Piper Biziorek, tying the game at 2. The ball traveled less than five yards, but it changed the complexion of the DuPage Valley Conference race.
The Wildcats (8-3-4, 2-0-1) control their own destiny. They will earn at least a share of the league title if they can beat Waubonsie Valley on Tuesday.
Naperville North (7-4-3, 1-0-1) also controls its fortunes but needs wins over Metea Valley and Naperville Central next week to assure at least a tie for the crown.
But Young wasn’t thinking about that when she saw Biziorek’s cross coming in from the right wing.
“It just hit off my shoulder,” Young said. “I was just trying to get any part of my body on it to get a goal because we really needed it. It was a great ball from Piper.”
Biziorek has been causing headaches for defenses lately with her speed and relentlessness on the outside. This play was an example of that.
“It’s just something that we’ve been working on for a really long time,” Young said. “We always work on getting our crosses in and getting behind balls.
“Yesterday we spent a lot of time on that, so I just tried to implement what we did in practice, and we did really good. I was super happy that Piper could get (the cross) in because we’ve been talking about getting them in.”
Five other seniors -- starters Kasey Gillespie, Shannon Tagler, Erin McCarthy, Danielle Hopkins and Alison Dovalovsky -- were also honored in postgame ceremonies but the Wildcats were talking mostly about Young, whose post-match interviews were interrupted momentarily by screaming applause from her teammates.
“I’m just so happy for her,” Hopkins said. “I know she hasn’t played probably as much as she would like to, so I was ecstatic that she was able to play and get one in.
“It means basically we have a pretty deep bench. If someone’s hurting or they need a break, we’re comfortable with putting somebody in the game, and we can trust them.”
Young also played a major role in Neuqua’s first goal. She took a ball to the right endline before crossing in front to a spot just outside the 6.
A Naperville North defender deflected the ball toward the back post, where Hopkins pounced on it to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead with 25:30 left in the first half.
The goal came against the early run of play as Naperville North junior Hannah Martin nearly scored twice within the first 14 minutes.
Martin fired a 17-yard shot off the crossbar in the 10th minute and had another hard shot in the box deflected over the crossbar by Gillespie in the 14th minute.
However, Martin would not be denied as she found the back of the net on her third and fourth shots to put the Huskies up 2-1 at the half.
The first came with 17:40 left when Leah Shumate dropped sent a pass into the box to Martin, who was bracketed by two defenders but made a cutback move to get open before sliding a left-footed shot between Gillespie and the right post.
Martin struck again seven minutes later thanks to a misplay by the Neuqua defense. Paige Sylvester’s long ball from the left side of the midfield dropped into the box, where a defender whiffed on it. Martin got it on the bounce and quickly scored.
“It was just really good service from my teammates,” Martin said. “They played great balls over the top and in behind the gaps, which is what we had looked at on their game film.
“We knew coming in we wanted the balls (to get) to me, and they just happened to fall tonight.”
Nothing else did for the Huskies, who were on their heels for much of the time after intermission, though they managed to cling to their lead for over 36 minutes.
“I think probably 2-2 was fair,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “In the first half, obviously we make a mistake in the box, ball falls right to Hopkins from two yards out and she’s going to score that 100-out-of-100 times.
“But then I thought the response from the kids was fantastic. We were all over them in the first half, got two great goals in the run of play.
“Hannah was fantastic tonight, and the work rate to get the ball forward in the first half I thought was very good.
“That second (Neuqua) goal was a little unlucky. I don’t even know whether she knows it hit her and went in the goal, but at the same time, it was a great ball in, a great run by the kid.”
There was a lot of great play by both sides on a wet, grass field that probably could have used a tractor mower. The Wildcats were arguably the better side in terms of attacking play, but both defenses shined at times in overcoming mistakes.
“It was tough today, a wet, muddy field,” Goletz said. “Neuqua’s got so many great attacking pieces and so much speed outside
“We did a fantastic job of marking runners in the box, winning balls. (Defenders Reilly) Riggs and (Emily) Magee were fantastic.”
They needed to be. The Wildcats outshot the Huskies 17-8, including 7-0 in the two overtime periods, during which Naperville North goalkeeper Amanda Johnson made six of her 12 saves.
Neuqua goalie Tara Tesmond, who relieved Gillespie at halftime, made two saves in regulation, including one on a long shot from Martin in the final seconds of regulation.
“I think we were a little tired in the first overtime and kind of got shell-shocked in the first 10 minutes,” Martin said. “But I’m happy with how we battled.
“A tie is a tie. It’s not a loss, but we would have liked to win.”
Since Neuqua was the team that rallied, there was more disappointment on the North sideline.
“(Giving up the lead) is hard, but that’s going to happen,” Martin said. “If you leave a good team in it, they’re going to get one.
“But I’m happy with the result. I think our team played great. It’s a good (performance) to build off of. They’re a great team.”
The Wildcats, who were the last team other than the Huskies to win the Naperville-area sectional, probably get a bigger boost because Naperville North has had their number the last three years.
“I’m super happy,” Young said. “I think this is one of the best games that we’ve played against North in a really long time.
“I’m glad that we could all put in the effort and do it really well. It’s really big thing for us because North is always our biggest competition, so every time we see them we try to play our best game.
“I think today we really did it. We plan on keeping going and getting better and better. Hopefully we’ll see them again and maybe win.”
Another meeting seems inevitable, though nothing is guaranteed. The Huskies and Wildcats are seeded first and second, respectively, at the Class 3A East Aurora Sectional and could meet in the sectional final on May 25.
“I think (this result) is (a confidence boost),” Hopkins said. “I know we’ll definitely kind of regret this a little bit because we kept hammering them for the most part, so we’re going to want to come at them hard next time.”
Martin and her teammates are expecting nothing less.
“We know we’ll see them again in the playoffs,” Martin said. “It will be a different environment, not on their home turf.
“It’s anyone’s game. It’s whoever plays better that day.”
Starting lineups
Naperville North
GK Amanda Johnson
D Paige Sylvester
D Reilly Riggs
D Emily Magee
M Leah Shumate
M Taylor Klaiber
M Jordan Leonard
M Maddie Schlecht
F Hannah Martin
F Katie Murphy
F Emily Dulik
Neuqua Valley
GK Kasey Gillespie
D Paige Munar
D Reaghan Young
D Maddie McGrath
D Alex Lichtman
D Brooke Miller
M Leah Senese
M Danielle Hopkins
F Shannon Tagler
F Erin McCarthy
F Alison Dovalovsky
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Reaghan Young, sr., D, Neuqua Valley
Scoring summary
First half
NV – Danielle Hopkins 25:30
NN – Hannah Martin 17:40
NN – Martin (Paige Sylvester) 10:25
Second half
NV – Reaghan Young (Piper Biziorek) 3:57
First OT
No scoring
Second OT
No scoring