Warren delivers on Senior Night
Blue Devils gain 1st league win with 7-0 decision over Waukegan
By Hunter Tickel
GURNEE -- Senior Jamie Kwon and freshman Emily Soriaga pulled the strings from the center of the midfield and the duo orchestrated an enjoyable 7-0 Senior Night win over Waukegan on Tuesday.
Kwon finished with two goals and one assist, to lead the charge that delivered the scrapbook win in North Suburban League action.
“She’s a captain; she’s been in all of the spots we’ve needed her to be in throughout the season,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. “When we need someone to play solid in a certain position, (we) put Jamie there. She fills that void.”
Kwon has primarily played in the back this season, spending time as a sweeper, outside back, as well as defensive midfielder.
“I really don’t get the opportunity to score or get into the attack,” Kwon said. “Lately here, I have actually been trying out the (center midfield) position, which gets me into the attack more.”
Soriaga ignited the attack with assists on the Blue Devils opening two goals.
The pair’s midfield play routinely snuffed out Waukegan attacks and sprayed balls all over the field to create chances in the first half.
“She did really well,” Kwon said of her central running mate. “She knows how to play the role. She has played there every single game. She knows how to distribute the ball very well. Playing with her is easy, she steps up and play the attack really well.”
It helped having a veteran give her pointers.
“It’s really awesome, because she is mentoring me during the game and telling me what to do,” Soriaga said. “It is really easy to play next to her, because she is telling what I am doing wrong so I can fix it on the next play. It makes the overall vibe of the whole game really fun.”
Warren (6-10-1, 1-3-1) look poised from the outset. After dominating possession, the Blue Devils broke through with the game’s first goal in the seventh minute.
A give-and-go on the right flank from sophomore defender Morgan Liebau to Soriaga resulted in a free kick after Liebau was pulled down. Soriaga’s ensuing set piece hit the wall, and the ball caromed to the corner. From there she hit a perfectly-weighted cross to the back post for junior midfielder Courtney Chomko to tap in.
Nine minutes later, the Blue Devils took a 2-0 lead as Soriaga spotted senior forward Ayusha Ayalur wide open in the middle for a simple finish.
“She has grown a lot this year,” McCabe said of his first-year player. “Playing at the varsity level as a freshman can be a bit much, but she has handled it well, with a lot of maturity. Her play is going up throughout the season. She is seeing the more advanced passes that she wasn’t seeing at the beginning of the season, and threading through those through-balls.”
Soriaga continues to pick up confidence as the home stretch approaches.
“I am dribbling a little bit more,” Soriaga said. “At the beginning of the season I didn’t dribble at all. I thought we should pass a lot. Now I see that I am dribbling more, because I have the chance.”
Waukegan (5-10-1, 1-4-0) had its best chance of the night in the 30th minute when freshman midfielder Juliet Mendez floated a corner kick into the 6-yard box. Unfortunately for the visitors, a pair of Bulldogs were unable to redirect it in traffic.
Warren continued to release the stress from the game two minutes later when Chomko buried her second goal of the game to make it 3-0. The squad continued to keep Waukegan on its heels to close the opening half.
“It was good,” McCabe said of team’s possession in the first 40 minutes. “We have been working a lot on moving the ball, switching it. I saw glimpses of that today in the game. That was definitely important for us to get off to that start, especially into the wind. We did a good job of keeping it on the ground.”
Kwon fed senior midfielder Carly Baun, who was then tripped up in the box. Baun’s subsequent penalty shot in the 33rd minute was pushed wide by Waukegan keeper Lynette Ocampo.
“I thought it was a good start, but I felt like we needed to finish a little bit more and take our chances,” Kwon said. “I thought we won the ball and had possession.”
The onslaught continued in the closing half. Ayalur’s goal gave her a brace, Kwon scored twice and sophomore forward Elizabeth Weinberg found the net.
Warren graduates five seniors, four started: keeper Lydia Sundberg, Ayalur, Baun and Kwon. Senior defender Emma Brown saw action off the bench.
This senior class helped Warren to its best record last year 21-2-2, a run that included a regional championship and conference title.
“The fact that it is Senior Night, makes me want to do even better, because they have a legacy,” Soriaga said.
Starting Lineups
Waukegan
GK: Lynette Ocampo
D: Bianca Jaimes
D: Samantha Gutierrez-Martinez
D: Denise Martinez
M: Natalie Corona
M: Juliet Mendez
M: Alondra Guadarrama
M: Desareih Juarez
M: Isabel Ramirez
M: Gisselle Lugo
F: Yazmin Perdomo
Warren
GK: Lydia Sundberg
D: Olivia Wolf
D: Liza Matimore
D: Megan Best
D: Morgan Liebau
M: Jamie Kwon
M: Courtney Chomko
M: Carly Baun
M: Emily Soriaga
M: Jamie Kwon
F: Ayusha Ayalur
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jamie Kwon, sr., M, Warren
Referees: Valdimor Bubinsky, Pete McHugh, Lee Hwang
Scoring Summary
Warren 3-4 7
Waukegan 0-0 0
First half
Warren: Chomko (Soriaga) 7th minute
Warren: Ayalur (Soriaga) 16th minute
Warren: Chomko (unassisted) 32nd minute
Second half
Warren: Ayalur (Chomko) 43rd minute
Warren: Weinberg (Kwon) 57th minute
Warren: Kwon (Cullison) 71st minute
Warren: Kwon (Preda) 76st minute
Blue Devils gain 1st league win with 7-0 decision over Waukegan
By Hunter Tickel
GURNEE -- Senior Jamie Kwon and freshman Emily Soriaga pulled the strings from the center of the midfield and the duo orchestrated an enjoyable 7-0 Senior Night win over Waukegan on Tuesday.
Kwon finished with two goals and one assist, to lead the charge that delivered the scrapbook win in North Suburban League action.
“She’s a captain; she’s been in all of the spots we’ve needed her to be in throughout the season,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. “When we need someone to play solid in a certain position, (we) put Jamie there. She fills that void.”
Kwon has primarily played in the back this season, spending time as a sweeper, outside back, as well as defensive midfielder.
“I really don’t get the opportunity to score or get into the attack,” Kwon said. “Lately here, I have actually been trying out the (center midfield) position, which gets me into the attack more.”
Soriaga ignited the attack with assists on the Blue Devils opening two goals.
The pair’s midfield play routinely snuffed out Waukegan attacks and sprayed balls all over the field to create chances in the first half.
“She did really well,” Kwon said of her central running mate. “She knows how to play the role. She has played there every single game. She knows how to distribute the ball very well. Playing with her is easy, she steps up and play the attack really well.”
It helped having a veteran give her pointers.
“It’s really awesome, because she is mentoring me during the game and telling me what to do,” Soriaga said. “It is really easy to play next to her, because she is telling what I am doing wrong so I can fix it on the next play. It makes the overall vibe of the whole game really fun.”
Warren (6-10-1, 1-3-1) look poised from the outset. After dominating possession, the Blue Devils broke through with the game’s first goal in the seventh minute.
A give-and-go on the right flank from sophomore defender Morgan Liebau to Soriaga resulted in a free kick after Liebau was pulled down. Soriaga’s ensuing set piece hit the wall, and the ball caromed to the corner. From there she hit a perfectly-weighted cross to the back post for junior midfielder Courtney Chomko to tap in.
Nine minutes later, the Blue Devils took a 2-0 lead as Soriaga spotted senior forward Ayusha Ayalur wide open in the middle for a simple finish.
“She has grown a lot this year,” McCabe said of his first-year player. “Playing at the varsity level as a freshman can be a bit much, but she has handled it well, with a lot of maturity. Her play is going up throughout the season. She is seeing the more advanced passes that she wasn’t seeing at the beginning of the season, and threading through those through-balls.”
Soriaga continues to pick up confidence as the home stretch approaches.
“I am dribbling a little bit more,” Soriaga said. “At the beginning of the season I didn’t dribble at all. I thought we should pass a lot. Now I see that I am dribbling more, because I have the chance.”
Waukegan (5-10-1, 1-4-0) had its best chance of the night in the 30th minute when freshman midfielder Juliet Mendez floated a corner kick into the 6-yard box. Unfortunately for the visitors, a pair of Bulldogs were unable to redirect it in traffic.
Warren continued to release the stress from the game two minutes later when Chomko buried her second goal of the game to make it 3-0. The squad continued to keep Waukegan on its heels to close the opening half.
“It was good,” McCabe said of team’s possession in the first 40 minutes. “We have been working a lot on moving the ball, switching it. I saw glimpses of that today in the game. That was definitely important for us to get off to that start, especially into the wind. We did a good job of keeping it on the ground.”
Kwon fed senior midfielder Carly Baun, who was then tripped up in the box. Baun’s subsequent penalty shot in the 33rd minute was pushed wide by Waukegan keeper Lynette Ocampo.
“I thought it was a good start, but I felt like we needed to finish a little bit more and take our chances,” Kwon said. “I thought we won the ball and had possession.”
The onslaught continued in the closing half. Ayalur’s goal gave her a brace, Kwon scored twice and sophomore forward Elizabeth Weinberg found the net.
Warren graduates five seniors, four started: keeper Lydia Sundberg, Ayalur, Baun and Kwon. Senior defender Emma Brown saw action off the bench.
This senior class helped Warren to its best record last year 21-2-2, a run that included a regional championship and conference title.
“The fact that it is Senior Night, makes me want to do even better, because they have a legacy,” Soriaga said.
Starting Lineups
Waukegan
GK: Lynette Ocampo
D: Bianca Jaimes
D: Samantha Gutierrez-Martinez
D: Denise Martinez
M: Natalie Corona
M: Juliet Mendez
M: Alondra Guadarrama
M: Desareih Juarez
M: Isabel Ramirez
M: Gisselle Lugo
F: Yazmin Perdomo
Warren
GK: Lydia Sundberg
D: Olivia Wolf
D: Liza Matimore
D: Megan Best
D: Morgan Liebau
M: Jamie Kwon
M: Courtney Chomko
M: Carly Baun
M: Emily Soriaga
M: Jamie Kwon
F: Ayusha Ayalur
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jamie Kwon, sr., M, Warren
Referees: Valdimor Bubinsky, Pete McHugh, Lee Hwang
Scoring Summary
Warren 3-4 7
Waukegan 0-0 0
First half
Warren: Chomko (Soriaga) 7th minute
Warren: Ayalur (Soriaga) 16th minute
Warren: Chomko (unassisted) 32nd minute
Second half
Warren: Ayalur (Chomko) 43rd minute
Warren: Weinberg (Kwon) 57th minute
Warren: Kwon (Cullison) 71st minute
Warren: Kwon (Preda) 76st minute