Electrifying New Trier stays hot
Nicole Kaspi hat-trick keys 6-0 CSL South win over Niles West
By Patrick Z. McGavin
SKOKIE -- Milo Cejovic has coached against New Trier enough to know even the ideal or perfect game is sometimes not enough. As the mentor at Niles West, he has been an intimate witness to the skill, depth and creativity of the Trevians.
“Luck is never on your side when you play against them,” Cejovic said. “You can’t afford to make one mistake against them, especially in the back, or they just punish you.”
Nicole Kaspi maintained her torrid play and scored three goals, and junior forward Fallon Warshauer contributed two assists as the no. 2 Trevians exploded for a trio of goals in a dazzling four-minute stretch in the 6-0 victory over the Wolves in Central Suburban League South Division play Tuesday night.
Riding the rush of scoring the game-winner on her 18th birthday against no. 3 Naperville North in the championship of the Naperville Invitational, Kaspi put on a show with her graceful and wondrous combination of style and presence.
In earning the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match, Kaspi registered her second career hat-trick. She has 10 goals and three assists for the Trevians (14-0-2, 4-0-0).
On a warm and windy night, New Trier moulded its game to the conditions beautifully. Playing with the advantage in the first half, the Trevians were fluid and dangerous. In the second half they were precise, methodical and overpowering.
“In the first half we had to play with the wind, and we had to adjust our game to take outside shots a lot and possess the ball more,” Kaspi said. “In the second half, the wind was against us and we were able to play through-balls, which is how we were able to get a lot of our goals.
“When the ball held up, we were able to get to the corner.”
New Trier showed little negative complications from playing its eighth game in 11 days, adroitly shifting between conference games and the Naperville Invitational. The Trevians have outscored the opposition by an aggregate of 30-2 since playing no. 6 St. Francis to a 1-1 draw in the Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Classic on April 11th.
“I think the more games you play, it really helps because it gives you a chance to get better and work on different things,” star senior defender Sydney Parker said. “We had seven games in nine days, which is a lot for us. You can see that we’re a little tired out there. We have not had a chance to practice a lot. We have been working on piecing things together, in our passing game and getting shots off.”
Niles West (7-7-1, 1-3-1) played well throughout the first half. The focus of their attack is junior midfielder Ashley Dyer and senior forward Nikoleta Baxevanakis.
“They have scored every goal this year except for three, I believe,” Cejovic said. Edita Mackic, a senior, also excelled as a two-way player, playing a midfielder who frequently dropped in the back to try and slow the Trevians’ attack.
“Their back is so strong, and you just don’t get that many really good opportunities against them,” he said. “They are solid at every position, and they can pressure from anywhere.”
At the start, Niles West managed to disrupt the Trevians at the point of attack.
A University of Chicago recruit, Kaspi has elevated her game. She asserted her presence in the 15th minute off a beautiful pass from Warshauer, a rapidly improving junior forward who has also assumed a greater offensive role. New Trier’s power accrues throughout.
“For us it’s all about momentum,” Kaspi said. “Once we have a first goal we all have a little more confidence. We can relax. I think getting a couple of goals in succession really helped us to stay calm.”
New Trier wears teams down with its depth, a singular combination of crafty and poised veterans like Kaspi and Parker and an influx of next generation talent ready to take up the mantle. Freshman forward Grace Walker has started and played significant minutes as an immediate first-year contributor. In the 20th minute, freshman forward Mia Sedgwick got into the action.
Sedgwick volleyed home a rebound shot originated by junior defender Julia Hamill in the 20th minute to record her first career goal. Just as seniors like Kaspi, Parker and Whitney Hoban were eagerly embraced by the experienced players, Sedgwick has been openly integrated into the New Trier soccer culture.
“It’s sort of amazing, and kind of overwhelming at times,” Sedgwick said. “It’s great to know that you have teammates there, and they are there to support me. I know that I have got a good team that I can trust.”
New Trier coach Jim Burnside has always been willing to throw his freshmen into the mix to accelerate the learning process. The inclusion of bright young talents like Walker and Sedgwick cuts both ways. The fact they are there testifies to an inherent skill level.
“If you work hard you can get there,” Sedgwick said “Everything about the girls is very comforting. It’s a great environment to play in. You just immediately adjust to the team setting.”
Niles West hovered close through much of the first half, playing spirited defense and trying to repel the Trevians’ runs. The decisive sequence unfolded at the end of the half. New Trier has an instinctive knack for throwing the haymaker. It happened in the 40th minute.
Off a corner on the right edge, elite sophomore Emma Weaver blasted a terrific curving ball, and Hoban made the perfect dash to the goal and smashed home a header.
“That was the backbreaker,” Cejovic said. “We were missing four starters, and we were playing some girls out of position, but we talked before the game how important it was to defend the set pieces, and they just capitalized on our mistake there.”
The energy Kaspi spoke of materialized at the start of the second half. In the 41st minute, Josie Crumley broke to the right edge and got around her defender and served a ball that Kaspi drilled for her second goal. In the 44th minute, in a mirror action, Warshauer again broke down the defense and served Kaspi from an identical location for her third goal.
In less than four minutes spanning the two halves, New Trier scored three goals. Senior forward Nicole Basil punctuated the dominant performance by scoring her first goal of the year.
The back-to-back ties that New Trier played with Stevenson and St. Francis are a very distant memory. Now the team braces for its showdown with rival and 20th-ranked Evanston at home Friday in its bid for a perfect conference mark.
“Evanston is a fantastic team, and we have to play to our strengths and stay calm under pressure,” Kaspi said
Starting lineups
New Trier
GK: Courtney Charchut
D: Nell Martin
D: Meredith Nassar
D: Sydney Parker
D: Caroline Iserloth
M: Whitney Hoban
M: Emma Weaver
M: Lily Conley
F:: Fallon Warshauer
F: Victoria Flannagan
F: Nicole Kaspi
Niles West
GK: Nicole Juszczyk
D: Jacque Karp
D: Jenni Balliu
D: Sammie Simkins
M: Ashley Dyer
M: Nicole Boudakh
M: Aila Durakovic
M: Melissa Alaniz
M: Danielle Boudakh
M: Edita Mackic
F: Nikoleta Baxevanakis
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Nicole Kaspi, sr., MF, New Trier
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier—Nicole Kaspi (Fallon Warshauer), 15th minute
New Trier—Mia Sedgwick, 20th minute
New Trier—Whitney Hoban (Emma Weaver), 40th minute
Second half
New Trier—Kaspi (Josie Crumley), 41st minute
New Trier—Kaspi (Warshauer), 44th minute
New Trier—Nicole Basil (Caroline Faurot), 77th minute
Nicole Kaspi hat-trick keys 6-0 CSL South win over Niles West
By Patrick Z. McGavin
SKOKIE -- Milo Cejovic has coached against New Trier enough to know even the ideal or perfect game is sometimes not enough. As the mentor at Niles West, he has been an intimate witness to the skill, depth and creativity of the Trevians.
“Luck is never on your side when you play against them,” Cejovic said. “You can’t afford to make one mistake against them, especially in the back, or they just punish you.”
Nicole Kaspi maintained her torrid play and scored three goals, and junior forward Fallon Warshauer contributed two assists as the no. 2 Trevians exploded for a trio of goals in a dazzling four-minute stretch in the 6-0 victory over the Wolves in Central Suburban League South Division play Tuesday night.
Riding the rush of scoring the game-winner on her 18th birthday against no. 3 Naperville North in the championship of the Naperville Invitational, Kaspi put on a show with her graceful and wondrous combination of style and presence.
In earning the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match, Kaspi registered her second career hat-trick. She has 10 goals and three assists for the Trevians (14-0-2, 4-0-0).
On a warm and windy night, New Trier moulded its game to the conditions beautifully. Playing with the advantage in the first half, the Trevians were fluid and dangerous. In the second half they were precise, methodical and overpowering.
“In the first half we had to play with the wind, and we had to adjust our game to take outside shots a lot and possess the ball more,” Kaspi said. “In the second half, the wind was against us and we were able to play through-balls, which is how we were able to get a lot of our goals.
“When the ball held up, we were able to get to the corner.”
New Trier showed little negative complications from playing its eighth game in 11 days, adroitly shifting between conference games and the Naperville Invitational. The Trevians have outscored the opposition by an aggregate of 30-2 since playing no. 6 St. Francis to a 1-1 draw in the Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Classic on April 11th.
“I think the more games you play, it really helps because it gives you a chance to get better and work on different things,” star senior defender Sydney Parker said. “We had seven games in nine days, which is a lot for us. You can see that we’re a little tired out there. We have not had a chance to practice a lot. We have been working on piecing things together, in our passing game and getting shots off.”
Niles West (7-7-1, 1-3-1) played well throughout the first half. The focus of their attack is junior midfielder Ashley Dyer and senior forward Nikoleta Baxevanakis.
“They have scored every goal this year except for three, I believe,” Cejovic said. Edita Mackic, a senior, also excelled as a two-way player, playing a midfielder who frequently dropped in the back to try and slow the Trevians’ attack.
“Their back is so strong, and you just don’t get that many really good opportunities against them,” he said. “They are solid at every position, and they can pressure from anywhere.”
At the start, Niles West managed to disrupt the Trevians at the point of attack.
A University of Chicago recruit, Kaspi has elevated her game. She asserted her presence in the 15th minute off a beautiful pass from Warshauer, a rapidly improving junior forward who has also assumed a greater offensive role. New Trier’s power accrues throughout.
“For us it’s all about momentum,” Kaspi said. “Once we have a first goal we all have a little more confidence. We can relax. I think getting a couple of goals in succession really helped us to stay calm.”
New Trier wears teams down with its depth, a singular combination of crafty and poised veterans like Kaspi and Parker and an influx of next generation talent ready to take up the mantle. Freshman forward Grace Walker has started and played significant minutes as an immediate first-year contributor. In the 20th minute, freshman forward Mia Sedgwick got into the action.
Sedgwick volleyed home a rebound shot originated by junior defender Julia Hamill in the 20th minute to record her first career goal. Just as seniors like Kaspi, Parker and Whitney Hoban were eagerly embraced by the experienced players, Sedgwick has been openly integrated into the New Trier soccer culture.
“It’s sort of amazing, and kind of overwhelming at times,” Sedgwick said. “It’s great to know that you have teammates there, and they are there to support me. I know that I have got a good team that I can trust.”
New Trier coach Jim Burnside has always been willing to throw his freshmen into the mix to accelerate the learning process. The inclusion of bright young talents like Walker and Sedgwick cuts both ways. The fact they are there testifies to an inherent skill level.
“If you work hard you can get there,” Sedgwick said “Everything about the girls is very comforting. It’s a great environment to play in. You just immediately adjust to the team setting.”
Niles West hovered close through much of the first half, playing spirited defense and trying to repel the Trevians’ runs. The decisive sequence unfolded at the end of the half. New Trier has an instinctive knack for throwing the haymaker. It happened in the 40th minute.
Off a corner on the right edge, elite sophomore Emma Weaver blasted a terrific curving ball, and Hoban made the perfect dash to the goal and smashed home a header.
“That was the backbreaker,” Cejovic said. “We were missing four starters, and we were playing some girls out of position, but we talked before the game how important it was to defend the set pieces, and they just capitalized on our mistake there.”
The energy Kaspi spoke of materialized at the start of the second half. In the 41st minute, Josie Crumley broke to the right edge and got around her defender and served a ball that Kaspi drilled for her second goal. In the 44th minute, in a mirror action, Warshauer again broke down the defense and served Kaspi from an identical location for her third goal.
In less than four minutes spanning the two halves, New Trier scored three goals. Senior forward Nicole Basil punctuated the dominant performance by scoring her first goal of the year.
The back-to-back ties that New Trier played with Stevenson and St. Francis are a very distant memory. Now the team braces for its showdown with rival and 20th-ranked Evanston at home Friday in its bid for a perfect conference mark.
“Evanston is a fantastic team, and we have to play to our strengths and stay calm under pressure,” Kaspi said
Starting lineups
New Trier
GK: Courtney Charchut
D: Nell Martin
D: Meredith Nassar
D: Sydney Parker
D: Caroline Iserloth
M: Whitney Hoban
M: Emma Weaver
M: Lily Conley
F:: Fallon Warshauer
F: Victoria Flannagan
F: Nicole Kaspi
Niles West
GK: Nicole Juszczyk
D: Jacque Karp
D: Jenni Balliu
D: Sammie Simkins
M: Ashley Dyer
M: Nicole Boudakh
M: Aila Durakovic
M: Melissa Alaniz
M: Danielle Boudakh
M: Edita Mackic
F: Nikoleta Baxevanakis
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Nicole Kaspi, sr., MF, New Trier
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier—Nicole Kaspi (Fallon Warshauer), 15th minute
New Trier—Mia Sedgwick, 20th minute
New Trier—Whitney Hoban (Emma Weaver), 40th minute
Second half
New Trier—Kaspi (Josie Crumley), 41st minute
New Trier—Kaspi (Warshauer), 44th minute
New Trier—Nicole Basil (Caroline Faurot), 77th minute