Presberg's 4 goals power
Willows past North Shore Country Day
NSCD drops 2nd- straight ISL match
By Michael Wojtychiw
WINNETKA -- Veronica Presberg's become quite the markswoman from deep.
The Willows sophomore midfielder has grown comfortable with burying goals from 10 or more yards away from the goal. Opponents might want to reconsider packing it in against her.
How and why did she become so comfortable in taking the longer kicks? Practice and taking free kicks.
"Once I broke away from some of their players, there'd be a lot of space between the midfield and the centerback, so there was a lot of time to take the touch and shoot it," she said. "Taking free kicks really helped me too, because you practice it so much it kind of becomes a habit."
Presberg used those skills to perfection against North Shore Country Day on Tuesday. Her four goals led the Eagles to a 5-0 Independent School League win at the Skokie Playfields.
North Shore Country Day started to put pressure on the Eagles defense right off the bat. They earned an early corner, a free kick and saw a Lauren Gallagher shot go wide, all in the first couple minutes.
After that, however, the Willows offense took over.
The Eagles earned three corners and had two Presberg shots saved by North Shore Country Day keeper Peyton Hudson. The sophomore scored her only close goal and the lone score of the first half off an assist by Emily Elder in the 23rd minute.
Even though the Willows offense continued to be on the attack, it was the North Shore defense that held strong, especially in the first half.
"Pushing up whenever they passed back helped us there," North Shore senior defender Lexi Jackson said. "Playing wide and defending the cross really helped us fend them off."
Every time the Eagles would make a run, there seemed to be a Raiders defender there to thwart any opportunity that was presented to them.
"Our four backs played great," North Shore Country Day manager Lizzy Giffen said. "We were missing a starter, our centerback, but I thought the defense played wonderfully. That's what I told them at halftime.
"We just could not possess the ball. That made the defense work even harder, but we kept giving them the ball back."
The Raiders (1-4-0, 1-3-0 Independent School League) started the second half with a shot by senior Taylor Vallas, but Presberg and Willows turned that counter into about a 20-yard goal in just the second minute after halftime.
The Eagles (5-3, 3-3) extended the lead to 3-0 when junior Isabella Avila put a ball past Hudson in the 55th minute.
Presberg connected from about 20 yards 14 minutes later for her third and then scored on a similarly-distanced shot from the far left side of the field that first hit the crossbar.
"The combination plays with my forwards were working really well for us," Presberg said. "I would feed it to them and them feed it back. It was really a lot of credit to them."
"Veronica's got a high level of discipline, high level of intensity," Willows manager Kayla Driver said. "She's constantly pushing the team to be better, to make those runs. She's demanding with the ball when she's in control of it and is a playmaker in every sense of the word.
"She just does a really great job bringing up the level for all of us."
After scoring only once in the first half, the Eagles exploded for four goals and that was courtesy of some words from their coach, as well as the easing of nerves.
"One of the major things we talked about was runs with the forwards, where forwards create space for each other," Presberg said. "But also, the outside backs needed to get up more on the field which was big for us, because if they were there it'd be easier for the forwards to create opportunities."
"We really tried to make sure our forwards were stretching the field, our forwards were keeping the width, the length of the field," Driver said. "Then we stretch that space, get in behind the defense and let our girls do their thing."
"Willows was playing with a lot of high backs, so we had a lot offsides calls, and they were pushing into our half," Jackson said.
For the Raiders, even though the defense played well, the offense continued to struggle to find its rhythm.
Other than scoring seven goals in the win over Morgan Park Academy, the Raiders have been shut out in all four of their losses.
"We're having trouble putting the ball in the back of the net, and it comes down to possession," Giffen said. "That's something we've been working on and keep working on. When we get the ball up to a forward's feet or even a center mid's feet, we have to be able to possess the ball and go forward together.”
With the crazy spring weather and extended spring break wreaking havoc on its schedule, the Raiders have only play five games thus far. But now the schedule ramps up considerably.
The Raiders tied Lycee Francais 3-3 Wednesday and are back at it Friday before three games next week.
Then comes the IHSA Class A state tournament.
Willows earned a no. 2 sub-sectional seed and plays in North Shore Country Day’s regional May 10. If both teams win their semifinal match, the Eagles against Ida Crown and North Shore Country Day vs. Rochelle Zell, the pair will face off for the regional crown May 13.
"I just hope we continue to improve each day," Giffen said. "We have to show up to every game ready to play, with some intensity. We have to be able to string some passes together, that's going to be the key for us but really just looking for improvement.
“The girls have a great time together, everyone is having fun. But we need to be able to possess the ball."
Starting lineups
Willows
GK: Elaina Niemczura
D: Julia Lechner
D: Isa Vidales
D: Lucy James
D: Maya Rodriguez
MF: Veronica Presberg
MF: Isabella Avila
MF: Grace Rademacher
F: Nora Sukkar
F: Simone Burns
F: Emily Elder
North Shore Country Day
GK: Peyton Hudson
D: Lexi Jackson
D: Lauren Gallagher
D: Hannah Gallin
D: Anna Ristic
MF: Lindsey Glew
MF: Ellie Stephenson
MF: Lilly Gallin
F: Lila Golson
F: Suraiyya Omar
F: Taylor Vallas
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Veronica Presberg, so., MF, Willows
Scoring summary
First half
Willows - Veronica Presberg (Emily Elder), 23rd minute
Second half
Willows - Presberg, 42nd minute
Willows - Isabella Avila, 55th minute
Willows - Presberg (Elder), 69th minute
Willows - Presberg, 70th minute
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Willows past North Shore Country Day
NSCD drops 2nd- straight ISL match
By Michael Wojtychiw
WINNETKA -- Veronica Presberg's become quite the markswoman from deep.
The Willows sophomore midfielder has grown comfortable with burying goals from 10 or more yards away from the goal. Opponents might want to reconsider packing it in against her.
How and why did she become so comfortable in taking the longer kicks? Practice and taking free kicks.
"Once I broke away from some of their players, there'd be a lot of space between the midfield and the centerback, so there was a lot of time to take the touch and shoot it," she said. "Taking free kicks really helped me too, because you practice it so much it kind of becomes a habit."
Presberg used those skills to perfection against North Shore Country Day on Tuesday. Her four goals led the Eagles to a 5-0 Independent School League win at the Skokie Playfields.
North Shore Country Day started to put pressure on the Eagles defense right off the bat. They earned an early corner, a free kick and saw a Lauren Gallagher shot go wide, all in the first couple minutes.
After that, however, the Willows offense took over.
The Eagles earned three corners and had two Presberg shots saved by North Shore Country Day keeper Peyton Hudson. The sophomore scored her only close goal and the lone score of the first half off an assist by Emily Elder in the 23rd minute.
Even though the Willows offense continued to be on the attack, it was the North Shore defense that held strong, especially in the first half.
"Pushing up whenever they passed back helped us there," North Shore senior defender Lexi Jackson said. "Playing wide and defending the cross really helped us fend them off."
Every time the Eagles would make a run, there seemed to be a Raiders defender there to thwart any opportunity that was presented to them.
"Our four backs played great," North Shore Country Day manager Lizzy Giffen said. "We were missing a starter, our centerback, but I thought the defense played wonderfully. That's what I told them at halftime.
"We just could not possess the ball. That made the defense work even harder, but we kept giving them the ball back."
The Raiders (1-4-0, 1-3-0 Independent School League) started the second half with a shot by senior Taylor Vallas, but Presberg and Willows turned that counter into about a 20-yard goal in just the second minute after halftime.
The Eagles (5-3, 3-3) extended the lead to 3-0 when junior Isabella Avila put a ball past Hudson in the 55th minute.
Presberg connected from about 20 yards 14 minutes later for her third and then scored on a similarly-distanced shot from the far left side of the field that first hit the crossbar.
"The combination plays with my forwards were working really well for us," Presberg said. "I would feed it to them and them feed it back. It was really a lot of credit to them."
"Veronica's got a high level of discipline, high level of intensity," Willows manager Kayla Driver said. "She's constantly pushing the team to be better, to make those runs. She's demanding with the ball when she's in control of it and is a playmaker in every sense of the word.
"She just does a really great job bringing up the level for all of us."
After scoring only once in the first half, the Eagles exploded for four goals and that was courtesy of some words from their coach, as well as the easing of nerves.
"One of the major things we talked about was runs with the forwards, where forwards create space for each other," Presberg said. "But also, the outside backs needed to get up more on the field which was big for us, because if they were there it'd be easier for the forwards to create opportunities."
"We really tried to make sure our forwards were stretching the field, our forwards were keeping the width, the length of the field," Driver said. "Then we stretch that space, get in behind the defense and let our girls do their thing."
"Willows was playing with a lot of high backs, so we had a lot offsides calls, and they were pushing into our half," Jackson said.
For the Raiders, even though the defense played well, the offense continued to struggle to find its rhythm.
Other than scoring seven goals in the win over Morgan Park Academy, the Raiders have been shut out in all four of their losses.
"We're having trouble putting the ball in the back of the net, and it comes down to possession," Giffen said. "That's something we've been working on and keep working on. When we get the ball up to a forward's feet or even a center mid's feet, we have to be able to possess the ball and go forward together.”
With the crazy spring weather and extended spring break wreaking havoc on its schedule, the Raiders have only play five games thus far. But now the schedule ramps up considerably.
The Raiders tied Lycee Francais 3-3 Wednesday and are back at it Friday before three games next week.
Then comes the IHSA Class A state tournament.
Willows earned a no. 2 sub-sectional seed and plays in North Shore Country Day’s regional May 10. If both teams win their semifinal match, the Eagles against Ida Crown and North Shore Country Day vs. Rochelle Zell, the pair will face off for the regional crown May 13.
"I just hope we continue to improve each day," Giffen said. "We have to show up to every game ready to play, with some intensity. We have to be able to string some passes together, that's going to be the key for us but really just looking for improvement.
“The girls have a great time together, everyone is having fun. But we need to be able to possess the ball."
Starting lineups
Willows
GK: Elaina Niemczura
D: Julia Lechner
D: Isa Vidales
D: Lucy James
D: Maya Rodriguez
MF: Veronica Presberg
MF: Isabella Avila
MF: Grace Rademacher
F: Nora Sukkar
F: Simone Burns
F: Emily Elder
North Shore Country Day
GK: Peyton Hudson
D: Lexi Jackson
D: Lauren Gallagher
D: Hannah Gallin
D: Anna Ristic
MF: Lindsey Glew
MF: Ellie Stephenson
MF: Lilly Gallin
F: Lila Golson
F: Suraiyya Omar
F: Taylor Vallas
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Veronica Presberg, so., MF, Willows
Scoring summary
First half
Willows - Veronica Presberg (Emily Elder), 23rd minute
Second half
Willows - Presberg, 42nd minute
Willows - Isabella Avila, 55th minute
Willows - Presberg (Elder), 69th minute
Willows - Presberg, 70th minute
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