Young, old alike lead
Benet past St. Viator for league title
Redwings win 6-1 to take 3rd-straight conference crown
By Matt Le Cren
LISLE -- Benet seniors Katie Lewellyan, Mariana Pinto, Annastacia Thiel and Molly Walsh played the starring roles, but the newcomer Keira Petrucelli nearly stole the show.
Petrucelli, a freshman forward, has played a significant supporting role for the Redwings this season. She demonstrated that again Monday by scoring two goals and adding an assist -- matching Lewellyan’s output -- in a shockingly lopsided 6-1 win over East Suburban Catholic Conference rival Saint Viator on Senior Day.
It was the second time Petrucelli has scored twice in a game. She also did it in a 5-1 rout of Marist. She now has six goals and five assists.
“Keira is doing amazing,” Lewellyan said. “She really stepped into her role and knew her place and is always just there for the team and listens really well.
“She just works so hard and checks every ball. She listens to what the coaches want and does it and executes super well.”
Petrucelli has been everything Benet coach Gerard Oconer could want in a freshman. She’s one of four rookies on the roster but the only one who starts.
“She has incredible feet,” Oconer said. “Her soccer IQ is so high, especially as a freshman.
“She’s just a sponge when it comes to what we try to coach her to do, and the most impressive thing is before the season she really hadn’t played in a little over a year because she had a torn ACL. For her to come into a team like this and be able to contribute like she has, she’s been spectacular.”
The Redwings (15-4, 7-0-0) were spectacular too, especially in the early going. The visiting Lions (8-4-3, 3-2-2) had not given up six goals in a game in seven years. Benet scored on four of its first six shots in grabbing a 4-0 lead in the opening 15 minutes.
The victory gave Benet the outright league championship for the second-straight season. It was the Redwings third-consecutive league crown.
“We thought it would be a closer game, but everyone was just playing for the seniors, and it really showed on the field,” Lewellyan said. “We were so fired up, and our coach gave us a great hype-up speech. We all played for everyone on the field. We all just wanted to win so bad today.”
Lewellyan, who along with Walsh are the only remaining players from Benet’s 2019 state championship team, has now been a part of three conference championship teams. Now a co-captain with Pinto and Thiel, she said this one was particularly special.
“It’s a really, really good feeling,” Lewellyan said. “My freshman year when we won state, we were co-champions of the conference, so it feels really good my senior to win it outright.”
The Redwings were outright dominant from start to finish. The Lewis-bound Pinto produced her team-leading 22nd goal, Lewellyan potted her eighth and ninth, Thiel anchored a defense that allowed only seven shots. Walsh got the start in goal and finished with four saves in 51 minutes of action.
Benet wasted no time taking advantage of attacking with a stiff wind. Defender Sadie Sterbenz sent a pass into the right side of the box to Lewellyan, who dribbled to her left, found some space and scored on a cutback shot inside the right post to open the scoring with 35:01 left in the first half.
Petrucelli made it 2-0 on a hard shot from the left side of the box at the 27:31 mark. That opened the floodgates for the Redwings, who scored on three-straight shots in span of 2:47.
After Lewellyan was tripped in the box, Pinto converted the ensuing penalty kick just 37 seconds after Petrucelli’s goal. Gabi DiMatteo then increased the cushion to 4-0, taking a cross from freshman Chloe Sentman before turning a defender and scoring on a cutback shot.
“It was important, because we were playing for our seniors today,” Oconer said of the fast start. “This is a huge rivalry game for us, and we wanted to win our conference outright. You align those three things, and they had that aggressive mindset from the beginning.
“We’ve always been more of a second half team this year, but it was really important for us, especially with the wind, to have a really strong start to the game, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Saint Viator got one back with 4:39 to go before intermission. Josephine Westerkamp sent a cross from the right side into the left side of the box to Emillie Doersching, who made a nice move to her left to get around a defender before firing a shot into the upper right corner of the Benet net.
But the Redwings came on strong at the start of the second half too. Attacking into the wind, Petrucelli took a ball to the left endline before uncorking a sharp cross in front to Lewellyan, who tapped in a one-timer from inside the 6 at the 38:10 mark.
Eight minutes later, Lewellyan returned the favor. She got the ball at the top of the 18, was knocked down as she tried to dribble forward but still managed to nudge it ahead to Petrucelli, who went top shelf for her second goal of the match.
“It was really scary, but the whole team was really excited,” Petrucelli said of the showdown with the Lions. “We just went in just wanting to step to every ball and show how we play and why we deserve to be conference champions.”
Petrucelli has proven she deserves to start for the Redwings, who are ranked 14th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. She credits her older teammates for helping her fit in.
“The seniors have honestly been the biggest help and obviously got me to where I am today,” Petrucelli said. “They’re always so supportive, and they always have helped me along with everything.
“They show me how I can improve, and they’ve always been there for me, which is why I think our team works so well together and why everybody is happy for each other.”
Petrucelli has been seeing a lot of action at left wing and has shown skill with her left foot, though that’s not her dominant wing.
“I’m right-footed, but I’m just happy to be on the field,” Petrucelli said. “I’ll play anywhere.
“I like being forwardm because I can score goals, but I’m honestly happy being anywhere.”
Oconer also is happy with the play of Lewellyan, who is heating up along with the weather.
“Once the calendar turned to May, she’s turned it on and is playing at a different level,” Oconer said. “I think she’s really starting to understand how to play that attacking mid role for us.
“We shift her around depending on the need, but we needed a little bit more offensive punch to take a little of the scoring pressure off of Mariana.”
Starting lineups
Saint Viator
GK Kyli Ziebka
D Emillie Doersching
D Gabriella Letto
D Monica Correa
D Emma Mikrut
D Taylor Brackett
M Emma Ziebka
M Josephine Westerkamp
M Kiley Wrzos
F Sydney Grant
F Evelyn Urbaniak
Benet
GK Molly Walsh
D Sadie Sterbenz
D Bailey Abbott
D Annastacia Thiel
D Nora Hanson
M Reese MacDonald
M Brinkley Douglas
M Katie Lewellyan
F Mariana Pinto
F Anna Casmere
F Keira Petrucelli
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Keira Petrucelli, fr., F, Benet
Scoring summary
First half
B: Katie Lewellyan (Sadie Sterbenz), 35:01 left
B: Kiera Petrucelli (Brinkley Douglas) 27:31 left
B: Mariana Pinto (PK) 26:54 left
B: Gabi DiMatteo (Chloe Sentmann) 24:44 left
SV: Emillie Doersching (Josephine Westerkamp) 4:39 left
Second half
B: Lewellyan (Petrucelli) 38:10 left
B: Petrucelli (Lewellyan) 30:36 left
Benet past St. Viator for league title
Redwings win 6-1 to take 3rd-straight conference crown
By Matt Le Cren
LISLE -- Benet seniors Katie Lewellyan, Mariana Pinto, Annastacia Thiel and Molly Walsh played the starring roles, but the newcomer Keira Petrucelli nearly stole the show.
Petrucelli, a freshman forward, has played a significant supporting role for the Redwings this season. She demonstrated that again Monday by scoring two goals and adding an assist -- matching Lewellyan’s output -- in a shockingly lopsided 6-1 win over East Suburban Catholic Conference rival Saint Viator on Senior Day.
It was the second time Petrucelli has scored twice in a game. She also did it in a 5-1 rout of Marist. She now has six goals and five assists.
“Keira is doing amazing,” Lewellyan said. “She really stepped into her role and knew her place and is always just there for the team and listens really well.
“She just works so hard and checks every ball. She listens to what the coaches want and does it and executes super well.”
Petrucelli has been everything Benet coach Gerard Oconer could want in a freshman. She’s one of four rookies on the roster but the only one who starts.
“She has incredible feet,” Oconer said. “Her soccer IQ is so high, especially as a freshman.
“She’s just a sponge when it comes to what we try to coach her to do, and the most impressive thing is before the season she really hadn’t played in a little over a year because she had a torn ACL. For her to come into a team like this and be able to contribute like she has, she’s been spectacular.”
The Redwings (15-4, 7-0-0) were spectacular too, especially in the early going. The visiting Lions (8-4-3, 3-2-2) had not given up six goals in a game in seven years. Benet scored on four of its first six shots in grabbing a 4-0 lead in the opening 15 minutes.
The victory gave Benet the outright league championship for the second-straight season. It was the Redwings third-consecutive league crown.
“We thought it would be a closer game, but everyone was just playing for the seniors, and it really showed on the field,” Lewellyan said. “We were so fired up, and our coach gave us a great hype-up speech. We all played for everyone on the field. We all just wanted to win so bad today.”
Lewellyan, who along with Walsh are the only remaining players from Benet’s 2019 state championship team, has now been a part of three conference championship teams. Now a co-captain with Pinto and Thiel, she said this one was particularly special.
“It’s a really, really good feeling,” Lewellyan said. “My freshman year when we won state, we were co-champions of the conference, so it feels really good my senior to win it outright.”
The Redwings were outright dominant from start to finish. The Lewis-bound Pinto produced her team-leading 22nd goal, Lewellyan potted her eighth and ninth, Thiel anchored a defense that allowed only seven shots. Walsh got the start in goal and finished with four saves in 51 minutes of action.
Benet wasted no time taking advantage of attacking with a stiff wind. Defender Sadie Sterbenz sent a pass into the right side of the box to Lewellyan, who dribbled to her left, found some space and scored on a cutback shot inside the right post to open the scoring with 35:01 left in the first half.
Petrucelli made it 2-0 on a hard shot from the left side of the box at the 27:31 mark. That opened the floodgates for the Redwings, who scored on three-straight shots in span of 2:47.
After Lewellyan was tripped in the box, Pinto converted the ensuing penalty kick just 37 seconds after Petrucelli’s goal. Gabi DiMatteo then increased the cushion to 4-0, taking a cross from freshman Chloe Sentman before turning a defender and scoring on a cutback shot.
“It was important, because we were playing for our seniors today,” Oconer said of the fast start. “This is a huge rivalry game for us, and we wanted to win our conference outright. You align those three things, and they had that aggressive mindset from the beginning.
“We’ve always been more of a second half team this year, but it was really important for us, especially with the wind, to have a really strong start to the game, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Saint Viator got one back with 4:39 to go before intermission. Josephine Westerkamp sent a cross from the right side into the left side of the box to Emillie Doersching, who made a nice move to her left to get around a defender before firing a shot into the upper right corner of the Benet net.
But the Redwings came on strong at the start of the second half too. Attacking into the wind, Petrucelli took a ball to the left endline before uncorking a sharp cross in front to Lewellyan, who tapped in a one-timer from inside the 6 at the 38:10 mark.
Eight minutes later, Lewellyan returned the favor. She got the ball at the top of the 18, was knocked down as she tried to dribble forward but still managed to nudge it ahead to Petrucelli, who went top shelf for her second goal of the match.
“It was really scary, but the whole team was really excited,” Petrucelli said of the showdown with the Lions. “We just went in just wanting to step to every ball and show how we play and why we deserve to be conference champions.”
Petrucelli has proven she deserves to start for the Redwings, who are ranked 14th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. She credits her older teammates for helping her fit in.
“The seniors have honestly been the biggest help and obviously got me to where I am today,” Petrucelli said. “They’re always so supportive, and they always have helped me along with everything.
“They show me how I can improve, and they’ve always been there for me, which is why I think our team works so well together and why everybody is happy for each other.”
Petrucelli has been seeing a lot of action at left wing and has shown skill with her left foot, though that’s not her dominant wing.
“I’m right-footed, but I’m just happy to be on the field,” Petrucelli said. “I’ll play anywhere.
“I like being forwardm because I can score goals, but I’m honestly happy being anywhere.”
Oconer also is happy with the play of Lewellyan, who is heating up along with the weather.
“Once the calendar turned to May, she’s turned it on and is playing at a different level,” Oconer said. “I think she’s really starting to understand how to play that attacking mid role for us.
“We shift her around depending on the need, but we needed a little bit more offensive punch to take a little of the scoring pressure off of Mariana.”
Starting lineups
Saint Viator
GK Kyli Ziebka
D Emillie Doersching
D Gabriella Letto
D Monica Correa
D Emma Mikrut
D Taylor Brackett
M Emma Ziebka
M Josephine Westerkamp
M Kiley Wrzos
F Sydney Grant
F Evelyn Urbaniak
Benet
GK Molly Walsh
D Sadie Sterbenz
D Bailey Abbott
D Annastacia Thiel
D Nora Hanson
M Reese MacDonald
M Brinkley Douglas
M Katie Lewellyan
F Mariana Pinto
F Anna Casmere
F Keira Petrucelli
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Keira Petrucelli, fr., F, Benet
Scoring summary
First half
B: Katie Lewellyan (Sadie Sterbenz), 35:01 left
B: Kiera Petrucelli (Brinkley Douglas) 27:31 left
B: Mariana Pinto (PK) 26:54 left
B: Gabi DiMatteo (Chloe Sentmann) 24:44 left
SV: Emillie Doersching (Josephine Westerkamp) 4:39 left
Second half
B: Lewellyan (Petrucelli) 38:10 left
B: Petrucelli (Lewellyan) 30:36 left