Dunaway leads Lane past Young for title
Scores 2 goals, leads Indians to 5th-straight CPL title with 4-0 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Every game between Lane and Young pulses with intrigue, passion and history. Lane has stood atop a throne in the city thta Young very much has coveted. The rivalry -- shaped by friendship and many personal connections -- makes every single action meaningful and significant.
In the first 12 minutes of the latest iteration of their extraordinary series, the game took on the look of a boxing match with haymakers thrown from each side. Lane required Young keeper Mia Engelmann to jump out to snuff a near breakaway from Lane’s Sydney Varga in the third minute and snare a tough volley by Grace Dunaway.
In the eighth minute, Young forward Audrey Howaniec got clear on the right flank for a great look and saw her ball hit off the post. A Howaniec service produced another beautiful moment, a header by forward Mia Lisanti that was just wide of the frame. Finally, a Howaniec shot hit off the back post and appeared to just rest there until Lane defender Samantha Sorich maneuvered the clearance.
That all unfolded before anybody could barely take a breath. The back-and-forth creates its own unity of time and space, of heartbreak and jubilation. Every time these teams play the game yields such an extraordinary emotional tension. Everything is a countdown.
Lane finally broke through, and then they again found a way to break the Dolphins’ hearts.
Dunaway's beautiful header in traffic was part of a two-goal performance as the Indians, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, vanquished no. 25 Young 4-0 in the championship of the Chicago Public League city tournament Thursday night at UIC.
Lane (18-3-1) solidified its legacy as the greatest program in the history of Public League girls soccer in winning the city title for the fifth-consecutive year. The game marked the sixth time in the last seven years the two teams played in the championship. Lane has now beaten Young four times during its current run. (Two years ago Lane beat Young in a semifinal.)
Dunaway, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state performer, is a dynamic player to watch. She is silky and dangerous with her superb footwork and creativity with the ball. She only added to her personal legend.
Lane seniors Varga, Sorich, Alana Coffman, Johanna Bozic, Carlye Makuch, Kayla Dutton and Brianna Love recorded their fourth city championship.
Her header in the 26th minute underlined her moxie and toughness, hurling her 5-foot-2 frame against much bigger players to get the crucial first touch off a terrific service from Sorich. Sophomore speedster Eily Quinn set up the play when she was fouled from behind on the right wing.
“I am honestly not sure exactly what happened,” Dunaway said. “There was so much going on in the box at that point, and Sammy had an amazing ball coming. I just got a head on it which is rare for me, because I am a little shorter than everybody else.
“It was a lucky finish right there.”
Games hang in the balance and turn on a dime. Lane got a surge of adrenaline, and Young was suddenly playing catch-up. More often than not, the Dolphins were forced to react to what Lane was doing rather than create their own style and shape to build from.
“Soccer is a funny game like that,” Young coach Ross LaBauex said. “They were more efficient when it comes to scoring goals. We missed two down here, and we could have gone up 2-0. They come back right down and score two.
“We fought, and we played hard, but we have to be better technically and tactically.”
Lane coach Michelle Vale has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to her available players. She has a great and intuitive sense of when to put players in just at the right time and watch them take advantage of their opportunities.
Freshman Jocelyn Ramirez, who has shown excellent skills playing both in the midfield and the back, is just the latest example.
In the 37th minute, off another Sorich free kick from the left wing, Ramirez showed her own exquisite sense of timing by pouncing on an initial ball deflected off a Young defender inside the box and punched home the volley for the 2-0 lead halftime lead.
“I was in the right spot at the right time, and finishing it off was so exceptional,” Ramirez said. “I could not believe it; I just felt all the girls jumping on me. It is the best feeling ever. I just got in the last eight minutes of the half, and right away I scored, so anything can happen on this team even if you are not starting.”
Young also had the disadvantage of being just two days removed from playing 100 minutes and going through an excruciatingly tense shootout with no. 24 Jones in the semifinals. Stocked with higher-level depth, Lane just appeared quicker to the ball and hungrier to execute its chances.
Engelmann has been a revelation for the Young. She saved penalty kicks in regulation in three recent high-profile games against St. Ignatius, Mother McAuley and the Eagles on Tuesday night. She was up to the challenge. Increasingly, Lane attacked from multiple angles.
“It was a good experience for our younger players to play in games like this, because games like this matter,” LaBeaux said. “Some of our earlier games, we were just going through the motions. There is nothing at stake. Tonight, the stakes get higher and the moment gets bigger. And how do you adjust to the moment?
“It was difficult for the girls at times, but I am very proud of them.”
Dunaway effectively put the game away in the 44th minute. Lane knew enough from history to know the two-goal advantage was not necessarily sufficient, not against a Dolphins team that behind Lisanti, Howaniec and freshman phenom Ella Koleno has been on a scoring binge.
In the 44th minute, she drove hard down the left side and was taken out from behind. On the penalty kick she deftly took a different tactic against the adroit Engelmann. A natural right-footer, she came from the opposite side with her left foot and forced Engelmann to go left and she put it the opposite direction.
“The 2-0 lead going into halftime was comforting, but we knew we could not put the brakes on,” Dunaway said. “We had to continue to push because they were going out hard. You look at the scoreline, and it might seem like a one-sided game. Young has some fierce competitors, and we had to go out even harder.”
Junior Melissa Garcia completed the scoring by drilling a ball from just outside the box off a beautiful cross from Varga in the 50th minute.
It was a victory with many authors: Dunaway, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match; Sorich, who created two goals with her free kicks; Quinn who continued to impress with her speed on the perimeter; and freshman Scout Murray who is thriving.
A contender for the Indians’ best player is junior star Camaron Niforos, who started at forward and ended up playing all three field positions. Her passing and ability to control the midfield allowed Lane’s offense to flourish. Niforos never came off the field in 80 minutes. She dropped back over the final stages of the match to help neutralize the potent Young attack.
Young's Lisanti, a brilliant and high-energy performer in her own right, tried everything available to her to generate glimmers of hope for the Dolphins (15-6-1). She created two great chances, only to watch Love make compelling saves each time. The look of anguish on her face after the stops proved telling.
In the last six weeks, Young has won 11 of 14 games and showed itself capable of playing great soccer. Lane is just a cut above in city soccer. The win was the Indians’ 10th straight. The goal differential during that streak is 60-1.
Their only on the field losses are against no. 3 Stevenson and no. 4 New Trier. They also forfeited a game against Evanston due to a spring break issue.
It never gets old for Vale.
“Their happiness is my happiness,” she said of her players, several of whom were crying as part of the celebration. “I live for their smiles. Anytime they are down, I look for a way to get them back up.
“Whitney came out of the door racing for that goal-one, and I admired my team’s strength to combat such a worthy opponent. Young and Lane is such a classic game, and I know the fans brought a lot of energy to the whole game. It was an amazing thing to see the kids respond and boost each other up.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Mia Engelmann
D: Addie Schlensker
D: Carson Herman
D: Lauren Ehlers
D: Meaghan Jungels
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Eleanor Sherline
MF: Ella Koleno
F: Mia Lisanti
F: Audrey Howaniec
Lane
GK: Brianna Love
D: Maria Katsogridakis
D: Samantha Sorich
D: Alana Coffman
D: Zehra Halilic
MF: Johanna Bozic
MF: Kayla Dutton
MF: Melissa Garcia
MF: Sydney Varga
F: Grace Dunaway
F: Camaron Niforos
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Grace Dunaway, sr., F., Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Grace Dunaway (Samantha Sorich), 26th minute
Lane—Jocelyn Ramirez (unassisted), 37th minute
Second half
Lane—Dunaway (penalty kick), 44th minute
Lane—Melissa Garcia (Sydney Varga), 50th minute
Scores 2 goals, leads Indians to 5th-straight CPL title with 4-0 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Every game between Lane and Young pulses with intrigue, passion and history. Lane has stood atop a throne in the city thta Young very much has coveted. The rivalry -- shaped by friendship and many personal connections -- makes every single action meaningful and significant.
In the first 12 minutes of the latest iteration of their extraordinary series, the game took on the look of a boxing match with haymakers thrown from each side. Lane required Young keeper Mia Engelmann to jump out to snuff a near breakaway from Lane’s Sydney Varga in the third minute and snare a tough volley by Grace Dunaway.
In the eighth minute, Young forward Audrey Howaniec got clear on the right flank for a great look and saw her ball hit off the post. A Howaniec service produced another beautiful moment, a header by forward Mia Lisanti that was just wide of the frame. Finally, a Howaniec shot hit off the back post and appeared to just rest there until Lane defender Samantha Sorich maneuvered the clearance.
That all unfolded before anybody could barely take a breath. The back-and-forth creates its own unity of time and space, of heartbreak and jubilation. Every time these teams play the game yields such an extraordinary emotional tension. Everything is a countdown.
Lane finally broke through, and then they again found a way to break the Dolphins’ hearts.
Dunaway's beautiful header in traffic was part of a two-goal performance as the Indians, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, vanquished no. 25 Young 4-0 in the championship of the Chicago Public League city tournament Thursday night at UIC.
Lane (18-3-1) solidified its legacy as the greatest program in the history of Public League girls soccer in winning the city title for the fifth-consecutive year. The game marked the sixth time in the last seven years the two teams played in the championship. Lane has now beaten Young four times during its current run. (Two years ago Lane beat Young in a semifinal.)
Dunaway, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state performer, is a dynamic player to watch. She is silky and dangerous with her superb footwork and creativity with the ball. She only added to her personal legend.
Lane seniors Varga, Sorich, Alana Coffman, Johanna Bozic, Carlye Makuch, Kayla Dutton and Brianna Love recorded their fourth city championship.
Her header in the 26th minute underlined her moxie and toughness, hurling her 5-foot-2 frame against much bigger players to get the crucial first touch off a terrific service from Sorich. Sophomore speedster Eily Quinn set up the play when she was fouled from behind on the right wing.
“I am honestly not sure exactly what happened,” Dunaway said. “There was so much going on in the box at that point, and Sammy had an amazing ball coming. I just got a head on it which is rare for me, because I am a little shorter than everybody else.
“It was a lucky finish right there.”
Games hang in the balance and turn on a dime. Lane got a surge of adrenaline, and Young was suddenly playing catch-up. More often than not, the Dolphins were forced to react to what Lane was doing rather than create their own style and shape to build from.
“Soccer is a funny game like that,” Young coach Ross LaBauex said. “They were more efficient when it comes to scoring goals. We missed two down here, and we could have gone up 2-0. They come back right down and score two.
“We fought, and we played hard, but we have to be better technically and tactically.”
Lane coach Michelle Vale has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to her available players. She has a great and intuitive sense of when to put players in just at the right time and watch them take advantage of their opportunities.
Freshman Jocelyn Ramirez, who has shown excellent skills playing both in the midfield and the back, is just the latest example.
In the 37th minute, off another Sorich free kick from the left wing, Ramirez showed her own exquisite sense of timing by pouncing on an initial ball deflected off a Young defender inside the box and punched home the volley for the 2-0 lead halftime lead.
“I was in the right spot at the right time, and finishing it off was so exceptional,” Ramirez said. “I could not believe it; I just felt all the girls jumping on me. It is the best feeling ever. I just got in the last eight minutes of the half, and right away I scored, so anything can happen on this team even if you are not starting.”
Young also had the disadvantage of being just two days removed from playing 100 minutes and going through an excruciatingly tense shootout with no. 24 Jones in the semifinals. Stocked with higher-level depth, Lane just appeared quicker to the ball and hungrier to execute its chances.
Engelmann has been a revelation for the Young. She saved penalty kicks in regulation in three recent high-profile games against St. Ignatius, Mother McAuley and the Eagles on Tuesday night. She was up to the challenge. Increasingly, Lane attacked from multiple angles.
“It was a good experience for our younger players to play in games like this, because games like this matter,” LaBeaux said. “Some of our earlier games, we were just going through the motions. There is nothing at stake. Tonight, the stakes get higher and the moment gets bigger. And how do you adjust to the moment?
“It was difficult for the girls at times, but I am very proud of them.”
Dunaway effectively put the game away in the 44th minute. Lane knew enough from history to know the two-goal advantage was not necessarily sufficient, not against a Dolphins team that behind Lisanti, Howaniec and freshman phenom Ella Koleno has been on a scoring binge.
In the 44th minute, she drove hard down the left side and was taken out from behind. On the penalty kick she deftly took a different tactic against the adroit Engelmann. A natural right-footer, she came from the opposite side with her left foot and forced Engelmann to go left and she put it the opposite direction.
“The 2-0 lead going into halftime was comforting, but we knew we could not put the brakes on,” Dunaway said. “We had to continue to push because they were going out hard. You look at the scoreline, and it might seem like a one-sided game. Young has some fierce competitors, and we had to go out even harder.”
Junior Melissa Garcia completed the scoring by drilling a ball from just outside the box off a beautiful cross from Varga in the 50th minute.
It was a victory with many authors: Dunaway, the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match; Sorich, who created two goals with her free kicks; Quinn who continued to impress with her speed on the perimeter; and freshman Scout Murray who is thriving.
A contender for the Indians’ best player is junior star Camaron Niforos, who started at forward and ended up playing all three field positions. Her passing and ability to control the midfield allowed Lane’s offense to flourish. Niforos never came off the field in 80 minutes. She dropped back over the final stages of the match to help neutralize the potent Young attack.
Young's Lisanti, a brilliant and high-energy performer in her own right, tried everything available to her to generate glimmers of hope for the Dolphins (15-6-1). She created two great chances, only to watch Love make compelling saves each time. The look of anguish on her face after the stops proved telling.
In the last six weeks, Young has won 11 of 14 games and showed itself capable of playing great soccer. Lane is just a cut above in city soccer. The win was the Indians’ 10th straight. The goal differential during that streak is 60-1.
Their only on the field losses are against no. 3 Stevenson and no. 4 New Trier. They also forfeited a game against Evanston due to a spring break issue.
It never gets old for Vale.
“Their happiness is my happiness,” she said of her players, several of whom were crying as part of the celebration. “I live for their smiles. Anytime they are down, I look for a way to get them back up.
“Whitney came out of the door racing for that goal-one, and I admired my team’s strength to combat such a worthy opponent. Young and Lane is such a classic game, and I know the fans brought a lot of energy to the whole game. It was an amazing thing to see the kids respond and boost each other up.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Mia Engelmann
D: Addie Schlensker
D: Carson Herman
D: Lauren Ehlers
D: Meaghan Jungels
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Eleanor Sherline
MF: Ella Koleno
F: Mia Lisanti
F: Audrey Howaniec
Lane
GK: Brianna Love
D: Maria Katsogridakis
D: Samantha Sorich
D: Alana Coffman
D: Zehra Halilic
MF: Johanna Bozic
MF: Kayla Dutton
MF: Melissa Garcia
MF: Sydney Varga
F: Grace Dunaway
F: Camaron Niforos
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Grace Dunaway, sr., F., Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Grace Dunaway (Samantha Sorich), 26th minute
Lane—Jocelyn Ramirez (unassisted), 37th minute
Second half
Lane—Dunaway (penalty kick), 44th minute
Lane—Melissa Garcia (Sydney Varga), 50th minute