Naperville North bounces back to take 3rd
Huskies' 3-0 win vs. Andrew caps best postseason run since 2013
By Dave Owen
NAPERVILLE – The poet John Greenleaf Whittier once wrote, “For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: it might have been.”
But Whittier likely never took a corner kick nor endured a hard tackle in 19th century Massachusetts.
And any ‘it might have been’ thoughts appeared to be fittingly far from the minds of Naperville North in Saturday’s Class 3A third place match against Andrew.
Coming off a heartbreaking 1-0 semifinal loss to Barrington that was decided by a goal in the 75th minute, the Huskies (21-4-4) disdained that pain and ended their season in style with a 3-0 win over the Thunderbolts (21-6-0).
“It was really tough last night,” Naperville North junior defender Reilly Riggs said, “but we have a good team attitude and everything. So we wanted to finish the last game with a win, especially for the seniors.”
That senior class, Madison Hausmann, Megan Benmore, Katelynn Buescher, Shaina Dudas, Alyssa Siebers, Jessica Siebers, Sarah Stokes and Aleah Robert capped their careers by leading the Huskies to their first state semifinal since 2013.
And it took endurance through a grueling schedule and overcoming the effects on the team from the graduation of the Class of 2017.
“We’ve definitely had more heralded groups,” Huskies coach Steve Goletz said, “and everybody outside of us as a group thought that this was going to be a down year for North because we lost so much.
“It’s just a credit to how special these kids are, and how hard they worked this year. They truly bought in to what makes Naperville North soccer great, and that’s hard work every single game, being determined defensively.
“What a great night for us as a program tonight (against Andrew) to be able to come out and finish it the way that we did, 3-0, the 17th shutout for us.
“I think our defense has carried us all year,” Goletz added, “and to put up a zero in your last game after such a hard-fought battle last night -- I give the kids all the credit in the world to be able to come back, put together a performance like that and dominate a good team from start to finish.”
Through mass substitutions in the third place match, Riggs was a defensive anchor in the shutout win. And her finishing role in the game’s most important offensive moment cinched her honor as Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match.
After 32 minutes of high Huskies pressure but no breakthrough, a Shaina Dudas end line attack produced a corner kick.
Off Leah Shumate’s ensuing corner send, Katelynn Buescher’s initial shot in the box was blocked.
But the ball deflected to the right towards Megan Benmore and Riggs. Riggs got the majority of the contact on a 10-yard low drive into the net for a 1-0 Naperville North edge 7:21 before halftime.
“Leah played the ball in between me and Buescher, so I just kind of headed it down,” Riggs said of the initial corner send. “I got as much as I could on it because the (Andrew) girl was on me.
“Buescher got a shot off, and it deflected, and then me and Megan both just kind of like kicked it away (into the net). It was awkward that we both hit it at the same time, but it felt really good.”
Riggs’ second goal of 2018 on that great teamwork finish was sandwiched between two other great scoring bids by Benmore.
Already having sent a shot off the crossbar in the 30th minute, Benmore was a hair away from a score again 6:10 before halftime. Off a Hannah Martin cross, Benmore’s running header powered off another crossbar – this time at a volume befitting the Naperville bell tower in the distance.
But the 1-0 halftime margin wouldn’t last, thanks to a final great moment in Martin’s breakout sophomore season.
Pouncing on a missed clearing attempt by Andrew, Martin dribbled in right of the goal and drove a shot inside the lower left post to make it 2-0 Huskies with 35:03 left.
The goal was Martin’s team-high 15th of the season.
“We got some special performances along the way from some seniors who were around,” Goletz said, “and also had Hannah Martin stepping up this year. Her scoring game-winning goal after game-winning goal was special.”
Buescher finished second on the Huskies with 14 goals, and had the last word in Saturday’s finale.
After Dudas was tripped in the box on a left side rush in the 74th minute, Buescher buried the ensuing penalty kick to produce the final 3-0 margin.
“It’s the last day of your season,” Buescher said, “you got as far as you can, and you get to basically put away the last goal. I really couldn’t ask for more.”
Naperville North’s 2018 team chemistry was also ideal.
“If you look at us from the beginning of the year, we didn’t really expect this,” Buescher said. “But we really bonded as a group and really played for each other.
“We were really committed to covering for each other, or making sure we get another step so we can get open or help the person next to us. We’re so connected, we love each other, we hang out a lot outside of practice and stuff. We’re really connected this year.”
While the Huskies returned to past glory this spring, Andrew rewrote its school record book.
The T-Bolts’ 21 wins set a new school record, and huge postseason wins over Stagg (3-0 in the sectional finals) and 2017 state semifinalist Downers Grove North (2-1 at supersectionals) earned Andrew its first state trophy in soccer.
“That’s going to be there forever at the school,” said Andrew midfielder Emma Lehnert, one of just four seniors on the squad. “It’s awesome. We know how hard we worked the last four years, and it feels good that we ended on this note.”
Limiting the Huskies to a late first half goal stood out in Andrew’s gritty effort.
And the Thunderbolts showed great second half fight against Naperville North’s vaunted defense.
Down 2-0 in the 53rd minute, Andrew just missed a breakthrough when Samantha Gountounas sent a 10-yard header inches wide of the post off a corner kick.
Then in the 59th minute, Naperville North goalkeeper Amanda Johnson (who split second half time with starter Hausmann) nicely punched a Megan O’Neill corner kick out of danger.
“We started to play our game at the end, which was way better than just kicking the ball,” Lehnert said. “We started connecting. We didn’t get blown out, and we tried the best we could out there.”
Beyond its pair of second half goals, Naperville North’s strong finish to the season had other notable offensive moments.
Off a Siebers free kick 17-yards out on the right sideline in the 63rd minute, Taylor Klaiber’s 15-yard shot was deflected wide by diving Andrew goalkeeper Gabriella Sportiello.
Then in the 76th minute, Sportiello made another diving swat, this time on a Dudas 12-yard right-side drive.
Four minutes later, the Huskies had written a winning final chapter to their season.
“I couldn’t be happier the way we ended it today,” Goletz said. “We talked in the locker room about celebrating the season today on the field, and every player got in the game today.
“Every player from top to bottom (of the roster) was important to us, and that showed in the run that we made through what was a gauntlet of a schedule this year. To come out 21-4-4 was pretty damned impressive.”
If running the gauntlet was too poetic a way to sum up a great year, Riggs kept it simple.
“Amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t be prouder of everyone. I love each and every one of my teammates and our coaches.
“We’ve been so successful this season. Everyone underestimated us, but we knew our potential, and we brought it. To finish third is amazing.”
Starting lineups
Andrew
GK Gabriella Sportiello
D Addison Lim
D Allison Jensen
D Nicole Koppers
D Mia Milazzo
M Emma Lehnert
M Kristina Karstensen
M Samantha Termunde
M Megan O’Neill
F Samantha Koppers
F Megan Nemec
Naperville North
GK Madison Hausmann
D Alyssa Siebers
D Jessica Siebers
D Reilly Riggs
D Sarah Stokes
M Katelynn Buescher
M Paige Sylvester
M Shaina Dudas
M Leah Shumate
F Megan Benmore
F Hannah Martin
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Reilly Riggs, jr. D, Naperville North
Scoring summary
First half
NN – Reilly Riggs, 33rd minute
Second half
NN – Hannah Martin, 45th minute
NN – Katelynn Buescher (PK), 74th minute
Huskies' 3-0 win vs. Andrew caps best postseason run since 2013
By Dave Owen
NAPERVILLE – The poet John Greenleaf Whittier once wrote, “For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: it might have been.”
But Whittier likely never took a corner kick nor endured a hard tackle in 19th century Massachusetts.
And any ‘it might have been’ thoughts appeared to be fittingly far from the minds of Naperville North in Saturday’s Class 3A third place match against Andrew.
Coming off a heartbreaking 1-0 semifinal loss to Barrington that was decided by a goal in the 75th minute, the Huskies (21-4-4) disdained that pain and ended their season in style with a 3-0 win over the Thunderbolts (21-6-0).
“It was really tough last night,” Naperville North junior defender Reilly Riggs said, “but we have a good team attitude and everything. So we wanted to finish the last game with a win, especially for the seniors.”
That senior class, Madison Hausmann, Megan Benmore, Katelynn Buescher, Shaina Dudas, Alyssa Siebers, Jessica Siebers, Sarah Stokes and Aleah Robert capped their careers by leading the Huskies to their first state semifinal since 2013.
And it took endurance through a grueling schedule and overcoming the effects on the team from the graduation of the Class of 2017.
“We’ve definitely had more heralded groups,” Huskies coach Steve Goletz said, “and everybody outside of us as a group thought that this was going to be a down year for North because we lost so much.
“It’s just a credit to how special these kids are, and how hard they worked this year. They truly bought in to what makes Naperville North soccer great, and that’s hard work every single game, being determined defensively.
“What a great night for us as a program tonight (against Andrew) to be able to come out and finish it the way that we did, 3-0, the 17th shutout for us.
“I think our defense has carried us all year,” Goletz added, “and to put up a zero in your last game after such a hard-fought battle last night -- I give the kids all the credit in the world to be able to come back, put together a performance like that and dominate a good team from start to finish.”
Through mass substitutions in the third place match, Riggs was a defensive anchor in the shutout win. And her finishing role in the game’s most important offensive moment cinched her honor as Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match.
After 32 minutes of high Huskies pressure but no breakthrough, a Shaina Dudas end line attack produced a corner kick.
Off Leah Shumate’s ensuing corner send, Katelynn Buescher’s initial shot in the box was blocked.
But the ball deflected to the right towards Megan Benmore and Riggs. Riggs got the majority of the contact on a 10-yard low drive into the net for a 1-0 Naperville North edge 7:21 before halftime.
“Leah played the ball in between me and Buescher, so I just kind of headed it down,” Riggs said of the initial corner send. “I got as much as I could on it because the (Andrew) girl was on me.
“Buescher got a shot off, and it deflected, and then me and Megan both just kind of like kicked it away (into the net). It was awkward that we both hit it at the same time, but it felt really good.”
Riggs’ second goal of 2018 on that great teamwork finish was sandwiched between two other great scoring bids by Benmore.
Already having sent a shot off the crossbar in the 30th minute, Benmore was a hair away from a score again 6:10 before halftime. Off a Hannah Martin cross, Benmore’s running header powered off another crossbar – this time at a volume befitting the Naperville bell tower in the distance.
But the 1-0 halftime margin wouldn’t last, thanks to a final great moment in Martin’s breakout sophomore season.
Pouncing on a missed clearing attempt by Andrew, Martin dribbled in right of the goal and drove a shot inside the lower left post to make it 2-0 Huskies with 35:03 left.
The goal was Martin’s team-high 15th of the season.
“We got some special performances along the way from some seniors who were around,” Goletz said, “and also had Hannah Martin stepping up this year. Her scoring game-winning goal after game-winning goal was special.”
Buescher finished second on the Huskies with 14 goals, and had the last word in Saturday’s finale.
After Dudas was tripped in the box on a left side rush in the 74th minute, Buescher buried the ensuing penalty kick to produce the final 3-0 margin.
“It’s the last day of your season,” Buescher said, “you got as far as you can, and you get to basically put away the last goal. I really couldn’t ask for more.”
Naperville North’s 2018 team chemistry was also ideal.
“If you look at us from the beginning of the year, we didn’t really expect this,” Buescher said. “But we really bonded as a group and really played for each other.
“We were really committed to covering for each other, or making sure we get another step so we can get open or help the person next to us. We’re so connected, we love each other, we hang out a lot outside of practice and stuff. We’re really connected this year.”
While the Huskies returned to past glory this spring, Andrew rewrote its school record book.
The T-Bolts’ 21 wins set a new school record, and huge postseason wins over Stagg (3-0 in the sectional finals) and 2017 state semifinalist Downers Grove North (2-1 at supersectionals) earned Andrew its first state trophy in soccer.
“That’s going to be there forever at the school,” said Andrew midfielder Emma Lehnert, one of just four seniors on the squad. “It’s awesome. We know how hard we worked the last four years, and it feels good that we ended on this note.”
Limiting the Huskies to a late first half goal stood out in Andrew’s gritty effort.
And the Thunderbolts showed great second half fight against Naperville North’s vaunted defense.
Down 2-0 in the 53rd minute, Andrew just missed a breakthrough when Samantha Gountounas sent a 10-yard header inches wide of the post off a corner kick.
Then in the 59th minute, Naperville North goalkeeper Amanda Johnson (who split second half time with starter Hausmann) nicely punched a Megan O’Neill corner kick out of danger.
“We started to play our game at the end, which was way better than just kicking the ball,” Lehnert said. “We started connecting. We didn’t get blown out, and we tried the best we could out there.”
Beyond its pair of second half goals, Naperville North’s strong finish to the season had other notable offensive moments.
Off a Siebers free kick 17-yards out on the right sideline in the 63rd minute, Taylor Klaiber’s 15-yard shot was deflected wide by diving Andrew goalkeeper Gabriella Sportiello.
Then in the 76th minute, Sportiello made another diving swat, this time on a Dudas 12-yard right-side drive.
Four minutes later, the Huskies had written a winning final chapter to their season.
“I couldn’t be happier the way we ended it today,” Goletz said. “We talked in the locker room about celebrating the season today on the field, and every player got in the game today.
“Every player from top to bottom (of the roster) was important to us, and that showed in the run that we made through what was a gauntlet of a schedule this year. To come out 21-4-4 was pretty damned impressive.”
If running the gauntlet was too poetic a way to sum up a great year, Riggs kept it simple.
“Amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t be prouder of everyone. I love each and every one of my teammates and our coaches.
“We’ve been so successful this season. Everyone underestimated us, but we knew our potential, and we brought it. To finish third is amazing.”
Starting lineups
Andrew
GK Gabriella Sportiello
D Addison Lim
D Allison Jensen
D Nicole Koppers
D Mia Milazzo
M Emma Lehnert
M Kristina Karstensen
M Samantha Termunde
M Megan O’Neill
F Samantha Koppers
F Megan Nemec
Naperville North
GK Madison Hausmann
D Alyssa Siebers
D Jessica Siebers
D Reilly Riggs
D Sarah Stokes
M Katelynn Buescher
M Paige Sylvester
M Shaina Dudas
M Leah Shumate
F Megan Benmore
F Hannah Martin
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Reilly Riggs, jr. D, Naperville North
Scoring summary
First half
NN – Reilly Riggs, 33rd minute
Second half
NN – Hannah Martin, 45th minute
NN – Katelynn Buescher (PK), 74th minute