Fremd bottles up Prospect for regional title Vikings advance to Buffalo Grove Sectional with 2-0 win
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- Third-seeded Fremd continued its fine postseason form with another comprehensive victory Friday night to lift its own regional championship trophy at Hildebrandt Field.
Christy Murauskis opened the scoring at 29 minutes when the Vikings refused to let Prospect out of its own end. Then just before the break, Ashley Scesniak doubled the advantage to secure a 2-0 victory over Prospect.
"We've (now) come out strong in both of our regional games after not doing so when we lost to New Trier, and (Steve) Keller said that's the only way we can compete and continue to move on," said the senior Murauskis.
(That) loss to New Trier Murauskis refers to was a less than dazzling performance against the 2018 state runnerup in the season finale on May 10 in which the Vikings never got on their front foot.
Liz Prigge spoke to the ire her manager heaped upon the Vikings after the New Trier defeat, and it obviously hit home Tuesday (May 14) when the Vikings overwhelmed Waukegan in the regional opener.
Taking the momentum from that 7-0 victory, the Vikings looked to exert that same superiority over a talented club from Prospect, with whom they played to a 0-0 draw early in the season.
"Prospect was so much more improved from the first time we saw them, especially no. 15 (Ashley Welk)," said Keller. "Even when doubled her, she was able to get free, distribute, take people on and be the single most dangerous player out there tonight."
Welk stunned Carmel on Tuesday with a magnificent cracker that sent the Lady Knights (12-10-5) into the regional final against its league rival.
"With Fremd, you always know they will have a stout defense, quality keeper, and the type of work rate that produces a lot of pressure for 80 minutes, which will force teams to turn the ball over to allow opportunities for them," began Prospect manager Tom Froats.
"That's what you saw in the first 20 minutes and on both of their goals, which were created from pressure and our misfortune with the ball."
The Vikings (13-4-3), who were ranked 18th in the final, regular-season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, created two of its eight first half corners in the early exchanges. Both came from hard work from Rose Kentish and Caeleigh Stone and the second nearly found the back of the net.
That's when a Scesniak serve fell to Kentish, whose close-range attempt was smothered by Prospect keeper Annie Ninness.
The sophomore was called into action far more than Froats and his club would have liked. Most of her work came on the countless corners whipped into the box, as well as several efforts on frame.
"The good thing about tonight was we created chances," said Keller. "But we're not finishing those chances, and you have to know at some point if you continue to move on, that's going to be costly."
Keller opened with a 3-5-2 formation. That gave the Vikings an extra midfielder for the attack, and added numbers in the middle of the park with the hope of slowing the aforementioned Welk.
Murauskis was the extra midfielder in the formation, and per usual the senior handled the chore without missing a step.
"We played a couple of different ways tonight," said Murauskis. "Sometimes we moved into a 3-4-3 (depending) on who we had out there, but either way, with our backline and Jennifer (Norris) in goal, it works really well for us."
Prospect came slowly into the game, and when it did it was Welk at the controls.
The senior forced Norris to come off her line in the 12th minute then was in the middle of a nice build-up along with Kristin Schneider, Ella Marzolf and Lauryn Schneider.
Welk's ability to pry open the Vikings allowed her outside backs, Madalyn Ladd and Ashley Erickson to venture forward at times to add numbers and another dimension to the Lady Knights attack.
"Ashley makes us go, and when she's playing like she did tonight, we can attack and put a lot of pressure on an opponents," said Froats. "But as I said before, the defense of Fremd is a tough one to break."
Murauskis used her strong left foot to bury the opener off the gloves of Ninness from 30 yards, but it was the unsung work of Mackenzie Stein that allowed her teammate to strike.
In the scoring sequence leading up the goal, Stein would not allow Prospect to clear the area. Though the junior would not see her name in the scoreboard with an assist, it was clear her effort was key to the celebration.
Fremd's Lauren Burk cleared a dangerous ball sent in from Tina Suto to Abby Knott, resulting in the first corner of the night for Prospect.
Suto, who was terrific for 80 minutes as the Lady Knights defensive midfielder, drove her low corner onto the foot of Welk, who went just wide of the post.
With time running out in the first period, the Lady Knights conceded a second goal, and one that would make it more difficult in its chase for a regional crown.
It all came together for the Vikings thanks to Emma Spotak.
The senior forward, who possesses several gears of speed and quickness plus an ability to turn on a dime, used all her skills to keep the Lady Knights buried deep in their end and close to the near flag.
When a poorly hit ball from that spot was intercepted by Spotak, she quickly sent a glorious ball through the box, and onto the foot of Scesniak for an easy one-timer at the back post.
"It was all about reading the center and outside backs, and realizing they were both in trouble. When they misplayed the ball, I was right there to make something happen for us," said Spotak of her helper on the Vikings second goal.
"It's tough to give one up that late," said Froats. "But to our credit, we came out and went after trying to pull one back after we were forced to weather an early storm after the break."
Fremd went close far too many times for Keller's liking.
Claire Stewart set up Spotak, and if not for sharp tackle by Erickson, she would have been in. Then it was Stone who forced a save by Ninness on another quality chance.
Stone looked to the sky when she missed a back post opportunity off a lovely corner from Scesniak. Then Scesniak watched her bending angled free kick end in the hands of Ninness.
The Vikings were frustrated one more time when a Scesniak free kick went off the gloves of Ninness and gave the home side yet another unsuccessful corner.
This 64th-minute chance ended a long stand of defending by Prospect, which came alive to put a scare into the Vikings faithful on this cold, damp night.
Welk, with three green shirts in pursuit, drove her angled blast straight into Norris. Then, along with Kristin and Lauryn Schneider, Erickson and Suto, the MSL East Player of the Year pushed forward in hope of halving the lead.
Welk went over, and a 22-yard free kick from Suto missed as well before the stadium clock read 00:00.
"It's a tough way to go out, but hats off to Fremd," said a gracious Froats. "They deserved the result and proved to be the better team tonight.
"We have a tremendous group of seniors. As I've said all along, they have led by example through their work ethic in soccer and their academic work in the classroom. They have provided tremendous leadership which I know will be carried on by our returning players."
Fremd has a 10-1-2 mark in its last 13 games.
"It was a good win, led by some strong play in the midfield and our backline of Burk, and Liz and Allie Prigge," Keller said. "But the games and pressure get tougher next week, and we have to be better in order to compete."
The Vikings face Warren (13-8-3) in a sectional semifinal Tuesday at Buffalo Grove.
Starting lineups
Prospect (4-1-4-1)
G- Annie Ninness
D- Madalyn Ladd
D- Helen Siavelis
D- Ashley Erickson
D- Karsen Keller
M- Tina Suto
M- Ella Marzolf
M- Ashley Welk
M- Lauryn Schneider
M- Kristin Schneider
F- Abbey Danciu
Fremd (3-5-2)
G- Jennifer Norris
D- Liz Prigge
D- Lauren Burk
D- Allie Prigge
M- Christy Murauskis
M- Claire Stewart
M- Mackenzie Stein
M- Emma Katovich
M- Ashley Scesniak
F- Caeleigh Stone
F- Rose Kentish
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Ashley Welk, sr., MF/F, Prospect
Christy Murauskis, sr., MF, Fremd
Scoring summary
First half
Fremd: Murauskis (U/A) 29'
Fremd: Scesniak (Spotak) 38'
Second half
No scoring
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- Third-seeded Fremd continued its fine postseason form with another comprehensive victory Friday night to lift its own regional championship trophy at Hildebrandt Field.
Christy Murauskis opened the scoring at 29 minutes when the Vikings refused to let Prospect out of its own end. Then just before the break, Ashley Scesniak doubled the advantage to secure a 2-0 victory over Prospect.
"We've (now) come out strong in both of our regional games after not doing so when we lost to New Trier, and (Steve) Keller said that's the only way we can compete and continue to move on," said the senior Murauskis.
(That) loss to New Trier Murauskis refers to was a less than dazzling performance against the 2018 state runnerup in the season finale on May 10 in which the Vikings never got on their front foot.
Liz Prigge spoke to the ire her manager heaped upon the Vikings after the New Trier defeat, and it obviously hit home Tuesday (May 14) when the Vikings overwhelmed Waukegan in the regional opener.
Taking the momentum from that 7-0 victory, the Vikings looked to exert that same superiority over a talented club from Prospect, with whom they played to a 0-0 draw early in the season.
"Prospect was so much more improved from the first time we saw them, especially no. 15 (Ashley Welk)," said Keller. "Even when doubled her, she was able to get free, distribute, take people on and be the single most dangerous player out there tonight."
Welk stunned Carmel on Tuesday with a magnificent cracker that sent the Lady Knights (12-10-5) into the regional final against its league rival.
"With Fremd, you always know they will have a stout defense, quality keeper, and the type of work rate that produces a lot of pressure for 80 minutes, which will force teams to turn the ball over to allow opportunities for them," began Prospect manager Tom Froats.
"That's what you saw in the first 20 minutes and on both of their goals, which were created from pressure and our misfortune with the ball."
The Vikings (13-4-3), who were ranked 18th in the final, regular-season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, created two of its eight first half corners in the early exchanges. Both came from hard work from Rose Kentish and Caeleigh Stone and the second nearly found the back of the net.
That's when a Scesniak serve fell to Kentish, whose close-range attempt was smothered by Prospect keeper Annie Ninness.
The sophomore was called into action far more than Froats and his club would have liked. Most of her work came on the countless corners whipped into the box, as well as several efforts on frame.
"The good thing about tonight was we created chances," said Keller. "But we're not finishing those chances, and you have to know at some point if you continue to move on, that's going to be costly."
Keller opened with a 3-5-2 formation. That gave the Vikings an extra midfielder for the attack, and added numbers in the middle of the park with the hope of slowing the aforementioned Welk.
Murauskis was the extra midfielder in the formation, and per usual the senior handled the chore without missing a step.
"We played a couple of different ways tonight," said Murauskis. "Sometimes we moved into a 3-4-3 (depending) on who we had out there, but either way, with our backline and Jennifer (Norris) in goal, it works really well for us."
Prospect came slowly into the game, and when it did it was Welk at the controls.
The senior forced Norris to come off her line in the 12th minute then was in the middle of a nice build-up along with Kristin Schneider, Ella Marzolf and Lauryn Schneider.
Welk's ability to pry open the Vikings allowed her outside backs, Madalyn Ladd and Ashley Erickson to venture forward at times to add numbers and another dimension to the Lady Knights attack.
"Ashley makes us go, and when she's playing like she did tonight, we can attack and put a lot of pressure on an opponents," said Froats. "But as I said before, the defense of Fremd is a tough one to break."
Murauskis used her strong left foot to bury the opener off the gloves of Ninness from 30 yards, but it was the unsung work of Mackenzie Stein that allowed her teammate to strike.
In the scoring sequence leading up the goal, Stein would not allow Prospect to clear the area. Though the junior would not see her name in the scoreboard with an assist, it was clear her effort was key to the celebration.
Fremd's Lauren Burk cleared a dangerous ball sent in from Tina Suto to Abby Knott, resulting in the first corner of the night for Prospect.
Suto, who was terrific for 80 minutes as the Lady Knights defensive midfielder, drove her low corner onto the foot of Welk, who went just wide of the post.
With time running out in the first period, the Lady Knights conceded a second goal, and one that would make it more difficult in its chase for a regional crown.
It all came together for the Vikings thanks to Emma Spotak.
The senior forward, who possesses several gears of speed and quickness plus an ability to turn on a dime, used all her skills to keep the Lady Knights buried deep in their end and close to the near flag.
When a poorly hit ball from that spot was intercepted by Spotak, she quickly sent a glorious ball through the box, and onto the foot of Scesniak for an easy one-timer at the back post.
"It was all about reading the center and outside backs, and realizing they were both in trouble. When they misplayed the ball, I was right there to make something happen for us," said Spotak of her helper on the Vikings second goal.
"It's tough to give one up that late," said Froats. "But to our credit, we came out and went after trying to pull one back after we were forced to weather an early storm after the break."
Fremd went close far too many times for Keller's liking.
Claire Stewart set up Spotak, and if not for sharp tackle by Erickson, she would have been in. Then it was Stone who forced a save by Ninness on another quality chance.
Stone looked to the sky when she missed a back post opportunity off a lovely corner from Scesniak. Then Scesniak watched her bending angled free kick end in the hands of Ninness.
The Vikings were frustrated one more time when a Scesniak free kick went off the gloves of Ninness and gave the home side yet another unsuccessful corner.
This 64th-minute chance ended a long stand of defending by Prospect, which came alive to put a scare into the Vikings faithful on this cold, damp night.
Welk, with three green shirts in pursuit, drove her angled blast straight into Norris. Then, along with Kristin and Lauryn Schneider, Erickson and Suto, the MSL East Player of the Year pushed forward in hope of halving the lead.
Welk went over, and a 22-yard free kick from Suto missed as well before the stadium clock read 00:00.
"It's a tough way to go out, but hats off to Fremd," said a gracious Froats. "They deserved the result and proved to be the better team tonight.
"We have a tremendous group of seniors. As I've said all along, they have led by example through their work ethic in soccer and their academic work in the classroom. They have provided tremendous leadership which I know will be carried on by our returning players."
Fremd has a 10-1-2 mark in its last 13 games.
"It was a good win, led by some strong play in the midfield and our backline of Burk, and Liz and Allie Prigge," Keller said. "But the games and pressure get tougher next week, and we have to be better in order to compete."
The Vikings face Warren (13-8-3) in a sectional semifinal Tuesday at Buffalo Grove.
Starting lineups
Prospect (4-1-4-1)
G- Annie Ninness
D- Madalyn Ladd
D- Helen Siavelis
D- Ashley Erickson
D- Karsen Keller
M- Tina Suto
M- Ella Marzolf
M- Ashley Welk
M- Lauryn Schneider
M- Kristin Schneider
F- Abbey Danciu
Fremd (3-5-2)
G- Jennifer Norris
D- Liz Prigge
D- Lauren Burk
D- Allie Prigge
M- Christy Murauskis
M- Claire Stewart
M- Mackenzie Stein
M- Emma Katovich
M- Ashley Scesniak
F- Caeleigh Stone
F- Rose Kentish
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Ashley Welk, sr., MF/F, Prospect
Christy Murauskis, sr., MF, Fremd
Scoring summary
First half
Fremd: Murauskis (U/A) 29'
Fremd: Scesniak (Spotak) 38'
Second half
No scoring