Naperville Central sticks
Thorne in Neuqua Valley’s side
Varsity call-up's 1st goal lifts Redhawks to 1-0 DVC win
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- Lauren Thorne had come up empty on her first two scoring chances Tuesday night.
The Naperville Central freshman made sure she didn’t miss on her third.
Thorne proved to be a lucky charm for the Redhawks. She scored her first varsity goal in just her second appearance. The strike was a game-winner, too, giving Naperville Central a 1-0 DuPage Valley Conference victory over Neuqua Valley at Memorial Stadium.
“That was crazy,” Naperville Central defender Malia Velker said. “She did an amazing job today.
“She’s been working really hard, so she deserved it.”
Thorne, who was pulled up from the JV squad for Thursday’s 1-1 tie with Warren, latched on to a bouncing pass from Molly O’Rear in the right side of the Neuqua Valley box and chipped a 12-yard shot over the head of Neuqua goalkeeper Tara Tesmond and into the upper left corner of the net to break a scoreless tie with 6:04 left in the second half.
“It felt really good,” Thorne said. “I was ready to finish that one. I had to be calm and composed.”
Thorne wasn’t quite as calm on her first shot of the game, which came in the eighth minute from a similar spot on the field. Megan Norkett sent a pass into the box to Thorne, who had an open look but sent her solid shot right at Tesmond, who made the stop.
A second chance in the second half came to naught when Thorne couldn’t pull the trigger in time.
“Honestly, she probably had three legit chances today, and she buried the final one,” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said. “One she gave away, she just didn’t hit it. The other she hit right at the goalkeeper. She was in the right spots.”
Thorne did not initially have a spot on the varsity team, but it wasn’t for lack of talent. She also played on the freshman volleyball team, whose season didn’t end until last week, so she was juggling two sports for a while.
“She probably would have been with us at the start of the year, but she was playing volleyball and I really wanted to respect the primary sport,” Watson said. “We had a couple kids that were playing other sports, so we said, ‘Come here when you can. We’ll wait until volleyball is over.’
“But it was also nice that she got the chance to play some JV games, and she scored some goals. So she got to show that she can score at that level and made it the logical thing to give her a shot to score at this level.”
Being a freshman, Thorne was unsure what to expect and didn’t know Watson would call her up this soon.
“He kind of told me beforehand, just because volleyball was still going on,” Thorne said. “My volleyball coach and him wanted that to be my priority until the end of the season. I think he told me he would see.
“But I did not know that I for sure would be getting pulled up or not. I was kind of just playing what I got put on and showing my best self.”
Thorne demonstrated that on her goal, a cool finish on a hot night that had both teams sweating through a typically hard-fought match. However, Thorne had been plotting how to break through Neuqua’s defense since the opening whistle.
“(I was) just reading them at the beginning of the game, knowing who they have and their movement on their backline and knowing where I need to move to find gaps,” Thorne said. “I couldn’t have done it without my other forwards up-top, Molly and Emma.”
Indeed, O’Rear and the Loyola-bound Emma Irle are both playing with panache for the Redhawks (3-1-1, 1-0-0), who are ranked 10th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The emergence of Thorne would add to the potency of what could be the most potent offense Naperville Central has fielded in a long time.
Even so, they had a tough time solving no. 12 Neuqua. The Wildcats (2-3-0, 0-2-0) hung tough despite being outshot 14-5.
Tesmond, an Indiana State recruit, made seven saves, including two diving stops on O’Rear in the first half. The second, with 4:35 left before the break, came on a 15-yard roller that she was able to redirect just wide of the left post.
Tesmond also snagged a 30-yard bullet off the toe of Madelyn Boogerd in the first half and turned away a drive from Madison Mogg four minutes into the second half.
Despite having the edge in the run of play, nothing came easily for the Redhawks with nearly every pass or shot contested. And it was much the same for Neuqua, whose backline of Lauryn Adamski, Kassie Salviola, Maya Stone and Maddy McGrath blocked several shots and broke up promising build-ups before they could get their keeper.
The Redhawks were equally solid at the other end, with Velker, a Purdue Fort Wayne commit, teaming with Samantha Sharp, Ella Burke and Sophia Skoubis to frustrate the Wildcats. Naperville Central goalkeepers Abby O’Connor and Trinity Strang had to make only one save between them, though both were effective in coming off their line to pick off through-balls and a few crosses.
Neuqua missed a great chance midway through the first half when a brisk rush up the right wing led to an open chance, but a 20-yard shot missed wide right.
Two minutes later, star midfielder Brooke Miller was taken down just outside the box, giving the Wildcats a 19-yard free kick. Xavier recruit Katelyn Nardulli’s drive missed wide left.
“We talked to the girls before the game about the last goals that we have given up,” Watson said. “We gave up a restart goal against Warren. We gave up two restart goals against Benet, and we can’t give away restarts.
“That’s what teams live and die on. We have to be better at that.”
The Redhawks were, and the result was their second shutout of the season.
“I thought the goalkeepers played really good because Neuqua is very good,” Watson said. “Miller is very, very talented.
“They had the one breakaway where we were fortunate. She went near post and missed it wide. That was a letdown, but other than that, I’m pleased with our girls. They’re playing good teams and competing.”
Velker said the key was tough one-on-one defending.
“We were focusing on staying on our marks, especially during corners,” Velker said. “We had that locked down. and then on throw-ins we were keeping them on the outside, pushing them out so they wouldn’t cut in. We did a really nice job tonight with that.”
The loss was Neuqua Valley's second shutout of the season, though they had scoring chances in both of them. With Nardulli and Miller patrolling the midfield, they have no trouble creating, but the offense has yet to be consistent. Most of the Wildcats' chances came from long distance.
“It was an entertaining game,” said coach Joe Moreau. “I don’t know if it was the prettiest of soccer, but it was entertaining. I thought both teams fought very hard.
“Both teams are pretty tired right now. It was a tough game physically and a lot of running. We just need to finish in the final third.”
Starting lineups
Neuqua Valley
GK Tara Tesmond
D Lauryn Adamski
D Kassie Salviola
D Maya Stone
D Maddy McGrath
M Anna Yuccas
M Nina Calcaterra
M Katelyn Nardulli
M Frannie Keen
M Brooke Miller
F Abby Mihalczyk
Naperville Central
GK Abby O’Connor
D Samantha Sharp
D Malia Velker
D Ella Burke
D Sophia Skoubis
M Katie Dalton
M Sullivan Schubel
M Megan Norkett
F Emma Irle
F Molly O’Rear
F Lauren Thorne
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Lauren Thorne, fr., F, Naperville Central.
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Naperville Central – Lauren Thorne (Molly O’Rear) 6:04 remaining
Thorne in Neuqua Valley’s side
Varsity call-up's 1st goal lifts Redhawks to 1-0 DVC win
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- Lauren Thorne had come up empty on her first two scoring chances Tuesday night.
The Naperville Central freshman made sure she didn’t miss on her third.
Thorne proved to be a lucky charm for the Redhawks. She scored her first varsity goal in just her second appearance. The strike was a game-winner, too, giving Naperville Central a 1-0 DuPage Valley Conference victory over Neuqua Valley at Memorial Stadium.
“That was crazy,” Naperville Central defender Malia Velker said. “She did an amazing job today.
“She’s been working really hard, so she deserved it.”
Thorne, who was pulled up from the JV squad for Thursday’s 1-1 tie with Warren, latched on to a bouncing pass from Molly O’Rear in the right side of the Neuqua Valley box and chipped a 12-yard shot over the head of Neuqua goalkeeper Tara Tesmond and into the upper left corner of the net to break a scoreless tie with 6:04 left in the second half.
“It felt really good,” Thorne said. “I was ready to finish that one. I had to be calm and composed.”
Thorne wasn’t quite as calm on her first shot of the game, which came in the eighth minute from a similar spot on the field. Megan Norkett sent a pass into the box to Thorne, who had an open look but sent her solid shot right at Tesmond, who made the stop.
A second chance in the second half came to naught when Thorne couldn’t pull the trigger in time.
“Honestly, she probably had three legit chances today, and she buried the final one,” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said. “One she gave away, she just didn’t hit it. The other she hit right at the goalkeeper. She was in the right spots.”
Thorne did not initially have a spot on the varsity team, but it wasn’t for lack of talent. She also played on the freshman volleyball team, whose season didn’t end until last week, so she was juggling two sports for a while.
“She probably would have been with us at the start of the year, but she was playing volleyball and I really wanted to respect the primary sport,” Watson said. “We had a couple kids that were playing other sports, so we said, ‘Come here when you can. We’ll wait until volleyball is over.’
“But it was also nice that she got the chance to play some JV games, and she scored some goals. So she got to show that she can score at that level and made it the logical thing to give her a shot to score at this level.”
Being a freshman, Thorne was unsure what to expect and didn’t know Watson would call her up this soon.
“He kind of told me beforehand, just because volleyball was still going on,” Thorne said. “My volleyball coach and him wanted that to be my priority until the end of the season. I think he told me he would see.
“But I did not know that I for sure would be getting pulled up or not. I was kind of just playing what I got put on and showing my best self.”
Thorne demonstrated that on her goal, a cool finish on a hot night that had both teams sweating through a typically hard-fought match. However, Thorne had been plotting how to break through Neuqua’s defense since the opening whistle.
“(I was) just reading them at the beginning of the game, knowing who they have and their movement on their backline and knowing where I need to move to find gaps,” Thorne said. “I couldn’t have done it without my other forwards up-top, Molly and Emma.”
Indeed, O’Rear and the Loyola-bound Emma Irle are both playing with panache for the Redhawks (3-1-1, 1-0-0), who are ranked 10th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The emergence of Thorne would add to the potency of what could be the most potent offense Naperville Central has fielded in a long time.
Even so, they had a tough time solving no. 12 Neuqua. The Wildcats (2-3-0, 0-2-0) hung tough despite being outshot 14-5.
Tesmond, an Indiana State recruit, made seven saves, including two diving stops on O’Rear in the first half. The second, with 4:35 left before the break, came on a 15-yard roller that she was able to redirect just wide of the left post.
Tesmond also snagged a 30-yard bullet off the toe of Madelyn Boogerd in the first half and turned away a drive from Madison Mogg four minutes into the second half.
Despite having the edge in the run of play, nothing came easily for the Redhawks with nearly every pass or shot contested. And it was much the same for Neuqua, whose backline of Lauryn Adamski, Kassie Salviola, Maya Stone and Maddy McGrath blocked several shots and broke up promising build-ups before they could get their keeper.
The Redhawks were equally solid at the other end, with Velker, a Purdue Fort Wayne commit, teaming with Samantha Sharp, Ella Burke and Sophia Skoubis to frustrate the Wildcats. Naperville Central goalkeepers Abby O’Connor and Trinity Strang had to make only one save between them, though both were effective in coming off their line to pick off through-balls and a few crosses.
Neuqua missed a great chance midway through the first half when a brisk rush up the right wing led to an open chance, but a 20-yard shot missed wide right.
Two minutes later, star midfielder Brooke Miller was taken down just outside the box, giving the Wildcats a 19-yard free kick. Xavier recruit Katelyn Nardulli’s drive missed wide left.
“We talked to the girls before the game about the last goals that we have given up,” Watson said. “We gave up a restart goal against Warren. We gave up two restart goals against Benet, and we can’t give away restarts.
“That’s what teams live and die on. We have to be better at that.”
The Redhawks were, and the result was their second shutout of the season.
“I thought the goalkeepers played really good because Neuqua is very good,” Watson said. “Miller is very, very talented.
“They had the one breakaway where we were fortunate. She went near post and missed it wide. That was a letdown, but other than that, I’m pleased with our girls. They’re playing good teams and competing.”
Velker said the key was tough one-on-one defending.
“We were focusing on staying on our marks, especially during corners,” Velker said. “We had that locked down. and then on throw-ins we were keeping them on the outside, pushing them out so they wouldn’t cut in. We did a really nice job tonight with that.”
The loss was Neuqua Valley's second shutout of the season, though they had scoring chances in both of them. With Nardulli and Miller patrolling the midfield, they have no trouble creating, but the offense has yet to be consistent. Most of the Wildcats' chances came from long distance.
“It was an entertaining game,” said coach Joe Moreau. “I don’t know if it was the prettiest of soccer, but it was entertaining. I thought both teams fought very hard.
“Both teams are pretty tired right now. It was a tough game physically and a lot of running. We just need to finish in the final third.”
Starting lineups
Neuqua Valley
GK Tara Tesmond
D Lauryn Adamski
D Kassie Salviola
D Maya Stone
D Maddy McGrath
M Anna Yuccas
M Nina Calcaterra
M Katelyn Nardulli
M Frannie Keen
M Brooke Miller
F Abby Mihalczyk
Naperville Central
GK Abby O’Connor
D Samantha Sharp
D Malia Velker
D Ella Burke
D Sophia Skoubis
M Katie Dalton
M Sullivan Schubel
M Megan Norkett
F Emma Irle
F Molly O’Rear
F Lauren Thorne
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Lauren Thorne, fr., F, Naperville Central.
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Naperville Central – Lauren Thorne (Molly O’Rear) 6:04 remaining