First-shot, first-goal plan
works wonders for Lemont vs. Reavis
Amberg’s 1st lifetime hat-trick leads Indians to 7-0 win
By Steve Millar
LEMONT – Lemont freshman Emma Amberg had never recorded a hat-trick in a soccer game at any level. Tuesday night, she did it in less than 18 minutes.
Amberg led an Indians’ offensive outburst that started on the first shot of the game as Lemont rolled to its fifth straight win with a 7-0 victory over Reavis in a South Suburban Conference match.
“This is the first-hat trick I’ve ever had in my whole life,” Amberg said. “It feels really good. A lot of it came from my teammates. Suzie (Knutte) and Tori (Silvar) played really good balls to me, and that helped a lot.”
Amberg said assistant coach Mark Tomczak gave the Indians (5-2-0, 5-0-0 South Suburban Conference Blue Division) an early mission.
“Tomczak told us to score on the first shot that we had, to put that first shot into the back of the net,” Amberg said. “I’m really happy I did it. I think it really helped our confidence and gave us energy.”
Amberg, Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match, indeed delivered on the game’s first shot, just 69 seconds in. Knutte made a run down the right side and played a cross toward the far post. Amberg crashed in, corralled the pass, and put her shot in.
Lemont coach Rick Prangen has played several different lineup combinations this season, with Amberg moving between midfield and forward. She was playing an outside forward position Tuesday.
“For Emma, the flank right now is where I think we’re going to be able to best utilize her,” Prangen said. “She’s got a bit of pace about her. I’m really proud of her for finishing that first chance.
“We talked about that and said, ‘You’re not going to get 10 chances in this game. Finish the first one.’ Emma is doing great. She’s going to continue to grow and keep getting better.”
Just over two minutes later, Lemont put Reavis (3-2-1, 3-1-1 South Suburban Conference Red Division) in a two-goal hole when senior Kailey Wasyliw used her body to direct in a corner kick from Gabby Koziel.
When Amberg scored her second goal -- collecting a loose ball after Knutte’s shot was blocked and blasting a line drive into the net -- it was 3-0 less than 10 minutes in.
“This game, it was about coming out with a bit more attitude at the start and not letting the opponent have any life,” Prangen said. “(Reavis has) a big adjustment coming here and playing on grass and playing on a big field. Emma finishing that first chance was a big deal for us, because we never gave them a chance to settle into the game.
“It was everything we hoped for, as far as coming out and playing with attitude.”
Amberg completed her hat-trick in the 18th minute, taking a pass from Silvar, sprinting down the left side of the box and burying her shot to make it 4-0.
It was Amberg’s eighth goal of the season in a smooth transition to high school soccer.
“I’ve been playing soccer for a really long time,” Amberg said. “I think all the work I’ve put in has helped. I think all our practices at the start of the season and all the time we’ve put in together is really helping. We’re connecting in these games and (Tuesday), we came out and definitely played a lot better.”
Knutte scored off a nice setup from sophomore midfielder Paige Bingen to make it 5-0 in the 20th minute.
Prangen praised Bingen, another player who has moved around the field, also spending time at defender.
“I thought Paige absolutely dominated the middle of the field and ran them to death. Her reverse ball to Suzie Knutte for her goal was absolutely brilliant,” Prangen said. “We’ve been trying to find the spots where we can maximize Paige and Emma, and I think we’re figuring that out.”
Senior forward Mia Aleman came off the bench to score the final two goals for the Indians, both off assists from Knutte. In the 33rd minute, she put in a rebound after Knutte’s shot was saved by Reavis goalkeeper Diana Gonzalez.
In the 44th minute, she made it 7-0 by scoring off a nice pass from Knutte.
Aleman, who began the season as a starter, is embracing her role as a reserve.
“I just want to give 110 percent effort as I see my starters doing,” she said. “I want to show them that when I get in the game, I will do that, as well.”
Aleman said Lemont’s veterans and newcomers are starting to jell.
“I’ve been playing with some of these girls almost my whole life, so the chemistry has always been there,” she said. “Now, we’re adding girls like Emma coming in as a freshman or Suzie as a sophomore. They have really helped us on the field. I love playing with them. They bring so much and come out so fast, and I think the boost they’ve given us is what we needed.”
Reavis’ Gonzalez did her best to keep the Rams close. She made seven saves.
Senior midfielder Isabel Guzman, a Lewis recruit, created some chances for Reavis. Her shot from 25 yards in the 28th minute was saved by Lemont goalkeeper Michelle Nosal.
Reavis’ best scoring chance came on a corner kick in the 12th minute. Guzman took the corner and played a dangerous ball into the box. Sandy Garcia fired a shot off the side of the net, causing confusion as some Reavis players celebrated thinking the shot had gone in.
“If they would have scored on that corner kick and made it 3-1, I think it becomes a little bit of a different game,” Prangen said. “But I think the big thing was not giving them any opportunity to create any life after that.”
Nosal made two saves to record the shutout. The backline of Koziel, Maggie Knutte and Trinity Hatton limited the Rams’ chances.
“It’s that attitude and that pride,” Prangen said. “You’re seeing a little bit of that pride now. At the beginning of the year, it was not who we are and not who we want to be. So, let’s keep working, keep progressing and getting better.
“We’re going to be challenged again and hopefully we can respond to that challenge, but right now it’s definitely trending in the right away in terms of our system, our formation, our work rate and our attitude.”
Starting lineups
Reavis
GK – Diana Gonzalez
D – Pam Hernandez
D – Olivia Smycz
D – Paulina Ledworuch
D – Emily Chavez
MF – Sandy Garcia
MF – Isabel Guzman
MF – Jasmin Pascual
MF – Alyssa Juarez
MF – Alaina Hernandez
F – Yammi Torres
Lemont
GK – Michelle Nosal
D – Maggie Knutte
D – Gabby Koziel
D – Trinity Hatton
MF – Paige Bingen
MF – Nicole Bobcik
MF – Maddie Counsil
MF – Victoria Silvar
F – Emma Amberg
F – Suzie Knutte
F – Kailey Wasyliw
Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match: Emma Amberg, fr., F, Lemont
Scoring summary
First half
Lemont – Amberg (S. Knutte), 2nd minute
Lemont – Wasyliw (Koziel), 4th minute
Lemont – Amberg (unassisted), 9th minute
Lemont – Amberg (Silvar), 18th minute
Lemont – S. Knutte (Bingen), 20th minute
Lemont – Mia Aleman (S. Knutte), 33rd minute
Second half
Lemont – Aleman (S. Knutte), 44th minute
works wonders for Lemont vs. Reavis
Amberg’s 1st lifetime hat-trick leads Indians to 7-0 win
By Steve Millar
LEMONT – Lemont freshman Emma Amberg had never recorded a hat-trick in a soccer game at any level. Tuesday night, she did it in less than 18 minutes.
Amberg led an Indians’ offensive outburst that started on the first shot of the game as Lemont rolled to its fifth straight win with a 7-0 victory over Reavis in a South Suburban Conference match.
“This is the first-hat trick I’ve ever had in my whole life,” Amberg said. “It feels really good. A lot of it came from my teammates. Suzie (Knutte) and Tori (Silvar) played really good balls to me, and that helped a lot.”
Amberg said assistant coach Mark Tomczak gave the Indians (5-2-0, 5-0-0 South Suburban Conference Blue Division) an early mission.
“Tomczak told us to score on the first shot that we had, to put that first shot into the back of the net,” Amberg said. “I’m really happy I did it. I think it really helped our confidence and gave us energy.”
Amberg, Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match, indeed delivered on the game’s first shot, just 69 seconds in. Knutte made a run down the right side and played a cross toward the far post. Amberg crashed in, corralled the pass, and put her shot in.
Lemont coach Rick Prangen has played several different lineup combinations this season, with Amberg moving between midfield and forward. She was playing an outside forward position Tuesday.
“For Emma, the flank right now is where I think we’re going to be able to best utilize her,” Prangen said. “She’s got a bit of pace about her. I’m really proud of her for finishing that first chance.
“We talked about that and said, ‘You’re not going to get 10 chances in this game. Finish the first one.’ Emma is doing great. She’s going to continue to grow and keep getting better.”
Just over two minutes later, Lemont put Reavis (3-2-1, 3-1-1 South Suburban Conference Red Division) in a two-goal hole when senior Kailey Wasyliw used her body to direct in a corner kick from Gabby Koziel.
When Amberg scored her second goal -- collecting a loose ball after Knutte’s shot was blocked and blasting a line drive into the net -- it was 3-0 less than 10 minutes in.
“This game, it was about coming out with a bit more attitude at the start and not letting the opponent have any life,” Prangen said. “(Reavis has) a big adjustment coming here and playing on grass and playing on a big field. Emma finishing that first chance was a big deal for us, because we never gave them a chance to settle into the game.
“It was everything we hoped for, as far as coming out and playing with attitude.”
Amberg completed her hat-trick in the 18th minute, taking a pass from Silvar, sprinting down the left side of the box and burying her shot to make it 4-0.
It was Amberg’s eighth goal of the season in a smooth transition to high school soccer.
“I’ve been playing soccer for a really long time,” Amberg said. “I think all the work I’ve put in has helped. I think all our practices at the start of the season and all the time we’ve put in together is really helping. We’re connecting in these games and (Tuesday), we came out and definitely played a lot better.”
Knutte scored off a nice setup from sophomore midfielder Paige Bingen to make it 5-0 in the 20th minute.
Prangen praised Bingen, another player who has moved around the field, also spending time at defender.
“I thought Paige absolutely dominated the middle of the field and ran them to death. Her reverse ball to Suzie Knutte for her goal was absolutely brilliant,” Prangen said. “We’ve been trying to find the spots where we can maximize Paige and Emma, and I think we’re figuring that out.”
Senior forward Mia Aleman came off the bench to score the final two goals for the Indians, both off assists from Knutte. In the 33rd minute, she put in a rebound after Knutte’s shot was saved by Reavis goalkeeper Diana Gonzalez.
In the 44th minute, she made it 7-0 by scoring off a nice pass from Knutte.
Aleman, who began the season as a starter, is embracing her role as a reserve.
“I just want to give 110 percent effort as I see my starters doing,” she said. “I want to show them that when I get in the game, I will do that, as well.”
Aleman said Lemont’s veterans and newcomers are starting to jell.
“I’ve been playing with some of these girls almost my whole life, so the chemistry has always been there,” she said. “Now, we’re adding girls like Emma coming in as a freshman or Suzie as a sophomore. They have really helped us on the field. I love playing with them. They bring so much and come out so fast, and I think the boost they’ve given us is what we needed.”
Reavis’ Gonzalez did her best to keep the Rams close. She made seven saves.
Senior midfielder Isabel Guzman, a Lewis recruit, created some chances for Reavis. Her shot from 25 yards in the 28th minute was saved by Lemont goalkeeper Michelle Nosal.
Reavis’ best scoring chance came on a corner kick in the 12th minute. Guzman took the corner and played a dangerous ball into the box. Sandy Garcia fired a shot off the side of the net, causing confusion as some Reavis players celebrated thinking the shot had gone in.
“If they would have scored on that corner kick and made it 3-1, I think it becomes a little bit of a different game,” Prangen said. “But I think the big thing was not giving them any opportunity to create any life after that.”
Nosal made two saves to record the shutout. The backline of Koziel, Maggie Knutte and Trinity Hatton limited the Rams’ chances.
“It’s that attitude and that pride,” Prangen said. “You’re seeing a little bit of that pride now. At the beginning of the year, it was not who we are and not who we want to be. So, let’s keep working, keep progressing and getting better.
“We’re going to be challenged again and hopefully we can respond to that challenge, but right now it’s definitely trending in the right away in terms of our system, our formation, our work rate and our attitude.”
Starting lineups
Reavis
GK – Diana Gonzalez
D – Pam Hernandez
D – Olivia Smycz
D – Paulina Ledworuch
D – Emily Chavez
MF – Sandy Garcia
MF – Isabel Guzman
MF – Jasmin Pascual
MF – Alyssa Juarez
MF – Alaina Hernandez
F – Yammi Torres
Lemont
GK – Michelle Nosal
D – Maggie Knutte
D – Gabby Koziel
D – Trinity Hatton
MF – Paige Bingen
MF – Nicole Bobcik
MF – Maddie Counsil
MF – Victoria Silvar
F – Emma Amberg
F – Suzie Knutte
F – Kailey Wasyliw
Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match: Emma Amberg, fr., F, Lemont
Scoring summary
First half
Lemont – Amberg (S. Knutte), 2nd minute
Lemont – Wasyliw (Koziel), 4th minute
Lemont – Amberg (unassisted), 9th minute
Lemont – Amberg (Silvar), 18th minute
Lemont – S. Knutte (Bingen), 20th minute
Lemont – Mia Aleman (S. Knutte), 33rd minute
Second half
Lemont – Aleman (S. Knutte), 44th minute