Warren offense on fire in win over Andrew
Victory streak reaches three with impressive 4-0 result
By Dave Owen
SCHAUMBURG – Warren’s scoring woes are becoming a distant memory.
After scoring just one goal in their first four games of the season, the Blue Devils (5-4-1) needed a mere three-minute span late in the first half of Saturday’s PepsiCo Showdown match with Andrew to exceed that total.
The eventual 4-0 win over the Thunderbolts (10-4-1) gave Warren a 5-1-0 record in its last six games, and added more fuel to the team’s soaring confidence level.
“Once we won our first game and got our first goal in the back of the net, it’s just been fire, it’s caught like flames,” said Warren’s Courtney Chomko, who led the way Saturday with a goal and two assists.
“We’ve just been getting after it every single game, and it’s just the mentality of all the girls. We’re ready to win, we want to win. The desire to win is I think greater than the other team’s. That’s tremendous for a team going onto the field.”
The Blue Devils were ready to roll Saturday, even using the long bus ride from Gurnee to Schaumburg for the 10:45 a.m. match as a positive.
“It sounds pretty early,” Chomko said, “but we have a 45-minute bus ride so we get ready (to play) on the bus. Obviously we were very ready today, and just came out with a bang.
“And we knew we had the wind at our backs at the beginning, so we were more excited to go out. We knew we kind of had the advantage and were ready to go.”
Warren’s fun started six minutes in, when Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Chomko’s assist on a nice passing combination set up freshman forward Athena McGinn’s goal that put Warren up for good at 1-0.
“I thought we were doing a good job of finding our strikers right away,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. “The first goal came off of kind of an up back-through combination, so it was nice that we were able to work that in. We’ve been working on it a lot in practice, so it was nice that it paid off in a game.”
Warren broke the game open late in the half, going up 2-0 in the 27th minute when Chomko (two goals, eight assists this season) used her agility and nice shot placement to finish.
“The ball came out to our right side, and I was right there,” Chomko said. “I touched it right around one of the (Andrew) girls, and it was just me on the goalie. I went upper corner, and the goalie touched it, but it went over her (into the net).”
Chomko then returned to her role as table setter in the 30th minute, as she used her elusiveness and speed in the middle of the field to set up freshman Ella Skelton’s goal and put Warren in command 3-0.
“Basically my role is to make the plays,” Chomko said. “I watch where the other girls go and then feed them the ball. I kind of work off of them to see where I need to be, so I can get a layoff (pass) from one girl and then find the next.
“It’s kind of knowing where I should play the ball before it comes to me, so I’m ready to play it to whoever is running off of me.”
Chomko’s play seems to be leaving a lasting impression on opponents.
As Saturday’s match ended and Lincoln-Way East took the field for the next PepsiCo Showdown game, Griffins coach Mike Murphy saw Chomko and complemented her for her role in the Blue Devils’ 2-1 win over his team Thursday.
And while the Warren offense continued its April surge Saturday, the defense also had its excellent moments in the first half.
The best came in the 38th minute. With standout Andrew striker Megan Nemec racing in on right wing, Warren junior goalkeeper Sarah Barbosa made a leaping deflection to her right to swat the seemingly sure goal over the net.
“That one in the first half, I thought she was going far post,” Barbosa said. “The way I do it is, I cover near post completely just to let them have far post. So I kind of assumed she was going that way. I was a little nervous but thankful I got there. She was really good.”
Earlier in the half, Barbosa had made only slightly less spectacular diving saves on shots by Nemec and Erin Jaskierski, which only added to Andrew’s frustration as Warren built its 3-0 lead.
“Their counterattack was good,” Andrew coach Loren Zolk said of Warren. “They got in our end. We were pushing, and in their end getting chances and not capitalizing. They would have a counterattack in our end, and we would give up a soft goal.
“We have some work to do. Today was evidence of that.”
Warren came out with similar fire in the second half.
Just three minutes in, a Sarah Kreppein cross into the crease was nearly put in by McGinn. But when her point-blank try was blocked, the loose ball spun to Cate Cullison for a six-yard rebound putaway and a 4-0 lead.
From there, it was the Warren defense that did the rest en route to the squad's second shutout of 2019.
Ten minutes into the half, Barbosa again nicely deflected a Nemec right side shot wide of the left post. Then off a cross by Andrew’s Megan O’Neill minutes later, Warren’s Megan Best and Skelton combined to deny a shot attempt in the box.
Andrew’s next close-in threat met similar resistance. This time Olivia Wolf and Skelton making plays to clear the box without incident.
“I thought the defense played really well,” McCabe said. “They had some really talented players with lots of speed up-top. We were a little concerned about that before the game, but I thought they did a nice job, stepped up and played the angles well.
“Our backline has really played well as a unit. And Sarah Barbosa in goal had some really nice saves today to keep a clean-sheet for us. I thought she had another great game.”
Warren’s rising goal totals at the offensive end have made things easier on the defense.
“We were struggling to score goals in the beginning,” Barbosa said. “It’s hard to win games like that. But we’ve been coming back nice, and especially getting the first goal in our games has really helped us.
“We’ve got it going now. It’s good. It’s a lot less pressure on me and our other goalkeeper who’s hurt right now, Alana Turner.”
While Warren was held scoreless for the last 37 minutes, quality chances continued.
In the 56th minute, Emily Soriaga’s pass from the right side run found Chomko, whose low liner was deflected away on a diving save at the left post by Andrew goalkeeper Gabby Sportiello.
Later, a Chomko corner kick was redirected by Cullison but also stopped and covered at the left post.
The Warren defense sealed the shutout with two late plays. First, Nemec’s right-side rush and cross was denied by a Maddie Gryzik deflection and clear in front.
Then with five minutes left, an Andrew corner kick resulted in an eventual Barbosa save of Addison Lim’s 15-yard shot.
“It’s just a communication thing,” Barbosa said of Warren’s defensive effort. “And we all get along really well, all of the girls in the back, which is nice.”
With Warren’s offense getting friendlier with the scoring column all the time, the four-game winless streak to start 2019 has given way to surging optimism.
“I think things are going well,” McCabe said. “We were able to pick up a couple of wins this week (three in the last five days).
“We’ve been playing pretty well all season, but finding the back of the net has been difficult. This last week or so we’ve been able to find our scoring stride. If we keep that going, good things are going to keep happening.”
One of five seniors on the Warren squad, Chomko has cautious confidence going forward.
“I think we need to just keep the momentum and keep up the goal scoring, because you can get caught up in the wins,” she said. “It’s just staying humble and continuing to score, so we can keep the momentum and keep striving as a team together.”
Starting lineups
Andrew
GK: Gabby Sportiello
D: Nicole Koppers
D: Addison Lim
D: Bridgid Tunney
M: Makayla More
M: Brandi Muys
M: Alex Dennis
M: Megan O’Neill
M: Erin Jaskierski
F: Megan Nemec
F: Samantha Koppers
Warren
GK: Sarah Barbosa
D: Sarah Kreppein
D: Olivia Wolf
D: Zoe Wagner
M: Ella Skelton
M: Emily Soriaga
M: Megan Best
M: Emma Preda
M: Courtney Chomko
F: Cate Cullison
F: Athena McGinn
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Courtney Chomko, sr. MF, Warren
Scoring summary
First half
W- Athena McGinn (Courtney Chomko), 6th minute
W- Chomko (Amber Langosch), 27th minute
W- Ella Skelton (Chomko), 30th minute
Second half
W- Cate Cullison (unassisted), 43rd minute
Victory streak reaches three with impressive 4-0 result
By Dave Owen
SCHAUMBURG – Warren’s scoring woes are becoming a distant memory.
After scoring just one goal in their first four games of the season, the Blue Devils (5-4-1) needed a mere three-minute span late in the first half of Saturday’s PepsiCo Showdown match with Andrew to exceed that total.
The eventual 4-0 win over the Thunderbolts (10-4-1) gave Warren a 5-1-0 record in its last six games, and added more fuel to the team’s soaring confidence level.
“Once we won our first game and got our first goal in the back of the net, it’s just been fire, it’s caught like flames,” said Warren’s Courtney Chomko, who led the way Saturday with a goal and two assists.
“We’ve just been getting after it every single game, and it’s just the mentality of all the girls. We’re ready to win, we want to win. The desire to win is I think greater than the other team’s. That’s tremendous for a team going onto the field.”
The Blue Devils were ready to roll Saturday, even using the long bus ride from Gurnee to Schaumburg for the 10:45 a.m. match as a positive.
“It sounds pretty early,” Chomko said, “but we have a 45-minute bus ride so we get ready (to play) on the bus. Obviously we were very ready today, and just came out with a bang.
“And we knew we had the wind at our backs at the beginning, so we were more excited to go out. We knew we kind of had the advantage and were ready to go.”
Warren’s fun started six minutes in, when Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match Chomko’s assist on a nice passing combination set up freshman forward Athena McGinn’s goal that put Warren up for good at 1-0.
“I thought we were doing a good job of finding our strikers right away,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. “The first goal came off of kind of an up back-through combination, so it was nice that we were able to work that in. We’ve been working on it a lot in practice, so it was nice that it paid off in a game.”
Warren broke the game open late in the half, going up 2-0 in the 27th minute when Chomko (two goals, eight assists this season) used her agility and nice shot placement to finish.
“The ball came out to our right side, and I was right there,” Chomko said. “I touched it right around one of the (Andrew) girls, and it was just me on the goalie. I went upper corner, and the goalie touched it, but it went over her (into the net).”
Chomko then returned to her role as table setter in the 30th minute, as she used her elusiveness and speed in the middle of the field to set up freshman Ella Skelton’s goal and put Warren in command 3-0.
“Basically my role is to make the plays,” Chomko said. “I watch where the other girls go and then feed them the ball. I kind of work off of them to see where I need to be, so I can get a layoff (pass) from one girl and then find the next.
“It’s kind of knowing where I should play the ball before it comes to me, so I’m ready to play it to whoever is running off of me.”
Chomko’s play seems to be leaving a lasting impression on opponents.
As Saturday’s match ended and Lincoln-Way East took the field for the next PepsiCo Showdown game, Griffins coach Mike Murphy saw Chomko and complemented her for her role in the Blue Devils’ 2-1 win over his team Thursday.
And while the Warren offense continued its April surge Saturday, the defense also had its excellent moments in the first half.
The best came in the 38th minute. With standout Andrew striker Megan Nemec racing in on right wing, Warren junior goalkeeper Sarah Barbosa made a leaping deflection to her right to swat the seemingly sure goal over the net.
“That one in the first half, I thought she was going far post,” Barbosa said. “The way I do it is, I cover near post completely just to let them have far post. So I kind of assumed she was going that way. I was a little nervous but thankful I got there. She was really good.”
Earlier in the half, Barbosa had made only slightly less spectacular diving saves on shots by Nemec and Erin Jaskierski, which only added to Andrew’s frustration as Warren built its 3-0 lead.
“Their counterattack was good,” Andrew coach Loren Zolk said of Warren. “They got in our end. We were pushing, and in their end getting chances and not capitalizing. They would have a counterattack in our end, and we would give up a soft goal.
“We have some work to do. Today was evidence of that.”
Warren came out with similar fire in the second half.
Just three minutes in, a Sarah Kreppein cross into the crease was nearly put in by McGinn. But when her point-blank try was blocked, the loose ball spun to Cate Cullison for a six-yard rebound putaway and a 4-0 lead.
From there, it was the Warren defense that did the rest en route to the squad's second shutout of 2019.
Ten minutes into the half, Barbosa again nicely deflected a Nemec right side shot wide of the left post. Then off a cross by Andrew’s Megan O’Neill minutes later, Warren’s Megan Best and Skelton combined to deny a shot attempt in the box.
Andrew’s next close-in threat met similar resistance. This time Olivia Wolf and Skelton making plays to clear the box without incident.
“I thought the defense played really well,” McCabe said. “They had some really talented players with lots of speed up-top. We were a little concerned about that before the game, but I thought they did a nice job, stepped up and played the angles well.
“Our backline has really played well as a unit. And Sarah Barbosa in goal had some really nice saves today to keep a clean-sheet for us. I thought she had another great game.”
Warren’s rising goal totals at the offensive end have made things easier on the defense.
“We were struggling to score goals in the beginning,” Barbosa said. “It’s hard to win games like that. But we’ve been coming back nice, and especially getting the first goal in our games has really helped us.
“We’ve got it going now. It’s good. It’s a lot less pressure on me and our other goalkeeper who’s hurt right now, Alana Turner.”
While Warren was held scoreless for the last 37 minutes, quality chances continued.
In the 56th minute, Emily Soriaga’s pass from the right side run found Chomko, whose low liner was deflected away on a diving save at the left post by Andrew goalkeeper Gabby Sportiello.
Later, a Chomko corner kick was redirected by Cullison but also stopped and covered at the left post.
The Warren defense sealed the shutout with two late plays. First, Nemec’s right-side rush and cross was denied by a Maddie Gryzik deflection and clear in front.
Then with five minutes left, an Andrew corner kick resulted in an eventual Barbosa save of Addison Lim’s 15-yard shot.
“It’s just a communication thing,” Barbosa said of Warren’s defensive effort. “And we all get along really well, all of the girls in the back, which is nice.”
With Warren’s offense getting friendlier with the scoring column all the time, the four-game winless streak to start 2019 has given way to surging optimism.
“I think things are going well,” McCabe said. “We were able to pick up a couple of wins this week (three in the last five days).
“We’ve been playing pretty well all season, but finding the back of the net has been difficult. This last week or so we’ve been able to find our scoring stride. If we keep that going, good things are going to keep happening.”
One of five seniors on the Warren squad, Chomko has cautious confidence going forward.
“I think we need to just keep the momentum and keep up the goal scoring, because you can get caught up in the wins,” she said. “It’s just staying humble and continuing to score, so we can keep the momentum and keep striving as a team together.”
Starting lineups
Andrew
GK: Gabby Sportiello
D: Nicole Koppers
D: Addison Lim
D: Bridgid Tunney
M: Makayla More
M: Brandi Muys
M: Alex Dennis
M: Megan O’Neill
M: Erin Jaskierski
F: Megan Nemec
F: Samantha Koppers
Warren
GK: Sarah Barbosa
D: Sarah Kreppein
D: Olivia Wolf
D: Zoe Wagner
M: Ella Skelton
M: Emily Soriaga
M: Megan Best
M: Emma Preda
M: Courtney Chomko
F: Cate Cullison
F: Athena McGinn
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Courtney Chomko, sr. MF, Warren
Scoring summary
First half
W- Athena McGinn (Courtney Chomko), 6th minute
W- Chomko (Amber Langosch), 27th minute
W- Ella Skelton (Chomko), 30th minute
Second half
W- Cate Cullison (unassisted), 43rd minute