Naperville Central’s goal drought continues
Oswego upsets Redhawks in shootout in Naperville Invitational
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- Caroline Reedy emerged from Naperville Central’s postgame huddle saying her team has a new philosophy.
“We’re starting with a clean slate when we play Benet (Saturday),” Reedy said. “The goal is to be 1-0-0 after that game, so we have to prove ourselves again because we’re in a bit of a rut.
“We’re a better team than what we’ve been showing lately.”
Reedy, a senior midfielder, is correct on both counts. Naperville Central has now been shut out in three-straight matches following a stunning 1-0 shootout loss to Oswego on Thursday at the Naperville Invitational at Memorial Stadium.
The Redhawks (7-5-1) have the talent to beat Benet, which defeated Oswego 2-0 on Wednesday, but will have to play much better if they hope to win the 10 a.m. match that will decide Group A champion. The victor advances to the tournament quarterfinals April 25.
However Naperville Central didn't look like a team with more ability against the Panthers (3-10-0), who allowed only four shots in regulation before winning the six-round shootout 6-5.
“I asked the girls to do something new, and they were trying,” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said. “We tried to implement something for the first time, tried to do a little bit more than we normally do, and for the most part the girls were trying to do it.
“But unfortunately, we are a team where everyone is looking for someone else to score goals. (Oswego) had the better shots on goal. We didn’t have a legitimate shot on goal.
“There’s not much more to say about that game. There was just not a lot of life.”
That was true, at least offensively. Oswego goalkeeper Megan Newton had to make only one save, that coming off a corner kick with 18:30 left in the second half.
Reedy got on the end of Sophia Skoubis’ serve, but Newton was perfectly positioned to stop the nine-yard strike.
Reedy was also the only player to get legitimate shots off the Redhawks. She missed high on a 29-yard free kick at the 2:23 mark of the first half and bounced a 27-yard poke wide of the left post 55 seconds before Newton’s stop.
“We were trying something new today where we would post up and then play through,” Reedy noted. “And we were starting to get the hang of it, but once the clock started to tick away, it started to be a little more frantic, and I think that’s kind of when the panic set in.
“It was a low-shooting game. It was all in the middle. We need to put shots on frame.”
The same can be said of the Panthers, who never truly threatened to dent the net. Naperville Central goalie Sophie Epelbaum made three saves but only one was more than routine, that being a diving effort on Tamara Hernandez’ runner just 30 seconds after intermission.
It was the first shutout of the season for Epelbaum and the fourth overall by the Redhawks, who also were blanked for the fourth time.
“Our defense was great today,” Reedy said. “There were moments that were good on both sides and moments that were bad on both sides.
“It’s just a matter of capitalizing. If they’re doing bad then we have to take advantage of that, but we also need to do well.”
The shootout was the exact opposite of regulation as the first 11 shooters all connected, necessitating a sudden-death sixth round.
Brenna Young, Isabelle Panza, Sophia Molina, Emily Tully, Hernandez and Arianna Panza converted for Oswego, while Sullivan Schubel, Reedy, Maddie Mills, Sarah Scoles and Sophia Skoubis were successful for the Redhawks.
Skoubis’ make kept the hosts alive, but Newton, who had got a hand on two previous attempts, dove far to her right to stop Maddie Feldott to clinch the upset.
Newton, a 5-foot-3 senior who had been on the losing end of an eight-round shootout against Plainfield East earlier in the season, thought she should have stopped Reedy’s attempt, which trickled over the line after she got both hands on it.
“It was pretty disappointing missing that one,” Newton said. “(But the save) was unreal.
“I was stressed out because penalty kicks are very stressful. When I saw my whole team running towards me, I was just so excited. It was probably one of my happiest moments.”
One few people would have expected before the game. The Panthers are one of the few teams in the prestigious 24-team tournament with a losing record.
“Honestly, I don’t think we (would win) either at this point in our season,” Newton said. “But we came out hard, because we knew they were going to be good.
“And I think it’s going to feel really good for us, especially on the way home, knowing that we took down a team that was supposed to beat us.”
The Panthers have come close to doing that several times this season. Six of their 10 losses have been one-goal defeats, including the shootout loss to Plainfield East.
They’ve also dropped 2-0 decisions to Batavia, Benet and Joliet Catholic. That trio has a combined record of 30-2-2, with one of the losses coming when Joliet Catholic edged Benet.
“It’s been really tough for us so far but we’re pretty strong as a team,” Newton said. “Today we came ready to play, and we warmed up good.
“We said, they’re not expecting anything from us, so just put it all out there.”
That thrilled Oswego coach Kelsey Champion.
“We’ll take it,” Champion said. “We compete a lot. We come close; so today feels good. It’s a big win.
“(The season) has been rough. They played their butts off today, so I’m just really proud of them.”
That’s especially true when it comes to Newton, who has three shutouts, including two in the last three games.
“Megan’s been up and down but she’s been clicking this past week or so, really looking good and communicating well with our team,” Champion said. “Today was just a great day for her.
“She came up with a couple big saves during the run of play that really kept us in it, and everybody else just grinded it out.”
Starting lineups
Oswego
GK Megan Newton
D Anaka Carlson
D Sophia Molina
D Ashley Bailey
D Arianna Panza
D Sarah Epstein
M Emily Tully
M Hannah Lee
M Brenna Young
M Tamara Hernandez
F Jamie Mastro
Naperville Central
GK Sophie Epelbaum
D Emma Irle
D Abbey Hillman
D Liz Barker
D Sophia Skoubis
D Grace Anderson
M Sullivan Schubel
M Maddie Mills
M Morgan McCracken
F Sarah Scoles
F Caroline Reedy
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Megan Newton, sr., GK, Oswego
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
No scoring
Penalty kicks
Oswego
Made – Brenna Young, Isabelle Panza, Sophia Molina, Emily Tully, Tamara Hernandez, Arianna Panza
Naperville Central
Made – Sullivan Schubel, Caroline Reedy, Maddie Mills, Sarah Scoles, Sophia Skoubis
Saved – Maddie Feldott
Oswego upsets Redhawks in shootout in Naperville Invitational
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- Caroline Reedy emerged from Naperville Central’s postgame huddle saying her team has a new philosophy.
“We’re starting with a clean slate when we play Benet (Saturday),” Reedy said. “The goal is to be 1-0-0 after that game, so we have to prove ourselves again because we’re in a bit of a rut.
“We’re a better team than what we’ve been showing lately.”
Reedy, a senior midfielder, is correct on both counts. Naperville Central has now been shut out in three-straight matches following a stunning 1-0 shootout loss to Oswego on Thursday at the Naperville Invitational at Memorial Stadium.
The Redhawks (7-5-1) have the talent to beat Benet, which defeated Oswego 2-0 on Wednesday, but will have to play much better if they hope to win the 10 a.m. match that will decide Group A champion. The victor advances to the tournament quarterfinals April 25.
However Naperville Central didn't look like a team with more ability against the Panthers (3-10-0), who allowed only four shots in regulation before winning the six-round shootout 6-5.
“I asked the girls to do something new, and they were trying,” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said. “We tried to implement something for the first time, tried to do a little bit more than we normally do, and for the most part the girls were trying to do it.
“But unfortunately, we are a team where everyone is looking for someone else to score goals. (Oswego) had the better shots on goal. We didn’t have a legitimate shot on goal.
“There’s not much more to say about that game. There was just not a lot of life.”
That was true, at least offensively. Oswego goalkeeper Megan Newton had to make only one save, that coming off a corner kick with 18:30 left in the second half.
Reedy got on the end of Sophia Skoubis’ serve, but Newton was perfectly positioned to stop the nine-yard strike.
Reedy was also the only player to get legitimate shots off the Redhawks. She missed high on a 29-yard free kick at the 2:23 mark of the first half and bounced a 27-yard poke wide of the left post 55 seconds before Newton’s stop.
“We were trying something new today where we would post up and then play through,” Reedy noted. “And we were starting to get the hang of it, but once the clock started to tick away, it started to be a little more frantic, and I think that’s kind of when the panic set in.
“It was a low-shooting game. It was all in the middle. We need to put shots on frame.”
The same can be said of the Panthers, who never truly threatened to dent the net. Naperville Central goalie Sophie Epelbaum made three saves but only one was more than routine, that being a diving effort on Tamara Hernandez’ runner just 30 seconds after intermission.
It was the first shutout of the season for Epelbaum and the fourth overall by the Redhawks, who also were blanked for the fourth time.
“Our defense was great today,” Reedy said. “There were moments that were good on both sides and moments that were bad on both sides.
“It’s just a matter of capitalizing. If they’re doing bad then we have to take advantage of that, but we also need to do well.”
The shootout was the exact opposite of regulation as the first 11 shooters all connected, necessitating a sudden-death sixth round.
Brenna Young, Isabelle Panza, Sophia Molina, Emily Tully, Hernandez and Arianna Panza converted for Oswego, while Sullivan Schubel, Reedy, Maddie Mills, Sarah Scoles and Sophia Skoubis were successful for the Redhawks.
Skoubis’ make kept the hosts alive, but Newton, who had got a hand on two previous attempts, dove far to her right to stop Maddie Feldott to clinch the upset.
Newton, a 5-foot-3 senior who had been on the losing end of an eight-round shootout against Plainfield East earlier in the season, thought she should have stopped Reedy’s attempt, which trickled over the line after she got both hands on it.
“It was pretty disappointing missing that one,” Newton said. “(But the save) was unreal.
“I was stressed out because penalty kicks are very stressful. When I saw my whole team running towards me, I was just so excited. It was probably one of my happiest moments.”
One few people would have expected before the game. The Panthers are one of the few teams in the prestigious 24-team tournament with a losing record.
“Honestly, I don’t think we (would win) either at this point in our season,” Newton said. “But we came out hard, because we knew they were going to be good.
“And I think it’s going to feel really good for us, especially on the way home, knowing that we took down a team that was supposed to beat us.”
The Panthers have come close to doing that several times this season. Six of their 10 losses have been one-goal defeats, including the shootout loss to Plainfield East.
They’ve also dropped 2-0 decisions to Batavia, Benet and Joliet Catholic. That trio has a combined record of 30-2-2, with one of the losses coming when Joliet Catholic edged Benet.
“It’s been really tough for us so far but we’re pretty strong as a team,” Newton said. “Today we came ready to play, and we warmed up good.
“We said, they’re not expecting anything from us, so just put it all out there.”
That thrilled Oswego coach Kelsey Champion.
“We’ll take it,” Champion said. “We compete a lot. We come close; so today feels good. It’s a big win.
“(The season) has been rough. They played their butts off today, so I’m just really proud of them.”
That’s especially true when it comes to Newton, who has three shutouts, including two in the last three games.
“Megan’s been up and down but she’s been clicking this past week or so, really looking good and communicating well with our team,” Champion said. “Today was just a great day for her.
“She came up with a couple big saves during the run of play that really kept us in it, and everybody else just grinded it out.”
Starting lineups
Oswego
GK Megan Newton
D Anaka Carlson
D Sophia Molina
D Ashley Bailey
D Arianna Panza
D Sarah Epstein
M Emily Tully
M Hannah Lee
M Brenna Young
M Tamara Hernandez
F Jamie Mastro
Naperville Central
GK Sophie Epelbaum
D Emma Irle
D Abbey Hillman
D Liz Barker
D Sophia Skoubis
D Grace Anderson
M Sullivan Schubel
M Maddie Mills
M Morgan McCracken
F Sarah Scoles
F Caroline Reedy
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Megan Newton, sr., GK, Oswego
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
No scoring
Penalty kicks
Oswego
Made – Brenna Young, Isabelle Panza, Sophia Molina, Emily Tully, Tamara Hernandez, Arianna Panza
Naperville Central
Made – Sullivan Schubel, Caroline Reedy, Maddie Mills, Sarah Scoles, Sophia Skoubis
Saved – Maddie Feldott