Streamwood's quick
2nd half strikes best West Chicago
Herrera-Huerta combo leads Sabres to 2-0 U8 win
By Curt Herron
WEST CHICAGO -- After seeing his Streamwood team struggle to connect during a scoreless first half of Wednesday's Upstate Eight Conference opener at West Chicago, Sabres coach Matt Polovin addressed his team at the break and told them that they would need to turn in a better performance in that regard during the final half of play.
And based on what unfolded shortly after the intermission, the message came across loud and clear. Two of his captains did their parts to execute it by combining to produce two quick goals that proved to be the difference in the match.
Dayanara Huerta set up Diana Herrera for a goal just 37 seconds into the second half and the pair switched roles a short time later to collect goals within a span of 6:41 for a 2-0 win over the Wildcats and their first victory of the season.
"In the first half, we had so many opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net," Polovin said. "It's frustrating when you have chance after chance after chance, and you're hoping and praying that they don't get that one chance.
“So, we go into halftime 0-0, and I just told the girls that we just have to keep on taking our chances. And I said that we had a theme before the game, which was finish, finish your chances and finish your runs. If we do that, good things will happen.
“Then just a few seconds into the second half, it was the Dayanara to Diana combo to finish it, and that was pretty. That's great for the team that scores, and it's always tough for the team that gets scored on right out of a half.
"I thought that the girls, as a team, played very well. The movement was fun to watch and our mids made nice, quick touches. Having Daniela Sanchez and Diana Herrera as two of our center mids, they're just so technically gifted and they're fun girls to watch play out there. They're so skillful, and they really take up a good chunk of our midfield play just with their movement, on and off the ball.
“And working with Dayanara up-top, it's a nice triangle to have. We're only two games in, but hopefully we can keep that going and keep involving some of the other players. We have a bunch of new players for this season, so it's just getting everyone acclimated to this level, and it will happen."
On the eventual match-winner, Huerta made a fine cross to Herrera, who connected from just in front of the net. Minutes later, it was Herrera with a quality pass into the box with Huerta there to finish. That gave the Sabres the upper hand and left them feeling positive about their prospects one day after opening their season with a 3-1 defeat to Dundee-Crown at Millenium Field.
Thanks to their significant contributions, Herrera and Huerta shared honors as the Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match.
"I feel like at first, sometimes teams have trouble playing with the ball in the beginning," Huerta said. "But then they get used to it and we start finding ways to get the ball through and trying to find ways to score.
“I feel like in our first game that we really didn't have that much chemistry but as long as we start playing together more, we're getting that chemistry and those touches. We started getting more touches together and you could see us building together.
“The other team started covering us since they knew who the good players were who would have more control of the ball. But sometimes they didn't know our connections or where we would go because we have that chemistry together."
In the first half, Streamwood (1-1-0) had a lot of good opportunities to score, especially in the early going and then again shortly before the break. West Chicago (0-2-0) had some of its best first half opportunities during the middle of the initial 40 minutes of play.
When the Sabres finally broke through with the two scores shortly after halftime, it provided plenty of confidence that the squad would be able to maintain its advantage and secure its first win. They not only did that, but also kept their hosts from scoring any goals. They hope to keep the momentum going when they host Hampshire on Saturday.
"I just feel like we needed to connect with each other," Herrera said. "What helped us was the first goal since we got really hyped up and excited and we just started playing with each other and finding each other. That definitely helped us and then we got the second goal. After the first game, we found each other really fast throughout this game, and especially in the second half. We definitely found each other really quick. Hopefully we will win on Saturday."
West Chicago, which lost 3-0 to Waubonsie Valley in its season debut Monday, tried its best to get back into the match in the second half and definitely was more dangerous. Forward Daisy Garcia, who is listed as the team’s back-up keeper, had to start in goal because Ariana Hernandez was injured in the season opener. With a small roster and a lot of newcomers on the squad, the Wildcats cannot afford to lose any key players.
Shortly after the match's second goal, Wildcats coach J. Cesar Gomez put senior forward Sydney Ostapa in goal and moved Garcia to the front line. She soon fired a liner that was hauled in by Streamwood keeper Selina Chavez. Later Garcia hit a free kick from just outside of the box that she put slightly over the net. Arizbeth Zuniga also had a good attempt deflected by Chavez before Garcia sent in a pair of corner kicks in short order that were cleared by defenders.
Streamwood had the best late chances. Herrera sent in a long free kick that hit the crossbar and later was stopped on another shot. Erinn Kelly was also denied.
"It was important to keep our heads up and to keep fighting," Garcia said. "It takes some time to create chemistry. This is a young team, and we've never played together. But I see a lot of talent on our team and I think that we'll go a long ways.
“I really like how both outside the field and inside the field that we really do like to be together and to play together. Once you have that, that helps us to lift each other.
“I think that every single person on my team has a talent in them, and I see their potential. So, I think that we can all help each other out to use all of the strengths that we have to make us into a good team."
In the opening half, Streamwood went on the attack quickly, getting good scoring chances from Daniela Sanchez, Huerta and Kelly before West Chicago countered with threatening attempts from Heidi Pereckas, Sydney Ostapa and Zuniga. The Sabres threatened again late in the first half with attempts from Herrera and Huerta.
West Chicago hopes to have a few more players back on the field for their first tournament. Barb Fest at DeKalb starts on Saturday and runs throughout next week.
"It's hard for us right now," Gomez said. "Our goalkeeper (Ariana Hernandez) is out, and Daisy in not a goalkeeper. I think we're just really young now.
“Today we thought that this should go better. When it didn't we put our heads down a little bit more, and they figured that out and put the second one in. It's a lot harder to come back from that.
"I think having so many experienced people that are injured has hurt us. Only 12 kids have been playing. But I think that we'll get it together and the kids are excited that we're working. We see what we can do in practice. It's just going to take a little more time to do it."
Starting lineups
Streamwood
G Selina Chavez
D Alondra Mendoza
D Esther Cardenas
D Jessica Rosales
M Karla Morales
M Emma Skrgic
M Daniela Sanchez
M Diana Herrera
F Reyna Saldivar
F Erinn Kelly
F Dayanara Huerta
West Chicago
G Daisy Garcia
D Vanessa Romero Reyes
D Nicole Murphy
D Isabella Lopez
M Leslie Garnica
M Brianna Carrasco
M Melissa Pani
M Natalie Fernandez
F Heidi Pereckas
F Arizbeth Zuniga
F Sydney Ostapa
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match:
Diana Herrera, sr., M, Streamwood
Dayanara Huerta, jr., F, Streamwood
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
S: Herrera (Huerta), 41st minute
S: Huerta (Herrera), 48th minute
2nd half strikes best West Chicago
Herrera-Huerta combo leads Sabres to 2-0 U8 win
By Curt Herron
WEST CHICAGO -- After seeing his Streamwood team struggle to connect during a scoreless first half of Wednesday's Upstate Eight Conference opener at West Chicago, Sabres coach Matt Polovin addressed his team at the break and told them that they would need to turn in a better performance in that regard during the final half of play.
And based on what unfolded shortly after the intermission, the message came across loud and clear. Two of his captains did their parts to execute it by combining to produce two quick goals that proved to be the difference in the match.
Dayanara Huerta set up Diana Herrera for a goal just 37 seconds into the second half and the pair switched roles a short time later to collect goals within a span of 6:41 for a 2-0 win over the Wildcats and their first victory of the season.
"In the first half, we had so many opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net," Polovin said. "It's frustrating when you have chance after chance after chance, and you're hoping and praying that they don't get that one chance.
“So, we go into halftime 0-0, and I just told the girls that we just have to keep on taking our chances. And I said that we had a theme before the game, which was finish, finish your chances and finish your runs. If we do that, good things will happen.
“Then just a few seconds into the second half, it was the Dayanara to Diana combo to finish it, and that was pretty. That's great for the team that scores, and it's always tough for the team that gets scored on right out of a half.
"I thought that the girls, as a team, played very well. The movement was fun to watch and our mids made nice, quick touches. Having Daniela Sanchez and Diana Herrera as two of our center mids, they're just so technically gifted and they're fun girls to watch play out there. They're so skillful, and they really take up a good chunk of our midfield play just with their movement, on and off the ball.
“And working with Dayanara up-top, it's a nice triangle to have. We're only two games in, but hopefully we can keep that going and keep involving some of the other players. We have a bunch of new players for this season, so it's just getting everyone acclimated to this level, and it will happen."
On the eventual match-winner, Huerta made a fine cross to Herrera, who connected from just in front of the net. Minutes later, it was Herrera with a quality pass into the box with Huerta there to finish. That gave the Sabres the upper hand and left them feeling positive about their prospects one day after opening their season with a 3-1 defeat to Dundee-Crown at Millenium Field.
Thanks to their significant contributions, Herrera and Huerta shared honors as the Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match.
"I feel like at first, sometimes teams have trouble playing with the ball in the beginning," Huerta said. "But then they get used to it and we start finding ways to get the ball through and trying to find ways to score.
“I feel like in our first game that we really didn't have that much chemistry but as long as we start playing together more, we're getting that chemistry and those touches. We started getting more touches together and you could see us building together.
“The other team started covering us since they knew who the good players were who would have more control of the ball. But sometimes they didn't know our connections or where we would go because we have that chemistry together."
In the first half, Streamwood (1-1-0) had a lot of good opportunities to score, especially in the early going and then again shortly before the break. West Chicago (0-2-0) had some of its best first half opportunities during the middle of the initial 40 minutes of play.
When the Sabres finally broke through with the two scores shortly after halftime, it provided plenty of confidence that the squad would be able to maintain its advantage and secure its first win. They not only did that, but also kept their hosts from scoring any goals. They hope to keep the momentum going when they host Hampshire on Saturday.
"I just feel like we needed to connect with each other," Herrera said. "What helped us was the first goal since we got really hyped up and excited and we just started playing with each other and finding each other. That definitely helped us and then we got the second goal. After the first game, we found each other really fast throughout this game, and especially in the second half. We definitely found each other really quick. Hopefully we will win on Saturday."
West Chicago, which lost 3-0 to Waubonsie Valley in its season debut Monday, tried its best to get back into the match in the second half and definitely was more dangerous. Forward Daisy Garcia, who is listed as the team’s back-up keeper, had to start in goal because Ariana Hernandez was injured in the season opener. With a small roster and a lot of newcomers on the squad, the Wildcats cannot afford to lose any key players.
Shortly after the match's second goal, Wildcats coach J. Cesar Gomez put senior forward Sydney Ostapa in goal and moved Garcia to the front line. She soon fired a liner that was hauled in by Streamwood keeper Selina Chavez. Later Garcia hit a free kick from just outside of the box that she put slightly over the net. Arizbeth Zuniga also had a good attempt deflected by Chavez before Garcia sent in a pair of corner kicks in short order that were cleared by defenders.
Streamwood had the best late chances. Herrera sent in a long free kick that hit the crossbar and later was stopped on another shot. Erinn Kelly was also denied.
"It was important to keep our heads up and to keep fighting," Garcia said. "It takes some time to create chemistry. This is a young team, and we've never played together. But I see a lot of talent on our team and I think that we'll go a long ways.
“I really like how both outside the field and inside the field that we really do like to be together and to play together. Once you have that, that helps us to lift each other.
“I think that every single person on my team has a talent in them, and I see their potential. So, I think that we can all help each other out to use all of the strengths that we have to make us into a good team."
In the opening half, Streamwood went on the attack quickly, getting good scoring chances from Daniela Sanchez, Huerta and Kelly before West Chicago countered with threatening attempts from Heidi Pereckas, Sydney Ostapa and Zuniga. The Sabres threatened again late in the first half with attempts from Herrera and Huerta.
West Chicago hopes to have a few more players back on the field for their first tournament. Barb Fest at DeKalb starts on Saturday and runs throughout next week.
"It's hard for us right now," Gomez said. "Our goalkeeper (Ariana Hernandez) is out, and Daisy in not a goalkeeper. I think we're just really young now.
“Today we thought that this should go better. When it didn't we put our heads down a little bit more, and they figured that out and put the second one in. It's a lot harder to come back from that.
"I think having so many experienced people that are injured has hurt us. Only 12 kids have been playing. But I think that we'll get it together and the kids are excited that we're working. We see what we can do in practice. It's just going to take a little more time to do it."
Starting lineups
Streamwood
G Selina Chavez
D Alondra Mendoza
D Esther Cardenas
D Jessica Rosales
M Karla Morales
M Emma Skrgic
M Daniela Sanchez
M Diana Herrera
F Reyna Saldivar
F Erinn Kelly
F Dayanara Huerta
West Chicago
G Daisy Garcia
D Vanessa Romero Reyes
D Nicole Murphy
D Isabella Lopez
M Leslie Garnica
M Brianna Carrasco
M Melissa Pani
M Natalie Fernandez
F Heidi Pereckas
F Arizbeth Zuniga
F Sydney Ostapa
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match:
Diana Herrera, sr., M, Streamwood
Dayanara Huerta, jr., F, Streamwood
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
S: Herrera (Huerta), 41st minute
S: Huerta (Herrera), 48th minute