History drives Lane to win over Sullivan
Indians post 4-0 win, avoid another close call
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Cathal O’Connor had a clear memory of the last time he played against Sullivan at home.
“You could hear the crowd screaming, and the game was down to the wire, and it could have gone either way,” he said.
The Indians scored in the third minute and held off a furious Sullivan rally in holding onto the 1-0 victory almost exactly a year ago to the day.
He made sure there was no encore this time.
O’Connor scored two goals and the Indians took control with a three-goal barrage in a sustained five-minute flurry as Lane defeated the Tigers 4-0 in Chicago Public League Premier League North play Wednesday night on the North Side.
“We started off really strong,” O’Connor said. “We came out hard and ready to win. That’s something we have been working on. In the past we have started a little slower. Today we started hard and got the quick goals and put them away early.”
The senior scored his fourth and fifth goals of the year and recorded his second multiple-goal game of the year. He also scored two goals in a 2-2 draw against Niles West.
Cathal O’Connor earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction.
O’Connor and junior forward Kamil Hochman set the tone. Lane (4-1-2, 3-0-0) was sharp and focused right from off the jump. Creating early dangerous chances, Lane dominated the early possession and forced the Tigers to react to their fluid ball movement and quick passing.
In the seventh minute, the Indians’ command of the game paid off as junior midfielder Michael Junay worked off a deflection on the right wing.
O’Connor’s initial ball was played out wide. Junay was the first player to the loose ball, and he smashed home a 14-yard ball inside the near post for the Indians’ opening goal.
It was his first goal of the year.
“As soon as this game started, we really pushed the tempo,” Junay said. “We pressed hard right from the beginning. We played well, we were getting shots. We work hard as a team. We work hard for each other. We really work hard in every practice, and we were able to execute today.
“Everything was working for us.”
That was just the start. In the ninth minute, deepening the pressure, Hochman time his run perfectly and played a rebound into the open space for a quick 2-0 advantage.
In the 12th minute, O’Connor got into the act by blasting home a short ball off an excellent cross from sophomore midfielder Grant Nagle.
Lane was humming.
“I think we came to play,” Lane coach Andrew Ricks said. “We had a very good practice yesterday. We were prepared to play, and we had a lot of time on the ball. We moved the ball back, up and around better than we have all season.
“Partly they gave us time, but also we did it.”
With just 726 students, Sullivan is a Class A program. The Tigers have shown they belong, reaching a supersectional two years ago and advancing to the sectional last year.
The start of the season is always an open question for the Tigers (1-1-0, 1-1-0). This was just their second game. Public League classes began on Tuesday. Sullivan coach Lisa Romoser, a former assistant, is in her first year directing the program. Having a preseason training is difficult, she said. Many of the players work during the summer.
This is their reality.
“We are a smaller team, so we are a bit of a disadvantage,” Romoser said. “I thought our fitness was pretty good given it is very early in our season. I think we just need to get more cohesive, getting the younger guys who are new and have the confidence to fill in and play those starting positions that they are not accustomed.”
After absorbing the early barrage, the Tigers settled in. Keeper Anacletus Masalu made several jaw-dropping saves that ensured Sullivan stayed competitive with the Indians.
Lane had the early space and relentless opportunities. Masalu made three acrobatic and athletic saves that made an impression.
“Hats off to Sullivan,” Ricks said. “I thought they played really well, a Class A team against a 3A school. I was impressed. They kept us out of the goal. Their keeper was outstanding. He made two upper-90 saves. We really had great opportunities on goal.
“We had shots that were on target and their keeper was saving everything.”
Masalu finished with nine saves.
Romoser also changed up the Tigers’ formation and shifted to a 3-6-1 alignment at the start of the second half. The Tigers proved much more dangerous with the ball and created several striking opportunities of their own.
“I switched our formation and that was a big thing,” Romoser said. “The formation worked out a lot better. We played heavier in the middle.”
Midfielder Murtadha Kamil was sensational for the Tigers. In one electrifying sequence, he raced past three Lane defenders and pushed Indians’ keeper Jakub Bozek into a difficult save.
Bozek also made a spectacular and alert stop from a header by midfielder Joseph Gurung. Bozek finished with six saves as the Indians posted their second shutout of the year.
Sullivan midfielder Erick Morquecho created the Tigers’ best scoring chance, a free kick from the right edge from about 22 yards that hit underneath the crossbar.
“We have five starters back and some talented younger players,” Romoser said. “I just think at this point it’s all about us getting a few more games under our belt. We need some more experience and have the time to practice together a little more.”
Sullivan played the Indians tight for much of the final 60 minutes. O'Connor completed the scoring in the 73rd minute. Defender Matt Bozek played a long free kick that midfielder Greg Biederman generated the first touch on.
O’Connor attacked the ball and put away the goal from about six yards.
“I feel as if, at the start of the season, there’s always a buffer period in the first month or so,” O’Connor said. “You are getting to know each other because a lot of these guys are a mix of varsity and JV.
“Now I feel like we have our rhythm. We know our teammates, and it’s all uphill from here.”
The effort left Lane's coach satisfied.
“I was pleased with how we played,” Ricks said. “We got the first goal and the last goal. We played hard. We played until the end, and we got a shutout.”
Lane faces its toughest challenge of the year in a first-round PepsiCo Showdown game against unbeaten Wheaton Academy, ranked fifth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, Saturday afternoon in Joliet. Wheaton Academy won on penalty kicks in last year’s opening round game.
Starting lineups
Sullivan
GK: Anacletus Masalu
D: Nirmal Magar
D: Eulises Ramos
D: Bawi Sang
D: Eliomar Montoya
MF: Jose Garcia-Mora
MF: Joseph Gurung
MF: Murtadha Kamil
MF: Erick Morquecho
MF: Alejandro Duran
F: Nyibampa Wilson
Lane
GK: Jakub Bozek
D: Matt Bozek
D: Jae Ryding
D: Michael Martinez
D: Daniel Rau
MF: Grant Nagle
MF: Cathal O’Connor
MF: Drew Kelner
MF: Michael Junay
MF: David Arroyo
F: Kamil Hochman
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Cathal O’Connor, sr., MF, Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Michael Junay (rebound), seventh minute
Lane—Kamil Hochman (rebound), ninth minute
Lane—Cathal O’Connor (Grant Nagle), 12th minute
Second half
Lane—O’Connor (Matt Bozek and Greg Biederman), 73rd minute
Indians post 4-0 win, avoid another close call
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Cathal O’Connor had a clear memory of the last time he played against Sullivan at home.
“You could hear the crowd screaming, and the game was down to the wire, and it could have gone either way,” he said.
The Indians scored in the third minute and held off a furious Sullivan rally in holding onto the 1-0 victory almost exactly a year ago to the day.
He made sure there was no encore this time.
O’Connor scored two goals and the Indians took control with a three-goal barrage in a sustained five-minute flurry as Lane defeated the Tigers 4-0 in Chicago Public League Premier League North play Wednesday night on the North Side.
“We started off really strong,” O’Connor said. “We came out hard and ready to win. That’s something we have been working on. In the past we have started a little slower. Today we started hard and got the quick goals and put them away early.”
The senior scored his fourth and fifth goals of the year and recorded his second multiple-goal game of the year. He also scored two goals in a 2-2 draw against Niles West.
Cathal O’Connor earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction.
O’Connor and junior forward Kamil Hochman set the tone. Lane (4-1-2, 3-0-0) was sharp and focused right from off the jump. Creating early dangerous chances, Lane dominated the early possession and forced the Tigers to react to their fluid ball movement and quick passing.
In the seventh minute, the Indians’ command of the game paid off as junior midfielder Michael Junay worked off a deflection on the right wing.
O’Connor’s initial ball was played out wide. Junay was the first player to the loose ball, and he smashed home a 14-yard ball inside the near post for the Indians’ opening goal.
It was his first goal of the year.
“As soon as this game started, we really pushed the tempo,” Junay said. “We pressed hard right from the beginning. We played well, we were getting shots. We work hard as a team. We work hard for each other. We really work hard in every practice, and we were able to execute today.
“Everything was working for us.”
That was just the start. In the ninth minute, deepening the pressure, Hochman time his run perfectly and played a rebound into the open space for a quick 2-0 advantage.
In the 12th minute, O’Connor got into the act by blasting home a short ball off an excellent cross from sophomore midfielder Grant Nagle.
Lane was humming.
“I think we came to play,” Lane coach Andrew Ricks said. “We had a very good practice yesterday. We were prepared to play, and we had a lot of time on the ball. We moved the ball back, up and around better than we have all season.
“Partly they gave us time, but also we did it.”
With just 726 students, Sullivan is a Class A program. The Tigers have shown they belong, reaching a supersectional two years ago and advancing to the sectional last year.
The start of the season is always an open question for the Tigers (1-1-0, 1-1-0). This was just their second game. Public League classes began on Tuesday. Sullivan coach Lisa Romoser, a former assistant, is in her first year directing the program. Having a preseason training is difficult, she said. Many of the players work during the summer.
This is their reality.
“We are a smaller team, so we are a bit of a disadvantage,” Romoser said. “I thought our fitness was pretty good given it is very early in our season. I think we just need to get more cohesive, getting the younger guys who are new and have the confidence to fill in and play those starting positions that they are not accustomed.”
After absorbing the early barrage, the Tigers settled in. Keeper Anacletus Masalu made several jaw-dropping saves that ensured Sullivan stayed competitive with the Indians.
Lane had the early space and relentless opportunities. Masalu made three acrobatic and athletic saves that made an impression.
“Hats off to Sullivan,” Ricks said. “I thought they played really well, a Class A team against a 3A school. I was impressed. They kept us out of the goal. Their keeper was outstanding. He made two upper-90 saves. We really had great opportunities on goal.
“We had shots that were on target and their keeper was saving everything.”
Masalu finished with nine saves.
Romoser also changed up the Tigers’ formation and shifted to a 3-6-1 alignment at the start of the second half. The Tigers proved much more dangerous with the ball and created several striking opportunities of their own.
“I switched our formation and that was a big thing,” Romoser said. “The formation worked out a lot better. We played heavier in the middle.”
Midfielder Murtadha Kamil was sensational for the Tigers. In one electrifying sequence, he raced past three Lane defenders and pushed Indians’ keeper Jakub Bozek into a difficult save.
Bozek also made a spectacular and alert stop from a header by midfielder Joseph Gurung. Bozek finished with six saves as the Indians posted their second shutout of the year.
Sullivan midfielder Erick Morquecho created the Tigers’ best scoring chance, a free kick from the right edge from about 22 yards that hit underneath the crossbar.
“We have five starters back and some talented younger players,” Romoser said. “I just think at this point it’s all about us getting a few more games under our belt. We need some more experience and have the time to practice together a little more.”
Sullivan played the Indians tight for much of the final 60 minutes. O'Connor completed the scoring in the 73rd minute. Defender Matt Bozek played a long free kick that midfielder Greg Biederman generated the first touch on.
O’Connor attacked the ball and put away the goal from about six yards.
“I feel as if, at the start of the season, there’s always a buffer period in the first month or so,” O’Connor said. “You are getting to know each other because a lot of these guys are a mix of varsity and JV.
“Now I feel like we have our rhythm. We know our teammates, and it’s all uphill from here.”
The effort left Lane's coach satisfied.
“I was pleased with how we played,” Ricks said. “We got the first goal and the last goal. We played hard. We played until the end, and we got a shutout.”
Lane faces its toughest challenge of the year in a first-round PepsiCo Showdown game against unbeaten Wheaton Academy, ranked fifth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, Saturday afternoon in Joliet. Wheaton Academy won on penalty kicks in last year’s opening round game.
Starting lineups
Sullivan
GK: Anacletus Masalu
D: Nirmal Magar
D: Eulises Ramos
D: Bawi Sang
D: Eliomar Montoya
MF: Jose Garcia-Mora
MF: Joseph Gurung
MF: Murtadha Kamil
MF: Erick Morquecho
MF: Alejandro Duran
F: Nyibampa Wilson
Lane
GK: Jakub Bozek
D: Matt Bozek
D: Jae Ryding
D: Michael Martinez
D: Daniel Rau
MF: Grant Nagle
MF: Cathal O’Connor
MF: Drew Kelner
MF: Michael Junay
MF: David Arroyo
F: Kamil Hochman
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Cathal O’Connor, sr., MF, Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Michael Junay (rebound), seventh minute
Lane—Kamil Hochman (rebound), ninth minute
Lane—Cathal O’Connor (Grant Nagle), 12th minute
Second half
Lane—O’Connor (Matt Bozek and Greg Biederman), 73rd minute