West Aurora pairs up
to take down West Chicago
Blackhawks score twice to win first
By Chris Walker
WEST CHICAGO – Scoring first is always a good thing.
But it’s not everything. Just ask West Aurora.
The Blackhawks have scored first in each of their three games this season, but they didn’t win one until Wednesday night, when they got off to a terrific start in Upstate Eight Conference play with a 2-0 victory over West Chicago behind goals from Olivia McPherson and Gracie Prather.
“This is a really good start for us in conference,” Prather said. “In our last game against St. Charles East, we went up early again and then we kind of broke down a little bit. Then, they got a couple of PKs and that kind of broke us down even more. I think we played really good against them, but they’re just a really good team.”
In their season-opener, the Blackhawks clung to a 1-0 lead against Naperville Central but surrendered the game-tying goal with just 10:31 left and then lost when they surrendered the game-winner with only 2:34 left.
On Wednesday, finally, the Blackhawks took an early lead, maintained it and gave themselves some comfort with an insurance tally midway through the second half. It certainly helped that West Aurora was dominant, controlled possession from the start to finish and rarely got caught in a situation where it appeared they might surrender a goal.
“I think our key was just playing as a team,” Prather said. “We did a good job of switching the field, and the twins (Olivia and Kiara McPherson) were really wide so if we can find them or Audrey (Stephens) we can get a cross off and be able to have a chance to finish.”
With four underclassmen in the starting lineup, the Blackhawks didn’t look inexperienced or intimidated. If anything, it was the Wildcats, who didn’t look like a team that hadn’t lost in its four games to open the season and appeared more on the defense than in the role as aggressor.
“We’ve been playing very aggressive soccer and didn’t care what was the score, but were just playing,” West Chicago coach J. Cesar Gomez said. “We got spooked a bit today.”
Shorthanded with numbers, the Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Blackhawks.
“You can try to find some excuses but you play 11 at a time, and I think that (West Aurora) was a little bit more aggressive than we were possession-wise,” Gomez said. “We always possess the ball well, but we didn’t have any attacking at all today. We could do something from the 18 to the 40 or so, but we were not effective on the final third. We didn’t have anything.”
West Aurora (1-2-0, 1-0-0) scored its first goal with 20:25 left in the first half after missing out on a few opportunities.
Blackhawks’ freshman Lizzy Kuhn misfired just 23 seconds into the game, and while the Blackhawks had the majority of the scoring chances in the first half, they were only able to muster a goal from Olivia McPherson.
Her twin sister, Kiara McPherson didn’t start, but was on the field in the 10th minute and nearly put the Blackhawks ahead as she secured a cross but shot directly into the hands of West Chicago goalkeeper Haley Rich.
Olivia McPherson added a rebound attempt with about 10 minutes left before halftime but was denied. The Blackhawks earned a corner kick off the attempt but couldn’t turn it into an additional point on the scoreboard.
The goal from Olivia McPherson was a beauty. After gaining possession near the corner of the box, she slid her way toward the goal enough to create a window for her shot and then slapped it ahead toward the opposite post.
“I got a tight little ball and moved up and was able to get my shot,” she said. “I slipped it right past the goalie’s right shin.”
It was the first time the McPhersons were both on the field this spring with Kiara's first action of the season. The reunion, if you could call it that, was obviously well received.
“It does feel weird without her out there,” Olivia McPherson said. “It feels really good to have her back. Even when she’s across the field we can make eye contact and know exactly where to put a ball for each other, which is great.”
Having your sister back is one thing from simply a personal family standpoint but having one of your top players and an experienced leader back is another.
“Even at practice and just jogging around it was weird not having her by my side,” Olivia McPherson said. “I enjoy having her, and it’s a game-changer for me at the least.”
An insurance goal from Prather with 21:46 left in the game provided the Blackhawks with a sense of relief -- it was the first time they enjoyed a two-goal lead this season.
“I got the ball and kind of noticed through the middle they were really open,” Prather said. “I just kind of took it and then had a wide open shot, so I went ahead and took it.”
There certainly was a push from the Blackhawks to continue to play determinedly in pursuit of that second goal.
“In the second half we were really trying to burst through and get a second goal,” Prather said. “Our first two games we’ve gone up and then given them a goal back, so we’re trying to get the lead, keep the lead and grow it.”
West Chicago (2-1-2, 0-1-0) just couldn’t keep up with West Aurora, pretty much chasing after the Blackhawks the entire evening.
“It’s hard to continue to maintain that level of defending,” Gomez said. “Because even if you possess the ball, at some point somebody is going to go through it and they have people who can finish. And they have speed, and they took advantage of what they had to take advantage of.
“We still need a little bit. We definitely need Odalis (Martinez) back as our sweeper. She’s still injured, and she just now got cleared and hopefully will be back in a couple more weeks and step up. And our backline is brand new, and we’re trying to find a way. We just can’t continue to do the same and be effective when Barbie (Castellanos) has to defend and then go and finish. You can only go so far. It’s just too much.”
When you don’t have the ball much and are doing more chasing than creating, you’re destined for trouble.
“West Aurora really had control of the ball most of the game,” West Chicago sophomore Irene Dino said. “They stayed calm, and on our side we started panicking when they had the ball, and we just lost it from there.”
Dino said the Wildcats lacked confidence for whatever reason against the Blackhawks. Perhaps recent games against the Blackhawks had something to do with that. West Aurora has now beaten the Wildcats three-straight times in as many years, outscoring them 13-2 in the process.
“We went into the game more afraid than confident today for whatever reason,” she said. “That made a big difference. It made it tough on us.”
Castellanos had the best shot at breaking the shutout for the Wildcats. On one of the few occasions where the West Aurora defense wasn’t able to negate a scoring threat, she was able to get a lot into a shot with 4:47 left to play, but it went directly to goalkeeper Haley Rich.
Head coach Laura Wagley praised the play of senior midfielder Yuvia Ontiveros, who was named Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match and who seemingly does so much but does not get nearly the amount of recognition she deserves.
“She’s unreal,” Wagley said. “She is our unsung hero. She won’t have the most goals or assists but what she does for us in the middle of the field is awesome. She does a very good job for us.”
Starting lineups
West Aurora
GK Madison Russell
D Krystal Diaz
D Elva Hernandez
D Laeticia Mbende
D Mackenzie Thompson
MF Lizzy Kuhn
MF Olivia McPherson
MF Yuvia Ontiveros
MF Tsion White
F Gracie Prather
F Audrey Stephens
West Chicago
GK Haley Rich
D Luciana Balzer
MF Emily Ayala
MF Barbie Castellano
MF Evelyn Hernandez
MF Melissa Pani
MF Ruby Romero
MF Monse Vargas
F Britney Mendoza
F Giselle Navejas
F Ruby Lebo
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Yuvi Ontiveros, sr., MF, West Aurora
Scoring summary
First half
West Aurora – Olivia McPherson (u/a) 20:25
Second half
West Aurora – Gracie Prather (Audrey Stephens) 21:46
to take down West Chicago
Blackhawks score twice to win first
By Chris Walker
WEST CHICAGO – Scoring first is always a good thing.
But it’s not everything. Just ask West Aurora.
The Blackhawks have scored first in each of their three games this season, but they didn’t win one until Wednesday night, when they got off to a terrific start in Upstate Eight Conference play with a 2-0 victory over West Chicago behind goals from Olivia McPherson and Gracie Prather.
“This is a really good start for us in conference,” Prather said. “In our last game against St. Charles East, we went up early again and then we kind of broke down a little bit. Then, they got a couple of PKs and that kind of broke us down even more. I think we played really good against them, but they’re just a really good team.”
In their season-opener, the Blackhawks clung to a 1-0 lead against Naperville Central but surrendered the game-tying goal with just 10:31 left and then lost when they surrendered the game-winner with only 2:34 left.
On Wednesday, finally, the Blackhawks took an early lead, maintained it and gave themselves some comfort with an insurance tally midway through the second half. It certainly helped that West Aurora was dominant, controlled possession from the start to finish and rarely got caught in a situation where it appeared they might surrender a goal.
“I think our key was just playing as a team,” Prather said. “We did a good job of switching the field, and the twins (Olivia and Kiara McPherson) were really wide so if we can find them or Audrey (Stephens) we can get a cross off and be able to have a chance to finish.”
With four underclassmen in the starting lineup, the Blackhawks didn’t look inexperienced or intimidated. If anything, it was the Wildcats, who didn’t look like a team that hadn’t lost in its four games to open the season and appeared more on the defense than in the role as aggressor.
“We’ve been playing very aggressive soccer and didn’t care what was the score, but were just playing,” West Chicago coach J. Cesar Gomez said. “We got spooked a bit today.”
Shorthanded with numbers, the Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Blackhawks.
“You can try to find some excuses but you play 11 at a time, and I think that (West Aurora) was a little bit more aggressive than we were possession-wise,” Gomez said. “We always possess the ball well, but we didn’t have any attacking at all today. We could do something from the 18 to the 40 or so, but we were not effective on the final third. We didn’t have anything.”
West Aurora (1-2-0, 1-0-0) scored its first goal with 20:25 left in the first half after missing out on a few opportunities.
Blackhawks’ freshman Lizzy Kuhn misfired just 23 seconds into the game, and while the Blackhawks had the majority of the scoring chances in the first half, they were only able to muster a goal from Olivia McPherson.
Her twin sister, Kiara McPherson didn’t start, but was on the field in the 10th minute and nearly put the Blackhawks ahead as she secured a cross but shot directly into the hands of West Chicago goalkeeper Haley Rich.
Olivia McPherson added a rebound attempt with about 10 minutes left before halftime but was denied. The Blackhawks earned a corner kick off the attempt but couldn’t turn it into an additional point on the scoreboard.
The goal from Olivia McPherson was a beauty. After gaining possession near the corner of the box, she slid her way toward the goal enough to create a window for her shot and then slapped it ahead toward the opposite post.
“I got a tight little ball and moved up and was able to get my shot,” she said. “I slipped it right past the goalie’s right shin.”
It was the first time the McPhersons were both on the field this spring with Kiara's first action of the season. The reunion, if you could call it that, was obviously well received.
“It does feel weird without her out there,” Olivia McPherson said. “It feels really good to have her back. Even when she’s across the field we can make eye contact and know exactly where to put a ball for each other, which is great.”
Having your sister back is one thing from simply a personal family standpoint but having one of your top players and an experienced leader back is another.
“Even at practice and just jogging around it was weird not having her by my side,” Olivia McPherson said. “I enjoy having her, and it’s a game-changer for me at the least.”
An insurance goal from Prather with 21:46 left in the game provided the Blackhawks with a sense of relief -- it was the first time they enjoyed a two-goal lead this season.
“I got the ball and kind of noticed through the middle they were really open,” Prather said. “I just kind of took it and then had a wide open shot, so I went ahead and took it.”
There certainly was a push from the Blackhawks to continue to play determinedly in pursuit of that second goal.
“In the second half we were really trying to burst through and get a second goal,” Prather said. “Our first two games we’ve gone up and then given them a goal back, so we’re trying to get the lead, keep the lead and grow it.”
West Chicago (2-1-2, 0-1-0) just couldn’t keep up with West Aurora, pretty much chasing after the Blackhawks the entire evening.
“It’s hard to continue to maintain that level of defending,” Gomez said. “Because even if you possess the ball, at some point somebody is going to go through it and they have people who can finish. And they have speed, and they took advantage of what they had to take advantage of.
“We still need a little bit. We definitely need Odalis (Martinez) back as our sweeper. She’s still injured, and she just now got cleared and hopefully will be back in a couple more weeks and step up. And our backline is brand new, and we’re trying to find a way. We just can’t continue to do the same and be effective when Barbie (Castellanos) has to defend and then go and finish. You can only go so far. It’s just too much.”
When you don’t have the ball much and are doing more chasing than creating, you’re destined for trouble.
“West Aurora really had control of the ball most of the game,” West Chicago sophomore Irene Dino said. “They stayed calm, and on our side we started panicking when they had the ball, and we just lost it from there.”
Dino said the Wildcats lacked confidence for whatever reason against the Blackhawks. Perhaps recent games against the Blackhawks had something to do with that. West Aurora has now beaten the Wildcats three-straight times in as many years, outscoring them 13-2 in the process.
“We went into the game more afraid than confident today for whatever reason,” she said. “That made a big difference. It made it tough on us.”
Castellanos had the best shot at breaking the shutout for the Wildcats. On one of the few occasions where the West Aurora defense wasn’t able to negate a scoring threat, she was able to get a lot into a shot with 4:47 left to play, but it went directly to goalkeeper Haley Rich.
Head coach Laura Wagley praised the play of senior midfielder Yuvia Ontiveros, who was named Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match and who seemingly does so much but does not get nearly the amount of recognition she deserves.
“She’s unreal,” Wagley said. “She is our unsung hero. She won’t have the most goals or assists but what she does for us in the middle of the field is awesome. She does a very good job for us.”
Starting lineups
West Aurora
GK Madison Russell
D Krystal Diaz
D Elva Hernandez
D Laeticia Mbende
D Mackenzie Thompson
MF Lizzy Kuhn
MF Olivia McPherson
MF Yuvia Ontiveros
MF Tsion White
F Gracie Prather
F Audrey Stephens
West Chicago
GK Haley Rich
D Luciana Balzer
MF Emily Ayala
MF Barbie Castellano
MF Evelyn Hernandez
MF Melissa Pani
MF Ruby Romero
MF Monse Vargas
F Britney Mendoza
F Giselle Navejas
F Ruby Lebo
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Yuvi Ontiveros, sr., MF, West Aurora
Scoring summary
First half
West Aurora – Olivia McPherson (u/a) 20:25
Second half
West Aurora – Gracie Prather (Audrey Stephens) 21:46