Late goal pulls Young even with Lane
Dolphins' freshman keeper Adelstein makes 9 saves in tie
By Michael Wojtychiw
CHICAGO -- When you put Young and Lane on the same pitch, the game seems bound to be a classic. The two programs, traditionally the top two in the Chicago Public League, meet every regular season and have faced off in five of the last six city playoff title games.
With the conference season at the midpoint in the Premier Division, the matchup Wednesday afternoon at Lane Stadium stood as a good barometer as to where each team is.
The game lived up to the hype as the Dolphins' Maisy Connolly chipped the ball over Lane keeper Siena Belko's head with 2 minutes, 26 seconds remaining to put a bow on the 1-1 draw.
For Lane, the game marked the first true test of the conference season. The Indians had outscored both their previous conference foes by a combined score of 13-0.
"Since our first couple (conference) games were blowouts, we took those as practices and this one was the real thing," Lane midfielder Scout Murray said. "We all wanted to win, but we're going to come out stronger next time."
Murray, a junior midfielder who was recently named on Chicagoland Soccer’s Players to Watch list, got the scoring going early, when she slotted a ball past Young's freshman keeper Zoe Adelstein.
The goal, in the game's seventh minute, was just the beginning of continuous pressure by the home squad.
"Getting that early goal was really big, and we needed that confidence. We went into that game pretty nervous, because we felt the pressure we needed to win," Murray said.
The Indians (3-3-1, 2-0-1) fired six shots in the first half and forced Adelstein to make five saves to keep her squad in the game.
"We found them predictable pretty early," Murray said. "Every time their center defense would get it, they'd try to play the holding mid. I know that I and both wingers saw it and would step to it to shut it down immediately."
"We've got a lot of energy, especially since we were all home for so long with the pandemic," Lane manager Michelle Vale said. "I think we were all a little restless, and now we're putting that energy to use with our midfield. There's a lot of heart in our midfield and s ton of support from our defense.”
"Our coach told us that this happens almost every single game, where we don't put up a good fight in the first half," Connolly said. "Someone said you need to sacrifice your body and throw yourself at the ball, and I think we took that to heart to get more pressure on them."
For the second-consecutive conference game, the Dolphins fell behind early. That caused them to play with more of a sense of urgency, knowing that they'd have to put a ball past a tough opponent to at least earn a draw.
One could say that Young has become a second half team.
"I don't like playing down, but it gives you some adversity," Young manager Ross LaBauex said. "You learn some stuff about your team, get some momentum and build on it. But I'd rather play up.
"We fight. We fight to the end. If things aren't going well for you, we work hard and things will get better. I'm proud of the girls, it's a good result for the girls."
"It was a little stressful," Connolly said. "I know that we have the power to come back, but once we're down, I feel like everyone gets in a negative headspace like we've kind of lost the game. But today everyone … fought for the ball and wanted that goal."
With Young starting to become more comfortable in the second half, the Indians knew that they would need another goal to help put their rivals away.
Lane had a couple opportunities to do so late when Adelstein came out of goal to swipe away a Murray attack and then saved tough shots from sophomore Mary Rau and senior Laura Butler.
"We're going to go into practice strong and look at it as a way to keep fighting harder," Murray said.
LaBauex was happy with how his freshman keeper, who finished with nine saves, performed in one of the biggest games of her early career.
"She's exceeding all expectations," he said. "It's not easy to come in as a freshman and play goal. If you're a freshman at any position, that's probably the most difficult to come into because of the magnitude that you feel in that spot.
“She's been great, and we're lucky to have her. She's been a rock star."
Even though her squad ended with the tie, Vale was proud of how her squad battled until the end.
"I really liked the intensity and levelheadedness," she said. "There was a collective mentality that they exercised through the whole game. We played aggressively, but clean, which I really appreciate, given the rivalry between the two teams. "
Lane has games coming up with the Premier Division's other top teams, Jones and Payton. Murray and her teammates feel like the draw with Young will only help them against those tough sides.
"After the game, our coach reminded us that this isn't a loss, it's a tie," Murray said. "Our coach told us she's proud of how we played and tomorrow we're coming back even stronger."
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Zoe Adelstein
D: Elizabeth Martinez
D: Stella Ljung
D: Inez Herrada-Maher
D: Chloe Garton
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Annelise Kelner
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Celeste Garton
MF: Maisy Connolly
F: Ella Koleno
Lane
GK: Sienna Belko
D: Alexis Dempsey
D: Maria Katsogridakis
D: Maya Warkentin
D: Jocelyn Ramirez
MF: Laura Butler
MF: Julie Medina
MF: Lisa Rios
F: Maya Martinez-Bates
F: Scout Murray
F: Gabriela Pop
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Zoe Adelstein, fr. GK, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Lane - Scout Murray (unassisted), seventh minute
Second half
Young - Maisy Connolly (unassisted), 78th minute
Dolphins' freshman keeper Adelstein makes 9 saves in tie
By Michael Wojtychiw
CHICAGO -- When you put Young and Lane on the same pitch, the game seems bound to be a classic. The two programs, traditionally the top two in the Chicago Public League, meet every regular season and have faced off in five of the last six city playoff title games.
With the conference season at the midpoint in the Premier Division, the matchup Wednesday afternoon at Lane Stadium stood as a good barometer as to where each team is.
The game lived up to the hype as the Dolphins' Maisy Connolly chipped the ball over Lane keeper Siena Belko's head with 2 minutes, 26 seconds remaining to put a bow on the 1-1 draw.
For Lane, the game marked the first true test of the conference season. The Indians had outscored both their previous conference foes by a combined score of 13-0.
"Since our first couple (conference) games were blowouts, we took those as practices and this one was the real thing," Lane midfielder Scout Murray said. "We all wanted to win, but we're going to come out stronger next time."
Murray, a junior midfielder who was recently named on Chicagoland Soccer’s Players to Watch list, got the scoring going early, when she slotted a ball past Young's freshman keeper Zoe Adelstein.
The goal, in the game's seventh minute, was just the beginning of continuous pressure by the home squad.
"Getting that early goal was really big, and we needed that confidence. We went into that game pretty nervous, because we felt the pressure we needed to win," Murray said.
The Indians (3-3-1, 2-0-1) fired six shots in the first half and forced Adelstein to make five saves to keep her squad in the game.
"We found them predictable pretty early," Murray said. "Every time their center defense would get it, they'd try to play the holding mid. I know that I and both wingers saw it and would step to it to shut it down immediately."
"We've got a lot of energy, especially since we were all home for so long with the pandemic," Lane manager Michelle Vale said. "I think we were all a little restless, and now we're putting that energy to use with our midfield. There's a lot of heart in our midfield and s ton of support from our defense.”
"Our coach told us that this happens almost every single game, where we don't put up a good fight in the first half," Connolly said. "Someone said you need to sacrifice your body and throw yourself at the ball, and I think we took that to heart to get more pressure on them."
For the second-consecutive conference game, the Dolphins fell behind early. That caused them to play with more of a sense of urgency, knowing that they'd have to put a ball past a tough opponent to at least earn a draw.
One could say that Young has become a second half team.
"I don't like playing down, but it gives you some adversity," Young manager Ross LaBauex said. "You learn some stuff about your team, get some momentum and build on it. But I'd rather play up.
"We fight. We fight to the end. If things aren't going well for you, we work hard and things will get better. I'm proud of the girls, it's a good result for the girls."
"It was a little stressful," Connolly said. "I know that we have the power to come back, but once we're down, I feel like everyone gets in a negative headspace like we've kind of lost the game. But today everyone … fought for the ball and wanted that goal."
With Young starting to become more comfortable in the second half, the Indians knew that they would need another goal to help put their rivals away.
Lane had a couple opportunities to do so late when Adelstein came out of goal to swipe away a Murray attack and then saved tough shots from sophomore Mary Rau and senior Laura Butler.
"We're going to go into practice strong and look at it as a way to keep fighting harder," Murray said.
LaBauex was happy with how his freshman keeper, who finished with nine saves, performed in one of the biggest games of her early career.
"She's exceeding all expectations," he said. "It's not easy to come in as a freshman and play goal. If you're a freshman at any position, that's probably the most difficult to come into because of the magnitude that you feel in that spot.
“She's been great, and we're lucky to have her. She's been a rock star."
Even though her squad ended with the tie, Vale was proud of how her squad battled until the end.
"I really liked the intensity and levelheadedness," she said. "There was a collective mentality that they exercised through the whole game. We played aggressively, but clean, which I really appreciate, given the rivalry between the two teams. "
Lane has games coming up with the Premier Division's other top teams, Jones and Payton. Murray and her teammates feel like the draw with Young will only help them against those tough sides.
"After the game, our coach reminded us that this isn't a loss, it's a tie," Murray said. "Our coach told us she's proud of how we played and tomorrow we're coming back even stronger."
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Zoe Adelstein
D: Elizabeth Martinez
D: Stella Ljung
D: Inez Herrada-Maher
D: Chloe Garton
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Annelise Kelner
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Celeste Garton
MF: Maisy Connolly
F: Ella Koleno
Lane
GK: Sienna Belko
D: Alexis Dempsey
D: Maria Katsogridakis
D: Maya Warkentin
D: Jocelyn Ramirez
MF: Laura Butler
MF: Julie Medina
MF: Lisa Rios
F: Maya Martinez-Bates
F: Scout Murray
F: Gabriela Pop
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Zoe Adelstein, fr. GK, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Lane - Scout Murray (unassisted), seventh minute
Second half
Young - Maisy Connolly (unassisted), 78th minute