PK earns NSCD win over
Parker, repeat league title
Lillig delivers in 59th minute for 4-3 win on Senior Day
By Michael Wojtychiw
WINNETKA -- The most recent years of North Shore Country Day girls soccer top the program's history. There is no doubt back-to-back state runnerup finishes in 2018 and 2019, the best for either soccer program at the school, have put the Raiders on the girls soccer map in Illinois.
A good number of the core players of those teams graduated in 2020, but luckily for the Raiders (5-1-1, 4-1-0) a handful of seniors with multiple years of varsity experience returned for the 2021 season: Zinzi Steele, Jane Scullion, Natalie Duquette and Eun Hae Lillig.
Those four were honored before the Raiders' home finale against Parker, as the squad celebrated Senior Day on its school campus.
"I've had a great four years on the team and a lot of growth," Steele said. "I started on JV and sophomore year moved up to varsity, so I think I've really been able to improve my skills.
"But more than anything, it's been so much fun to work as a team. North Shore girls soccer is such an environment of support, and we really enjoy working and playing together to get better. It's been a really positive four years of growth, development, support and more than anything, fun. I've really enjoyed it."
"They're a really awesome group of kids," North Shore Country day manager Lizzy Giffen said. "Talk about the highs and lows. They've seen two state tournament runs. And then had a season canceled. And now we've had this season that's much different than others.
"What's amazing about them is they're so positive and just have great attitudes. They want to be out here. They don't complain when there's restrictions or have to switch fields, they just roll with it. I'm really proud of them for focusing on the things that are really important."
So it was only fitting that when North Shore needed big plays, it came down to its senior class to execute. With the game tied 3-3 halfway through the second half, Lillig stepped up to take a penalty kick, with a chance to put her team back in front.
Lillig, a Kenyon College recruit, drilled the shot into the goal, giving the Raiders a lead they wouldn't relinquish and a second-consecutive league title.
After a first half that saw each team score a lone goal -- one each by North Shore's Ellie Stevenson and Parker's Monet VanVooren -- the two teams went on a scoring rampage in the second half.
Stevenson scored her second goal about 30 seconds into the half, and Lillig tallied in the second minute after the break.
"We had a couple talking points at the half," Giffen said. "One, we were giving them too much space. They're a talented team and if we give them space to turn and go, they were going to do that. We really wanted to focus on shutting down that space and playing to feet, which sounds simple, but we were playing a bit too much of kick ball.
"They were also playing 11 players almost halfway up the field, because their goalie would go so far up. We talked about stretching them out. When you get them (the Raiders) fired up, it's a close match, they get motivated."
It would have been easy for Parker (4-4-2, 4-3-1) to fall back and be discouraged after giving up two quick goals, but manager Patrick Stanton's squad, which was without its senior leaders, fought back behind the play of three freshmen, five sophomores and five juniors.
Just four minutes after Lillig's goal, Parker center back Anya Landolt put in a corner kick from Ivy Jacobs to cut the lead down to 3-2.
After saves by both keepers -- Parker's Alex Carlin and North Shore Country Day's Peyton Hudson -- VanVooren, a freshman midfielder, put a ball past Hudson with 12 minutes, 35 seconds elapsed in the half, to tie the game at 3-3.
"I'm proud of the way the girls responded," Stanton said. "It was super exciting to see the freshman (Monet VanVooren) grab two, both with her left foot.
"We finally started to play the way we wanted to after those two second half goals, and it was quickly 3-3."
Lillig's penalty game-winner came in the 62nd minute. Though it was the last score, both teams created multiple chances but couldn't convert.
"This season has been all about having a good time, re-centering, re-building," Giffen said. "We would prefer to play on turf, but it's really nice to play at home, with spectators, with a (baseball) game going on in the background. It was really cool and exciting."
Both keepers fought off multiple attacks throughout the game. Carlin and Hudson each made five saves to keep their squads in the game.
Though the Colonels fell, Stanton was pleased with how his team played Tuesday afternoon.
"We did well enough to push the backline up, to try and close the gap between the midfield and defense, which led to a lot more of winning second balls and keeping possession and stopping counters early," he said.
Due to injuries, North Shore Country Day players like Steele have been forced to move around to positions they're not normally accustomed to playing. Steele started the season up-top as a forward and as the season moved on, moved back toward the midfield, sometimes even playing in the back.
"I think I've played forward all my life, but I'm ready to move around and support my team wherever I'm needed," she said. "It definitely was an adjustment, but all in all, it's been fun and a good opportunity to grow and develop as a player, while also helping my team."
Both teams now prepare for the state playoffs. After a nonconference game against Niles West, North Shore Country Day will embark on a Class AA matchup with Crystal Lake Central on June 2. The Raiders, thanks to those back-to-back second place finishes, were bumped up to Class 2A this season due to the IHSA's success factor rule. That leaves the Raiders, enrollment 194 and without the core of those state teams, to face a school with an enrollment of nearly 1,500.
Parker will stay in Class A state competition and faces Chicago Academy on June 1.
Starting lineups
Parker
GK: Alex Carlin
D: Julia Ashworth
D: Anya Landolt
D: Caroline Skok
D: Danni Kaplan
M: Natalie Drake
M: Monet VanVooren
M: Ivy Jacobs
M: Sophia Rosenkranz
M: Ava Rosenberg
F: Ella Tsonton
North Shore Country Day
GK: Peyton Hudson
D: Jane Scullion
D: Natalie Duquette
D: Hannah Gallin
D: Lexi Jackson
M: Zinzi Steele
M: Lindsey Glew
M: Alma Thompson
M: Eun Hae Lillig
M: Ellie Stevenson
F: Lila Golson
Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Match: Eun Hae Lillig, senior, midfielder, North Shore Country Day
Scoring summary
First half
North Shore Country Day - Ellie Stevenson (Lila Golson), fourth minute
Parker - Monet VanVooren (Ivy Jacobs), 28th minute
Second Half
North Shore Country Day - Stevenson (Lindsey Glew), 41st minute
North Shore Country Day - Eun Hae Lillig (Glew), 43rd minute
Parker - Anya Landolt (Jacobs), 47th minute
Parker - VanVooren (Ana Franco), 53rd minute
North Shore Country Day - Lillig (PK), 59th minute
Parker, repeat league title
Lillig delivers in 59th minute for 4-3 win on Senior Day
By Michael Wojtychiw
WINNETKA -- The most recent years of North Shore Country Day girls soccer top the program's history. There is no doubt back-to-back state runnerup finishes in 2018 and 2019, the best for either soccer program at the school, have put the Raiders on the girls soccer map in Illinois.
A good number of the core players of those teams graduated in 2020, but luckily for the Raiders (5-1-1, 4-1-0) a handful of seniors with multiple years of varsity experience returned for the 2021 season: Zinzi Steele, Jane Scullion, Natalie Duquette and Eun Hae Lillig.
Those four were honored before the Raiders' home finale against Parker, as the squad celebrated Senior Day on its school campus.
"I've had a great four years on the team and a lot of growth," Steele said. "I started on JV and sophomore year moved up to varsity, so I think I've really been able to improve my skills.
"But more than anything, it's been so much fun to work as a team. North Shore girls soccer is such an environment of support, and we really enjoy working and playing together to get better. It's been a really positive four years of growth, development, support and more than anything, fun. I've really enjoyed it."
"They're a really awesome group of kids," North Shore Country day manager Lizzy Giffen said. "Talk about the highs and lows. They've seen two state tournament runs. And then had a season canceled. And now we've had this season that's much different than others.
"What's amazing about them is they're so positive and just have great attitudes. They want to be out here. They don't complain when there's restrictions or have to switch fields, they just roll with it. I'm really proud of them for focusing on the things that are really important."
So it was only fitting that when North Shore needed big plays, it came down to its senior class to execute. With the game tied 3-3 halfway through the second half, Lillig stepped up to take a penalty kick, with a chance to put her team back in front.
Lillig, a Kenyon College recruit, drilled the shot into the goal, giving the Raiders a lead they wouldn't relinquish and a second-consecutive league title.
After a first half that saw each team score a lone goal -- one each by North Shore's Ellie Stevenson and Parker's Monet VanVooren -- the two teams went on a scoring rampage in the second half.
Stevenson scored her second goal about 30 seconds into the half, and Lillig tallied in the second minute after the break.
"We had a couple talking points at the half," Giffen said. "One, we were giving them too much space. They're a talented team and if we give them space to turn and go, they were going to do that. We really wanted to focus on shutting down that space and playing to feet, which sounds simple, but we were playing a bit too much of kick ball.
"They were also playing 11 players almost halfway up the field, because their goalie would go so far up. We talked about stretching them out. When you get them (the Raiders) fired up, it's a close match, they get motivated."
It would have been easy for Parker (4-4-2, 4-3-1) to fall back and be discouraged after giving up two quick goals, but manager Patrick Stanton's squad, which was without its senior leaders, fought back behind the play of three freshmen, five sophomores and five juniors.
Just four minutes after Lillig's goal, Parker center back Anya Landolt put in a corner kick from Ivy Jacobs to cut the lead down to 3-2.
After saves by both keepers -- Parker's Alex Carlin and North Shore Country Day's Peyton Hudson -- VanVooren, a freshman midfielder, put a ball past Hudson with 12 minutes, 35 seconds elapsed in the half, to tie the game at 3-3.
"I'm proud of the way the girls responded," Stanton said. "It was super exciting to see the freshman (Monet VanVooren) grab two, both with her left foot.
"We finally started to play the way we wanted to after those two second half goals, and it was quickly 3-3."
Lillig's penalty game-winner came in the 62nd minute. Though it was the last score, both teams created multiple chances but couldn't convert.
"This season has been all about having a good time, re-centering, re-building," Giffen said. "We would prefer to play on turf, but it's really nice to play at home, with spectators, with a (baseball) game going on in the background. It was really cool and exciting."
Both keepers fought off multiple attacks throughout the game. Carlin and Hudson each made five saves to keep their squads in the game.
Though the Colonels fell, Stanton was pleased with how his team played Tuesday afternoon.
"We did well enough to push the backline up, to try and close the gap between the midfield and defense, which led to a lot more of winning second balls and keeping possession and stopping counters early," he said.
Due to injuries, North Shore Country Day players like Steele have been forced to move around to positions they're not normally accustomed to playing. Steele started the season up-top as a forward and as the season moved on, moved back toward the midfield, sometimes even playing in the back.
"I think I've played forward all my life, but I'm ready to move around and support my team wherever I'm needed," she said. "It definitely was an adjustment, but all in all, it's been fun and a good opportunity to grow and develop as a player, while also helping my team."
Both teams now prepare for the state playoffs. After a nonconference game against Niles West, North Shore Country Day will embark on a Class AA matchup with Crystal Lake Central on June 2. The Raiders, thanks to those back-to-back second place finishes, were bumped up to Class 2A this season due to the IHSA's success factor rule. That leaves the Raiders, enrollment 194 and without the core of those state teams, to face a school with an enrollment of nearly 1,500.
Parker will stay in Class A state competition and faces Chicago Academy on June 1.
Starting lineups
Parker
GK: Alex Carlin
D: Julia Ashworth
D: Anya Landolt
D: Caroline Skok
D: Danni Kaplan
M: Natalie Drake
M: Monet VanVooren
M: Ivy Jacobs
M: Sophia Rosenkranz
M: Ava Rosenberg
F: Ella Tsonton
North Shore Country Day
GK: Peyton Hudson
D: Jane Scullion
D: Natalie Duquette
D: Hannah Gallin
D: Lexi Jackson
M: Zinzi Steele
M: Lindsey Glew
M: Alma Thompson
M: Eun Hae Lillig
M: Ellie Stevenson
F: Lila Golson
Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Match: Eun Hae Lillig, senior, midfielder, North Shore Country Day
Scoring summary
First half
North Shore Country Day - Ellie Stevenson (Lila Golson), fourth minute
Parker - Monet VanVooren (Ivy Jacobs), 28th minute
Second Half
North Shore Country Day - Stevenson (Lindsey Glew), 41st minute
North Shore Country Day - Eun Hae Lillig (Glew), 43rd minute
Parker - Anya Landolt (Jacobs), 47th minute
Parker - VanVooren (Ana Franco), 53rd minute
North Shore Country Day - Lillig (PK), 59th minute