Faith leads Glenbard E. to regional title
Rams belief in keeper, PK conversions deliver win over York
By Dave Owen
LOMBARD -- Having Faith helped Glenbard East fend off a major postseason challenge.
Buoyed by the experience and confidence from their 2016 third place state finish, and sparked by the inspired play of senior goalkeeper Faith Davies, the host Rams (16-4-3) survived an endurance test against York (11-7-0) on Friday in their Class 3A regional.
After 100 minutes of regulation and two overtimes ended in a 1-1 tie, the Rams and Lady Dukes remained locked in a draw through the first five penalty kick shooters.
Then after Glenbard East’s Katie Hansen converted on the first sudden death PK to put her team up 4-3 in the session, Davies’ diving save on York’s sixth shooter set off a postgame celebration for the Rams.
“I do my best to try to read it, but after that I just guess,” Davies said of her approach to PKs. “I guessed (on the sixth shot).
“I was just really happy that Katie put that one in there, because at that point the pressure is on me. I was just hoping for the best.”
Davies’ regional-clinching second save in the PK session capped her Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match effort. Making her level of play more impressive is the senior’s battle through the pain of a right knee injury.
“I’m finishing the season, and then I’ll get my surgery,” Davies said.
Now that season extends at least until Tuesday, when the Rams face Downers Grove North, the fourth place finisher in Class 3A, in the York Sectional semifinals.
Deciding a match on PKs was a source of major concern for both teams coming in to Friday: York had a 1-3 regular season record in such matches; and the Rams were 0-2.
“PKs have been something that haven’t been our best this year,” Hansen said, “but we’ve done really well on them in the past. So we were excited to go into it.”
With the season on the line, the Rams produced clutch results – and one somewhat unlikely PK star.
After conversions by Glenbard East’s Amy Chiero and Alyse Donato and York’s Caila Ward and Bridget Los resulted in a 2-2 tie through four shooters, the Rams’ McKayla Garcia made her first appearance of the night in a maximum-pressure spot – as the Rams’ fifth PK shooter.
Garcia calmly punched home her PK chance, matched by York’s Morgan McCarthy, and the PK session continued in a 3-3 tie.
“McKayla Garcia is a forward for us who has played a lot of big minutes along the course of the season and scored some big goals for us,” Rams coach Kent Overbey said. “She didn’t see the field (until her PK Friday) the way the rotation worked and with the matchups, but that’s a thing we always say when we practice – who wants the pressure, who wants to help lift their team up.
“You have to be a strong personality and be able to handle it,” Overbey added, “and McKayla – we got her up with about four minutes left in OT, got her warmed up, and she was ready to go. It was big.”
An even bigger moment followed, when defensive standout/free kick specialist Hansen scored on her PK to provide the eventual difference.
“I was terrified,” Hansen said. “I’m normally in the top five (shooters), but I elected not to be this game because I thought my teammates had a better shot, and I wanted what’s best for the team.
“Everyone shot great that went before me, and I’m glad I got the chance to shoot that sixth. And it went in. Their keeper (Kathleen Levins) did a great job too and had a bunch of saves. She just had an unlucky guess (on the sixth PK).”
Then Davies did the rest.
“Faith did amazing,” Hansen said. “We always have confidence going in with her. We couldn’t ask for more from a keeper. The odds are against her (on PKs), and she stopped a ton (two of six with another hitting the crossbar). I’m so proud.”
With the game tied 1-1 and just 3:50 left in regulation, Davies had made the extra session possible with her all-out leaping deflection over the crossbar of a perfectly struck 45-yard free kick by York’s Lauren Healy.
She refused to be rattled by the nerves of the PK session.
“I feel like the pressure (in PKs) is more on our kickers, and we have really strong PK kickers,” Davies said. “The year we went to state we won a lot of our games on PKs, so overall we’re just really strong on those.
“We’ve been practicing them (PKs) a lot, so I think we had a lot more confidence going into today.”
The Rams had to endure some ups and downs in the PKs – after Donato put her team up 2-1 in the session, two-straight missed attempts followed.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Donato said. “If we make it (the PK shot), that’s awesome. Let’s keep the energy going, keep moving forward. If we don’t get it, that’s OK. You just have to keep your head up. We did well.”
From making clutch PKs to surviving a great second half push by York, the Rams’ will to win was impressive.
“It really starts to settle in for those seniors,” Overbey said, “because all of a sudden, it’s (make) this kick or else it could literally be the last kick of their careers.
“They’re just resilient. If you watch us all season we’ve lost games, but we refused to be outworked and refused to be pushed around. We’re very physical and that can go both ways, depending on the officials.
“This team wants to win,” Overbey added. “They grind it out, and that’s kind of been a theme throughout the season. Some of these close games, it’s really a grind. You just kind of wear it down, keep chipping away at them and hopefully come out on the good side of the scoreboard.”
Early in Friday’s match, a battle to the finish appeared unlikely.
In the 12th minute, a York hand ball set up a 50-yard free kick by Hansen. Her strong send sailed over a header attempt by Elizabeth Toledo 10 yards out and spun towards the crease, where a racing Mimi Camacho pounded in a point-blank shot at the right post to put the Rams up 1-0.
“Katie hit a great ball – she’s been doing that her whole career,” Overbey said. “She strikes a very dangerous ball, and the thing that’s so impressive is that she can really dial it in. When she’s close enough those are on goal, making the keeper make a play. And on that one she put it right over the defense, and Mimi read it perfectly and just got on the end of it.”
Camacho’s 19th goal of 2018 tied her with Lindsey Novak for the team lead.
“'Thunder and Lightning' we call them,” Overbey said. “Lindsey has the speed but also plays very physical. And Mimi is as fast as can be.”
After the fast strike put the Rams ahead, York goalkeeper Levins came off her line to make a great point-blank save on a Camacho 8-yard shot (off a Maddie Weltin cross) in the 17th minute.
The two sides had matching quality chances in the final 14 minutes of the first half – a 12-yard shot by York’s Los saved by Davies, then Levins’ catch of a Camacho 10-yarder off passes by Toledo and Ali Liljestrand with 9:25 left.
Come the second half, York had renewed vigor.
“The first half I don’t think we played anything near what we wanted to do,” York coach Don Vana said. “The second half, yes, the girls really showed that they wanted to play.
“We played the ball to the outside (after the half). They (the Rams) play so deep, and they only have two midfielders in the middle. We needed to play outside and exploit the wings, and we finally did that in the second half after we talked about it all week. When we did that, we were much better.”
The payoff came just 1:54 into the second half. After Los was fouled, Ward blasted a left side 22-yard free kick just under the crossbar upper right to tie the game 1-1.
“I thought in the first half we played really well,” Overbey said, “then we gave up a penalty in a dangerous spot.
“Faith is an all-everything goalie, amazing, but there’s nothing that could be done on that shot. She (Ward) put it in the perfect spot, and all of a sudden the wind is out of our sails.”
Despite ensuing shots in the next 10 minutes by Camacho (a 10-yarder off the side of the net off a Hansen free kick) and Liljestrand (a 20-yarder off an Amy Chiero steal and run that was saved by Levins), York more than held its own.
Even before her great leaping deflection in the final minutes, Davies had to come up big with 27:45 left (a right post block of a Maggie Breyer end line shot). And with 23:40 to go, Hansen made a great steal from behind in the box to deny a Greta Ray 1-v.-1 rush.
“The second half Overbey said they would come out strong, and I think we saw that too,” Davies said. “Both teams definitely picked up the energy and were a lot more aggressive in the second half.”
After Hansen’s 32-yard free kick with 1:15 left in regulation was blocked in the box by York’s Siena Pinkerton, the two 10-minute overtimes produced nice Glenbard East defense.
In the first OT, Mattie Pusateri had a nice end line block and clear, Hansen cleared a Los free kick and Davies punched a York corner kick cross away from danger.
“Our defense played a great game to give up just that one hard chance on that free kick against a very tough, physical team,” Overbey said.
The second overtime was more back and forth. Davies swatted away another corner kick cross with 7:15 left. Then three minutes later, a York hand ball set up a Hansen 28-yard free kick that narrowly missed connection at the right post.
“York did a great job throughout the game. It was pretty evenly matched,” Hansen said. “Going into PKs was a valid thing.”
After the shootout, Glenbard East had added another dramatic chapter to its rich postseason history.
“I think we take a lot away from that (2016 state) experience,” Davies said, “because there’s a lot of people on this team (nine) that were there for that. And I think we use that to our advantage. But also with that there’s a lot of pressure on us, where people expect more out of us the past few years.
“We’ve looked at the season as baby steps. First our goal was to win our conference, then the regional, and now we look to go far at sectionals. It’s just one step at a time on the road to state.”
Past honors aside, the Rams’ seniors are focused on a last shot at glory.
“We have a bunch of seniors on our team so we’re always up, and we’re ready to go,” Donato said. “We want to win because this is our last year. This is what we came for – we want to get to state, we want to go far.”
Avenging a 2017 sectional loss to Downers Grove North is the next hurdle.
“Downers North is always a tough matchup,” Overbey said. “(Trojans coach Brian) Papa always has them well organized and dangerous on set pieces. So we’re back at it tomorrow morning already trying to dial it in and get ready for that matchup.”
Before preparing for Tuesday, there was a lengthy Friday postgame celebration of a new regional title.
“It never gets old,” Hansen said. “This feeling is awesome, especially in a game like this against York. A lot of girls on our team play for Team Elmhurst (club), so every one of us knew a girl on the other team.
“And it was so evenly matched. They really made us work for it. That’s where the excitement comes from.”
Starting lineups
York
GK Kathleen Levins
D Emma Czech
D Siena Pinkerton
D Hailey Walker
D Lauren Healy
M Greta Ray
M Morgan McCarthy
M Madeline Levins
M Bridget Los
F Caila Ward
F Maggie Bleyer
Glenbard East
GK Faith Davies
D Katie Hansen
D Mattie Pusateri
D Sam Johnson
D Alyse Donato
M Ali Liljestrand
M Amy Chiero
M Elizabeth Toledo
F Mimi Camacho
F Maddie Weltin
F Lindsey Novak
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Faith Davies, sr. GK, Glenbard East
Scoring summary
First half
GE – Mimi Camacho (Katie Hansen assist), 11:46
Second half
York – Caila Ward (unassisted/free kick), 41:54
Shootout
GE conversions: Amy Chiero, Alyse Donato, McKayla Garcia, Hansen
York conversions: Ward, Bridget Los, Morgan McCarthy
Rams belief in keeper, PK conversions deliver win over York
By Dave Owen
LOMBARD -- Having Faith helped Glenbard East fend off a major postseason challenge.
Buoyed by the experience and confidence from their 2016 third place state finish, and sparked by the inspired play of senior goalkeeper Faith Davies, the host Rams (16-4-3) survived an endurance test against York (11-7-0) on Friday in their Class 3A regional.
After 100 minutes of regulation and two overtimes ended in a 1-1 tie, the Rams and Lady Dukes remained locked in a draw through the first five penalty kick shooters.
Then after Glenbard East’s Katie Hansen converted on the first sudden death PK to put her team up 4-3 in the session, Davies’ diving save on York’s sixth shooter set off a postgame celebration for the Rams.
“I do my best to try to read it, but after that I just guess,” Davies said of her approach to PKs. “I guessed (on the sixth shot).
“I was just really happy that Katie put that one in there, because at that point the pressure is on me. I was just hoping for the best.”
Davies’ regional-clinching second save in the PK session capped her Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match effort. Making her level of play more impressive is the senior’s battle through the pain of a right knee injury.
“I’m finishing the season, and then I’ll get my surgery,” Davies said.
Now that season extends at least until Tuesday, when the Rams face Downers Grove North, the fourth place finisher in Class 3A, in the York Sectional semifinals.
Deciding a match on PKs was a source of major concern for both teams coming in to Friday: York had a 1-3 regular season record in such matches; and the Rams were 0-2.
“PKs have been something that haven’t been our best this year,” Hansen said, “but we’ve done really well on them in the past. So we were excited to go into it.”
With the season on the line, the Rams produced clutch results – and one somewhat unlikely PK star.
After conversions by Glenbard East’s Amy Chiero and Alyse Donato and York’s Caila Ward and Bridget Los resulted in a 2-2 tie through four shooters, the Rams’ McKayla Garcia made her first appearance of the night in a maximum-pressure spot – as the Rams’ fifth PK shooter.
Garcia calmly punched home her PK chance, matched by York’s Morgan McCarthy, and the PK session continued in a 3-3 tie.
“McKayla Garcia is a forward for us who has played a lot of big minutes along the course of the season and scored some big goals for us,” Rams coach Kent Overbey said. “She didn’t see the field (until her PK Friday) the way the rotation worked and with the matchups, but that’s a thing we always say when we practice – who wants the pressure, who wants to help lift their team up.
“You have to be a strong personality and be able to handle it,” Overbey added, “and McKayla – we got her up with about four minutes left in OT, got her warmed up, and she was ready to go. It was big.”
An even bigger moment followed, when defensive standout/free kick specialist Hansen scored on her PK to provide the eventual difference.
“I was terrified,” Hansen said. “I’m normally in the top five (shooters), but I elected not to be this game because I thought my teammates had a better shot, and I wanted what’s best for the team.
“Everyone shot great that went before me, and I’m glad I got the chance to shoot that sixth. And it went in. Their keeper (Kathleen Levins) did a great job too and had a bunch of saves. She just had an unlucky guess (on the sixth PK).”
Then Davies did the rest.
“Faith did amazing,” Hansen said. “We always have confidence going in with her. We couldn’t ask for more from a keeper. The odds are against her (on PKs), and she stopped a ton (two of six with another hitting the crossbar). I’m so proud.”
With the game tied 1-1 and just 3:50 left in regulation, Davies had made the extra session possible with her all-out leaping deflection over the crossbar of a perfectly struck 45-yard free kick by York’s Lauren Healy.
She refused to be rattled by the nerves of the PK session.
“I feel like the pressure (in PKs) is more on our kickers, and we have really strong PK kickers,” Davies said. “The year we went to state we won a lot of our games on PKs, so overall we’re just really strong on those.
“We’ve been practicing them (PKs) a lot, so I think we had a lot more confidence going into today.”
The Rams had to endure some ups and downs in the PKs – after Donato put her team up 2-1 in the session, two-straight missed attempts followed.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Donato said. “If we make it (the PK shot), that’s awesome. Let’s keep the energy going, keep moving forward. If we don’t get it, that’s OK. You just have to keep your head up. We did well.”
From making clutch PKs to surviving a great second half push by York, the Rams’ will to win was impressive.
“It really starts to settle in for those seniors,” Overbey said, “because all of a sudden, it’s (make) this kick or else it could literally be the last kick of their careers.
“They’re just resilient. If you watch us all season we’ve lost games, but we refused to be outworked and refused to be pushed around. We’re very physical and that can go both ways, depending on the officials.
“This team wants to win,” Overbey added. “They grind it out, and that’s kind of been a theme throughout the season. Some of these close games, it’s really a grind. You just kind of wear it down, keep chipping away at them and hopefully come out on the good side of the scoreboard.”
Early in Friday’s match, a battle to the finish appeared unlikely.
In the 12th minute, a York hand ball set up a 50-yard free kick by Hansen. Her strong send sailed over a header attempt by Elizabeth Toledo 10 yards out and spun towards the crease, where a racing Mimi Camacho pounded in a point-blank shot at the right post to put the Rams up 1-0.
“Katie hit a great ball – she’s been doing that her whole career,” Overbey said. “She strikes a very dangerous ball, and the thing that’s so impressive is that she can really dial it in. When she’s close enough those are on goal, making the keeper make a play. And on that one she put it right over the defense, and Mimi read it perfectly and just got on the end of it.”
Camacho’s 19th goal of 2018 tied her with Lindsey Novak for the team lead.
“'Thunder and Lightning' we call them,” Overbey said. “Lindsey has the speed but also plays very physical. And Mimi is as fast as can be.”
After the fast strike put the Rams ahead, York goalkeeper Levins came off her line to make a great point-blank save on a Camacho 8-yard shot (off a Maddie Weltin cross) in the 17th minute.
The two sides had matching quality chances in the final 14 minutes of the first half – a 12-yard shot by York’s Los saved by Davies, then Levins’ catch of a Camacho 10-yarder off passes by Toledo and Ali Liljestrand with 9:25 left.
Come the second half, York had renewed vigor.
“The first half I don’t think we played anything near what we wanted to do,” York coach Don Vana said. “The second half, yes, the girls really showed that they wanted to play.
“We played the ball to the outside (after the half). They (the Rams) play so deep, and they only have two midfielders in the middle. We needed to play outside and exploit the wings, and we finally did that in the second half after we talked about it all week. When we did that, we were much better.”
The payoff came just 1:54 into the second half. After Los was fouled, Ward blasted a left side 22-yard free kick just under the crossbar upper right to tie the game 1-1.
“I thought in the first half we played really well,” Overbey said, “then we gave up a penalty in a dangerous spot.
“Faith is an all-everything goalie, amazing, but there’s nothing that could be done on that shot. She (Ward) put it in the perfect spot, and all of a sudden the wind is out of our sails.”
Despite ensuing shots in the next 10 minutes by Camacho (a 10-yarder off the side of the net off a Hansen free kick) and Liljestrand (a 20-yarder off an Amy Chiero steal and run that was saved by Levins), York more than held its own.
Even before her great leaping deflection in the final minutes, Davies had to come up big with 27:45 left (a right post block of a Maggie Breyer end line shot). And with 23:40 to go, Hansen made a great steal from behind in the box to deny a Greta Ray 1-v.-1 rush.
“The second half Overbey said they would come out strong, and I think we saw that too,” Davies said. “Both teams definitely picked up the energy and were a lot more aggressive in the second half.”
After Hansen’s 32-yard free kick with 1:15 left in regulation was blocked in the box by York’s Siena Pinkerton, the two 10-minute overtimes produced nice Glenbard East defense.
In the first OT, Mattie Pusateri had a nice end line block and clear, Hansen cleared a Los free kick and Davies punched a York corner kick cross away from danger.
“Our defense played a great game to give up just that one hard chance on that free kick against a very tough, physical team,” Overbey said.
The second overtime was more back and forth. Davies swatted away another corner kick cross with 7:15 left. Then three minutes later, a York hand ball set up a Hansen 28-yard free kick that narrowly missed connection at the right post.
“York did a great job throughout the game. It was pretty evenly matched,” Hansen said. “Going into PKs was a valid thing.”
After the shootout, Glenbard East had added another dramatic chapter to its rich postseason history.
“I think we take a lot away from that (2016 state) experience,” Davies said, “because there’s a lot of people on this team (nine) that were there for that. And I think we use that to our advantage. But also with that there’s a lot of pressure on us, where people expect more out of us the past few years.
“We’ve looked at the season as baby steps. First our goal was to win our conference, then the regional, and now we look to go far at sectionals. It’s just one step at a time on the road to state.”
Past honors aside, the Rams’ seniors are focused on a last shot at glory.
“We have a bunch of seniors on our team so we’re always up, and we’re ready to go,” Donato said. “We want to win because this is our last year. This is what we came for – we want to get to state, we want to go far.”
Avenging a 2017 sectional loss to Downers Grove North is the next hurdle.
“Downers North is always a tough matchup,” Overbey said. “(Trojans coach Brian) Papa always has them well organized and dangerous on set pieces. So we’re back at it tomorrow morning already trying to dial it in and get ready for that matchup.”
Before preparing for Tuesday, there was a lengthy Friday postgame celebration of a new regional title.
“It never gets old,” Hansen said. “This feeling is awesome, especially in a game like this against York. A lot of girls on our team play for Team Elmhurst (club), so every one of us knew a girl on the other team.
“And it was so evenly matched. They really made us work for it. That’s where the excitement comes from.”
Starting lineups
York
GK Kathleen Levins
D Emma Czech
D Siena Pinkerton
D Hailey Walker
D Lauren Healy
M Greta Ray
M Morgan McCarthy
M Madeline Levins
M Bridget Los
F Caila Ward
F Maggie Bleyer
Glenbard East
GK Faith Davies
D Katie Hansen
D Mattie Pusateri
D Sam Johnson
D Alyse Donato
M Ali Liljestrand
M Amy Chiero
M Elizabeth Toledo
F Mimi Camacho
F Maddie Weltin
F Lindsey Novak
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Faith Davies, sr. GK, Glenbard East
Scoring summary
First half
GE – Mimi Camacho (Katie Hansen assist), 11:46
Second half
York – Caila Ward (unassisted/free kick), 41:54
Shootout
GE conversions: Amy Chiero, Alyse Donato, McKayla Garcia, Hansen
York conversions: Ward, Bridget Los, Morgan McCarthy