Goebel goals power Wheaton A. past SF
Warriors outlast visitors blitz for 2-1 OT win
By Dave Owen
WEST CHICAGO – With a history of high-stakes playoff matches and neighborhood bragging rights, games between Wheaton Academy and St. Francis are seldom run-of-the-mill.
Tuesday’s edition certainly didn’t disappoint.
Host Wheaton Academy used an Emma Goebel goal midway through the first half to grab the lead, even as St. Francis produced a steady barrage of chances all night.
The Spartans finally tied the score 1-1 on an Ava Hensley strike with 10:07 left in regulation, and that breakthrough rocket had to spin across the crease and in after a great leaping deflection at the right post by goalkeeper Julia Liposky.
Still tied heading into a pair of 10-minute overtimes, the Warriors then endured a Spartans-dominated first OT session before turning a set piece with 4:01 to go in the second extra period into their biggest win of 2019.
Goebel’s goal off a Rebecca Steininger corner kick into a crowd in front stood up through the rest of a wild second OT, as Wheaton Academy (8-6-0, 5-0-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division) earned a 2-1 win over the Spartans (1-4-3, 1-1-0) that could be understated as hard-fought.
“It’s a big win for us because we have a lot of respect for St. Francis,” Warriors coach Jeff Brooke said. “They’re defending AA state champs; they play such a good schedule. They play so hard; they do a great job of keeping the ball and have a really clear style.
“I thought our girls showed a lot of fight in the way we defended, and the way we kept the ball out of our goal other than the one. The girls fought really, really hard. I’m proud of them.”
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Goebel not only netted both Warriors goals, but was part of a defensive corps that withstood a Spartans storm.
“I think our defense did better than we’ve ever done,” Goebel said. “The center backs were really strong, and a lot of help was the communication. We were talking to each other, not only uplifting each other but directing each other when to clear and when to find feet. I think that was really effective.”
Goebel’s defense also set the stage for her own winning goal.
St. Francis’ latest offensive push midway through the second OT was thwarted by a Goebel send well upfield out of the defensive zone. That sprung A.C. Hardy on a left-side attack to the end line, which set up the decisive corner kick.
“Corners are my favorite,” said Goebel, who has seven goals this season. “I just feel an energy to get it in the back of the net.
“This has to be my top one (goal). It’s fun to play a rival, and they’re a really really good side. This is a good win for us.”
The teams hadn’t met since a St. Francis victory on penalty kicks in the 2015 sectionals. On a more humble April stage instead of the postseason, the latest showdown had all the same intensity.
That fire burned until the final seconds. After Wheaton Academy’s Amy Alexander made booming clears of the box with 2:25 and 1:45 left in the second OT, the Spartans produced a furious final push in the last 15 seconds.
Two sends to the crease were blocked in the scrum near the goal line, then a last-ditch shot from 10 yards went just wide of the left post as the 100-minute battle expired.
“I’m just really happy,” said sophomore goalkeeper Liposky, whose eight saves included several acrobatic ones. “We came together, and we fought through every last minute, through overtime and everything. We managed to fight together and came out the victor.”
Offensively, Goebel both started and ended the hard-fought win.
Near the halfway point of the first half, a Warriors free kick send led to an Emily Setran pass and Goebel drive inside the left post for a 1-0 Wheaton Academy lead.
“It was a set piece from probably 30 yards out,” Goebel said. “It was floated in, they (St. Francis) popped it out just a little bit, but one of our players got it, sent it in.
“(Setran) got it and played a straight ball, and I ran onto it (for the shot and goal).”
But the Warriors’ 1-0 lead on the scoreboard was a metaphorical red flag in front of the St. Francis raging bull.
“This whole season,” Spartans midfielder Hensley said, “I think our main goal is putting in all the work we have and never giving up. And we definitely did that in this game.
“I’m super proud of all the girls tonight. We definitely gave our all. To me this is one of the better games we’ve played. We competed the whole time.”
Hensley would eventually punctuate her team’s never quit will to compete. But not before waves of Spartans chances -- and a very near miss of an insurance goal for the Warriors.
A 65-second span of play early in the second half summed up the frenetic St. Francis attack.
First, a nice Hensley cross to the crease was redirected just wide by a teammate. On the ensuing goal kick, Hannah Rittenhouse won the 50-50 send and raced in, producing a corner kick. Then on that ensuing set piece, a header block well upfield by the Warriors’ Sophia Lindquist capped one of many hectic sequences for the hosts’ defense.
Iowa-bound striker Rittenhouse was the most renowned Spartans threat, but far from the only one.
“We were aware of her (Rittenhouse),” Goebel said, “really just to make sure we knew where she was at all times -- as well as everyone on their attack.”
Liposky came up big with 26:45 left in regulation to deny another attacker, swatting a Kat Lemke 20-yard straight-on liner wide of the left post.
Alexander’s long clear of the ensuing corner kick was one of her many stellar plays to keep the Spartans at bay.
“Amy Alexander plays in that (midfield) spot where sometimes you don’t get much credit,” Brooke said, “but you log the miles. You defend, you attack, you keep us together.
“She’s kind of the glue in the midfield for us. And Goebel obviously played great (on defense) and then finds two goals for herself. She had a big game. I’m proud of those two. And they’re great people too.”
With 20:20 left in regulation, Alexander initiated a Warriors chance that came inches away from producing an insurance goal.
Sarah VanderKlok took Alexander’s upfield pass and nicely touched a pass to Lindquist racing in right. Lindquist’s 12-yard liner clanged off the crossbar and down into the box, where Setran’s rebound try from 10 yards on the left went just over the net.
After that Warriors bid, the focus fell back on Spartans’ chances.
A Lemke corner kick with 13:15 left was the next quality threat, which ended with a Rittenhouse header over the net.
Then with 10:07 to go, St. Francis finally struck gold -- but just barely.
A nice clear off the line by VanderKlok of a Spartans deflection towards the crease appeared to end the latest close but not quite moment.
But Hensley gathered the loose ball right of the net and lined a 20-yard drive towards the upper right corner. Liposky jumped to deflect the shot off the right post, and the ball spun left down the goal line before crossing into the net for a 1-1 tie.
The goal had the drama of a long putt at Augusta, with a wide range of emotions from Hensley pre- and post-shot.
“When I shot it, honestly I didn’t think about it, because when I overthink I always mess it up,” Hensley said. “The coaches have been telling me since freshman year to rip shots, and I was just like ‘We need one.' I’m here for the team, so I just took it.
“I saw her (Liposky) get a hand on it, I didn’t think it went in. And then I look over and I see Hannah picking me up.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my God.’ All these emotions just went through my head. It was insane. I’m just happy I got it for the team.”
The goal was Hensley’s first of her adversity-filled 2019 season.
“Ava played great,” Spartans coach Jim Winslow said. “She was in a car accident a few weeks ago, and kids sometimes think they’re rubber, and you’ll recover fast from those type of things.
“She played through it (without missing any games), but she was struggling. Tonight she finally looked comfortable. She’s a really skilled player, she strikes balls well, and tonight she looked really good.”
The Spartans had the last big chance of regulation. With 1:45 left, Rittenhouse won a free kick send in her team’s defensive end and sparked a counterattack. But Lemke’s left side rush was denied by a Kat Sezonov block and VanderKlok clear.
“I think the defense came really together and was being strong,” Liposky said. “We were like ‘You’ve got to clear the balls out.’
“They (our field players) really fought for everything, whether they were playing defense or any other position. They just came together and gutted it out. I’m so thankful.”
A thankful Liposky also had to feel very stressful in the first overtime.
St. Francis defender Jill DiTusa was in the spotlight at both ends of the field in the first overtime.
With 8:50 left, Alexander’s 21-yard free kick was denied by DiTusa’s block and clear at the 6-yard line.
Then after a Liposky catch of an Emily Thill 22-yard shot, DiTusa’s loose ball win with 5:25 to go set up a Lemke left side 15-yarder that Liposky deflected just wide of the right post.
Early in the second OT, DiTusa took her late-game offensive focus to the maximum.
After her header off a Lemke corner kick was blocked by Liposky, a rebound cross towards the crease was grabbed by a leaping Liposky at the goal line over a hustling DiTusa, who fell into the goalkeeper and then into the net, writhing in pain from leg cramps.
“I kind of went up for it on the line,” Liposky said. “She just came in. She ended up in the net, and the ball and I didn’t.”
Dealing with either quality shots or opponents at the doorstep, Liposky excelled.
“Julia played great,” Brooke said. “She was calm. She made the saves she’s been preparing to save. I’m really proud of her for rising up in a big game.
“There was a lot of duress with set pieces and corners, so for her to play the way she did is a big deal for us.”
The next scramble in front of the opposite end’s net would end with Goebel and the Warriors celebrating. But in defeat, St. Francis could point to plenty of its own positives.
“We played great,” Winslow said. “We dominated possession. We dominated shots. We dominated every category except one (the score). As I told the kids I’m so pleased with them. But I hate to lose.”
Winning the Class AA state title last year pushed the Spartans up to 3A this postseason. Getting quality wins was essential for online seeding which ends at noon Thursday (April 25). Seeds will be released in the late afternoon.
“We needed to, for lack of a better word, unload on somebody,” Winslow said. “Tonight we had opportunities to do it, and we didn’t do it.”
The game marked just the eighth this season for the Spartans.
“With the amount of games we’ve had it’s definitely difficult to find our rhythm,” Hensley said, “especially because it’s a new team and different than who we were playing with before.
“But I think we’re getting there for sure, especially after tonight. I know other teams have like 15 games under their belt, but it’s definitely not an excuse for us and more like motivation to do something great.”
Lack of games has been only one part of St. Francis’ challenges.
“The bigger problem is that we lost our field (due to flooding issues) and have been scrambling,” Winslow said. “Yesterday was about our seventh practice outside. That’s been our biggest issue.
“We got some practice time, and it showed. It’s just fine-tuning things really and making what we do in the final third simpler and easier for ourselves. But I was proud of the kids tonight. They played well.”
After getting off to a 5-1-0 start this season, Wheaton Academy is back on the upswing.
“In the Pepsi (tournament) we ran into some really good teams,” Brooke said. “It was hard for us, but we did some growing.
“We’ve been piecing some things together, playing a good style, and we’ve just been growing in that fight category. I’m proud of the girls for that.”
The Warriors needed every ounce of fight to earn Tuesday’s huge win.
“(Mid-April) was harder competition than we had played before, but now we’re ready for it,” Liposky said. “And it was also a lot of games all at once. But we kept trying to fight, we kept working. And we got this win because of it.”
Said Goebel: “We all got a little down with a few losses in the middle of the season, but coach told us to come out and play tough, and I think that’s exactly what we did.
“Going forward we know what we’re capable of, and we know we can play great soccer.”
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK: Aubrey Quaranto
D: Lauren Douglass
D: Julia Zeman
D: Emma Armbrust
D: Jill DiTusa
M: Katherine Lemke
M: Emily Thill
M: Kaitlin Chaparro
M: Ava Hensley
F: Hannah Rittenhouse
F: Mickey Corrigan
Wheaton Academy
GK: Julia Liposky
D: Kat Sezonov
D: Emma Goebel
D: Lydia Sedjo
D: Kelsey Bowling
M: Amy Alexander
M: Sarah VanderKlok
M: Rebecca Steininger
M: Faith Pollino
F: AC Hardy
F: Sophia Lindquist
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emma Goebel, jr., D, Wheaton Academy
Scoring summary
First half
WA – Emma Goebel (Emiy Setran), 22nd minute
Second half
St F – Ava Hensley, 70th minute
First OT
No scoring
Second OT
WA – Emma Goebel (Rebecca Steininger), 96th minute
Warriors outlast visitors blitz for 2-1 OT win
By Dave Owen
WEST CHICAGO – With a history of high-stakes playoff matches and neighborhood bragging rights, games between Wheaton Academy and St. Francis are seldom run-of-the-mill.
Tuesday’s edition certainly didn’t disappoint.
Host Wheaton Academy used an Emma Goebel goal midway through the first half to grab the lead, even as St. Francis produced a steady barrage of chances all night.
The Spartans finally tied the score 1-1 on an Ava Hensley strike with 10:07 left in regulation, and that breakthrough rocket had to spin across the crease and in after a great leaping deflection at the right post by goalkeeper Julia Liposky.
Still tied heading into a pair of 10-minute overtimes, the Warriors then endured a Spartans-dominated first OT session before turning a set piece with 4:01 to go in the second extra period into their biggest win of 2019.
Goebel’s goal off a Rebecca Steininger corner kick into a crowd in front stood up through the rest of a wild second OT, as Wheaton Academy (8-6-0, 5-0-0 in the Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division) earned a 2-1 win over the Spartans (1-4-3, 1-1-0) that could be understated as hard-fought.
“It’s a big win for us because we have a lot of respect for St. Francis,” Warriors coach Jeff Brooke said. “They’re defending AA state champs; they play such a good schedule. They play so hard; they do a great job of keeping the ball and have a really clear style.
“I thought our girls showed a lot of fight in the way we defended, and the way we kept the ball out of our goal other than the one. The girls fought really, really hard. I’m proud of them.”
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Goebel not only netted both Warriors goals, but was part of a defensive corps that withstood a Spartans storm.
“I think our defense did better than we’ve ever done,” Goebel said. “The center backs were really strong, and a lot of help was the communication. We were talking to each other, not only uplifting each other but directing each other when to clear and when to find feet. I think that was really effective.”
Goebel’s defense also set the stage for her own winning goal.
St. Francis’ latest offensive push midway through the second OT was thwarted by a Goebel send well upfield out of the defensive zone. That sprung A.C. Hardy on a left-side attack to the end line, which set up the decisive corner kick.
“Corners are my favorite,” said Goebel, who has seven goals this season. “I just feel an energy to get it in the back of the net.
“This has to be my top one (goal). It’s fun to play a rival, and they’re a really really good side. This is a good win for us.”
The teams hadn’t met since a St. Francis victory on penalty kicks in the 2015 sectionals. On a more humble April stage instead of the postseason, the latest showdown had all the same intensity.
That fire burned until the final seconds. After Wheaton Academy’s Amy Alexander made booming clears of the box with 2:25 and 1:45 left in the second OT, the Spartans produced a furious final push in the last 15 seconds.
Two sends to the crease were blocked in the scrum near the goal line, then a last-ditch shot from 10 yards went just wide of the left post as the 100-minute battle expired.
“I’m just really happy,” said sophomore goalkeeper Liposky, whose eight saves included several acrobatic ones. “We came together, and we fought through every last minute, through overtime and everything. We managed to fight together and came out the victor.”
Offensively, Goebel both started and ended the hard-fought win.
Near the halfway point of the first half, a Warriors free kick send led to an Emily Setran pass and Goebel drive inside the left post for a 1-0 Wheaton Academy lead.
“It was a set piece from probably 30 yards out,” Goebel said. “It was floated in, they (St. Francis) popped it out just a little bit, but one of our players got it, sent it in.
“(Setran) got it and played a straight ball, and I ran onto it (for the shot and goal).”
But the Warriors’ 1-0 lead on the scoreboard was a metaphorical red flag in front of the St. Francis raging bull.
“This whole season,” Spartans midfielder Hensley said, “I think our main goal is putting in all the work we have and never giving up. And we definitely did that in this game.
“I’m super proud of all the girls tonight. We definitely gave our all. To me this is one of the better games we’ve played. We competed the whole time.”
Hensley would eventually punctuate her team’s never quit will to compete. But not before waves of Spartans chances -- and a very near miss of an insurance goal for the Warriors.
A 65-second span of play early in the second half summed up the frenetic St. Francis attack.
First, a nice Hensley cross to the crease was redirected just wide by a teammate. On the ensuing goal kick, Hannah Rittenhouse won the 50-50 send and raced in, producing a corner kick. Then on that ensuing set piece, a header block well upfield by the Warriors’ Sophia Lindquist capped one of many hectic sequences for the hosts’ defense.
Iowa-bound striker Rittenhouse was the most renowned Spartans threat, but far from the only one.
“We were aware of her (Rittenhouse),” Goebel said, “really just to make sure we knew where she was at all times -- as well as everyone on their attack.”
Liposky came up big with 26:45 left in regulation to deny another attacker, swatting a Kat Lemke 20-yard straight-on liner wide of the left post.
Alexander’s long clear of the ensuing corner kick was one of her many stellar plays to keep the Spartans at bay.
“Amy Alexander plays in that (midfield) spot where sometimes you don’t get much credit,” Brooke said, “but you log the miles. You defend, you attack, you keep us together.
“She’s kind of the glue in the midfield for us. And Goebel obviously played great (on defense) and then finds two goals for herself. She had a big game. I’m proud of those two. And they’re great people too.”
With 20:20 left in regulation, Alexander initiated a Warriors chance that came inches away from producing an insurance goal.
Sarah VanderKlok took Alexander’s upfield pass and nicely touched a pass to Lindquist racing in right. Lindquist’s 12-yard liner clanged off the crossbar and down into the box, where Setran’s rebound try from 10 yards on the left went just over the net.
After that Warriors bid, the focus fell back on Spartans’ chances.
A Lemke corner kick with 13:15 left was the next quality threat, which ended with a Rittenhouse header over the net.
Then with 10:07 to go, St. Francis finally struck gold -- but just barely.
A nice clear off the line by VanderKlok of a Spartans deflection towards the crease appeared to end the latest close but not quite moment.
But Hensley gathered the loose ball right of the net and lined a 20-yard drive towards the upper right corner. Liposky jumped to deflect the shot off the right post, and the ball spun left down the goal line before crossing into the net for a 1-1 tie.
The goal had the drama of a long putt at Augusta, with a wide range of emotions from Hensley pre- and post-shot.
“When I shot it, honestly I didn’t think about it, because when I overthink I always mess it up,” Hensley said. “The coaches have been telling me since freshman year to rip shots, and I was just like ‘We need one.' I’m here for the team, so I just took it.
“I saw her (Liposky) get a hand on it, I didn’t think it went in. And then I look over and I see Hannah picking me up.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my God.’ All these emotions just went through my head. It was insane. I’m just happy I got it for the team.”
The goal was Hensley’s first of her adversity-filled 2019 season.
“Ava played great,” Spartans coach Jim Winslow said. “She was in a car accident a few weeks ago, and kids sometimes think they’re rubber, and you’ll recover fast from those type of things.
“She played through it (without missing any games), but she was struggling. Tonight she finally looked comfortable. She’s a really skilled player, she strikes balls well, and tonight she looked really good.”
The Spartans had the last big chance of regulation. With 1:45 left, Rittenhouse won a free kick send in her team’s defensive end and sparked a counterattack. But Lemke’s left side rush was denied by a Kat Sezonov block and VanderKlok clear.
“I think the defense came really together and was being strong,” Liposky said. “We were like ‘You’ve got to clear the balls out.’
“They (our field players) really fought for everything, whether they were playing defense or any other position. They just came together and gutted it out. I’m so thankful.”
A thankful Liposky also had to feel very stressful in the first overtime.
St. Francis defender Jill DiTusa was in the spotlight at both ends of the field in the first overtime.
With 8:50 left, Alexander’s 21-yard free kick was denied by DiTusa’s block and clear at the 6-yard line.
Then after a Liposky catch of an Emily Thill 22-yard shot, DiTusa’s loose ball win with 5:25 to go set up a Lemke left side 15-yarder that Liposky deflected just wide of the right post.
Early in the second OT, DiTusa took her late-game offensive focus to the maximum.
After her header off a Lemke corner kick was blocked by Liposky, a rebound cross towards the crease was grabbed by a leaping Liposky at the goal line over a hustling DiTusa, who fell into the goalkeeper and then into the net, writhing in pain from leg cramps.
“I kind of went up for it on the line,” Liposky said. “She just came in. She ended up in the net, and the ball and I didn’t.”
Dealing with either quality shots or opponents at the doorstep, Liposky excelled.
“Julia played great,” Brooke said. “She was calm. She made the saves she’s been preparing to save. I’m really proud of her for rising up in a big game.
“There was a lot of duress with set pieces and corners, so for her to play the way she did is a big deal for us.”
The next scramble in front of the opposite end’s net would end with Goebel and the Warriors celebrating. But in defeat, St. Francis could point to plenty of its own positives.
“We played great,” Winslow said. “We dominated possession. We dominated shots. We dominated every category except one (the score). As I told the kids I’m so pleased with them. But I hate to lose.”
Winning the Class AA state title last year pushed the Spartans up to 3A this postseason. Getting quality wins was essential for online seeding which ends at noon Thursday (April 25). Seeds will be released in the late afternoon.
“We needed to, for lack of a better word, unload on somebody,” Winslow said. “Tonight we had opportunities to do it, and we didn’t do it.”
The game marked just the eighth this season for the Spartans.
“With the amount of games we’ve had it’s definitely difficult to find our rhythm,” Hensley said, “especially because it’s a new team and different than who we were playing with before.
“But I think we’re getting there for sure, especially after tonight. I know other teams have like 15 games under their belt, but it’s definitely not an excuse for us and more like motivation to do something great.”
Lack of games has been only one part of St. Francis’ challenges.
“The bigger problem is that we lost our field (due to flooding issues) and have been scrambling,” Winslow said. “Yesterday was about our seventh practice outside. That’s been our biggest issue.
“We got some practice time, and it showed. It’s just fine-tuning things really and making what we do in the final third simpler and easier for ourselves. But I was proud of the kids tonight. They played well.”
After getting off to a 5-1-0 start this season, Wheaton Academy is back on the upswing.
“In the Pepsi (tournament) we ran into some really good teams,” Brooke said. “It was hard for us, but we did some growing.
“We’ve been piecing some things together, playing a good style, and we’ve just been growing in that fight category. I’m proud of the girls for that.”
The Warriors needed every ounce of fight to earn Tuesday’s huge win.
“(Mid-April) was harder competition than we had played before, but now we’re ready for it,” Liposky said. “And it was also a lot of games all at once. But we kept trying to fight, we kept working. And we got this win because of it.”
Said Goebel: “We all got a little down with a few losses in the middle of the season, but coach told us to come out and play tough, and I think that’s exactly what we did.
“Going forward we know what we’re capable of, and we know we can play great soccer.”
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK: Aubrey Quaranto
D: Lauren Douglass
D: Julia Zeman
D: Emma Armbrust
D: Jill DiTusa
M: Katherine Lemke
M: Emily Thill
M: Kaitlin Chaparro
M: Ava Hensley
F: Hannah Rittenhouse
F: Mickey Corrigan
Wheaton Academy
GK: Julia Liposky
D: Kat Sezonov
D: Emma Goebel
D: Lydia Sedjo
D: Kelsey Bowling
M: Amy Alexander
M: Sarah VanderKlok
M: Rebecca Steininger
M: Faith Pollino
F: AC Hardy
F: Sophia Lindquist
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emma Goebel, jr., D, Wheaton Academy
Scoring summary
First half
WA – Emma Goebel (Emiy Setran), 22nd minute
Second half
St F – Ava Hensley, 70th minute
First OT
No scoring
Second OT
WA – Emma Goebel (Rebecca Steininger), 96th minute