Young's Engelmann stands up to Jones
GK makes 2 game-altering PK saves in Dolphins’ CPL semi win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Young has been on a roll. Mia Engelmann is a perfectionist, and the last two losses haunted her.
Both came off penalty kick tournament losses against Glenbard West and Mother McAuley in the PepsiCo Showdown and Chicago Cup, respectively.
Working with Young boys coach Ian McCarthy, a keeper specialist, Engelmann has spent the last three weeks on drills, recovery time and anticipation. It has not been easy.
“I have been complaining, because we have been practicing them a lot, and that is a lot of falling on the ground,” Engelmann said. “Before the McAuley game, we did three times in a row in practice, and I felt I was getting better. I was at the point where I felt like I could read where the shooter might go, and if you can’t do that, there is no chance.
“It really paid off tonight.”
Engelmann made two spectacular game-altering saves on penalty kicks at the start of the second half and the decisive sixth-round stop that carried the Dolphins, ranked no. 25 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, past no. 24 Jones 5-4 in a semifinal shootout of the Chicago Public League tournament Tuesday night at Lane.
Junior Ashley Sidkey, the team’s sixth shooter, was officially credited with the game-winning goal. Her shot broke the 4-4 shootout deadlock. Jones’ standout keeper Devin Barry appeared to get a leg on the ball, but it was not enough to stop the forward momentum.
Engelmann made a darting move to her right to deny a shot by Jones freshman Olivia Rodriguez that secured the victory and a title matchup with no. 11 Lane Thursday night at UIC. The victory marks the sixth time in the last seven years these rivals have played for the city championship.
“The sixth shooter, kind of a small girl, and I decided not to guess on that one,” Engelmann said. “I wanted to wait and make a reaction save, and it ended up working out. Also, our shooters converted incredibly.”
Engelmann earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match distinction for her effort which also also included two spectacular stops late in regulation: elevating on a tip-over off a Martina Bianchi free kick; and another diving stop off a ball by Eagles’ elite sophomore Carmen Marshall.
The most important save came at the start of the second half. After a disputed foul inside the box against a Young defender, Engelmann responded by diving to her left and stopping the penalty kick by Natalie Loos in the 41st minute. She clutched the ball just beneath her calves.
“I did not know if it was in or not for a second,” she said.
The prospect of going down 2-0 was a daunting one. Jones had appeared to climb past its own tortured history against the Dolphins. Until this year, the Eagles had never beaten Young. The 2-0 victory in Premier play was another symbolic action that signified how far the program has come.
Both teams came into the game smoldering, riding 10-2-0 records in their last 12 games. The explosive Marshall has been a revelation for the Eagles. Her speed and ability to stop, turn and create separation has taken Jones’s offense to another level.
From the start, she created tremendous pressure against the Dolphins’ backline. Engelmann made her first impressive save off a Marshall ball in the sixth minute.
Marshall also nearly connected with forward Avery Kaplan on a beautiful one-two service and header by Kaplan that was just wide of the mark. In the 29th minute, Jones took control. Just inside midfield, defender Loos blasted a long free kick that Young allowed to bounce and Marshall brilliantly used her quickness to get the first touch past by the reach of Engelmann.
With Jones holding the 1-0 advantage into the start of the second half, the penalty kick opportunity opened another wide door. Just as quickly, Engelmann shut it. Young was properly energized.
“I think that was the most important moment of the game,” star Young forward Mia Lisanti said. “That was such a pivotal play. If we go down 2-0 there, it is hard to get your momentum up, and you still have to score.
“Keeping the score 1-0 at that point meant it was a whole new ballgame.”
Bottled up most of the game, Lisanti had to negotiate the aggressive Jones’ defensive formation. She had been a thorn in the Eagles’ side, scoring game-winning goals in each of the last two years.
Lisanti finally broke free in the 53rd minute. She blasted out from the back and took a beautiful through-ball from freshman midfielder Sydney Koleno for the breakaway. Barry broke off her line hard to throw Lisanti off.
Barry appeared to get a partial deflection but it was not enough to prevent the equalizer.
“I think I just found a seam, and Sydney got the ball into the gap there,” Lisanti said. “And I think they just lost me for a second. They were marking pretty heavy on me the whole game. It was a perfectly placed ball with really good pace on it.”
Despite the emotional turn, Jones remained locked in. Loos and Bianchi are a credible and very difficult combination on set pieces, especially the throw-in from Loos on the left edge for an attempted Bianchi header or flick. Kaplan and Marshall also created some compelling opportunities.
“It does not come down to one play,” Jones coach Derek Bylsma said. “It was a hard-fought game that was about as even as it could get. I really don’t like winning or losing in a shootout. We had chances. They had chances.
“You can’t expect to play a team that good and score just one goal, and it’s either going to end in a tie or loss. We fought hard. We are all disappointed. We wanted to play for a city championship. We were all looking forward to playing Lane. At the end of the day, this is how the sport works.”
Young’s shooters converted five-of-six attempts in the shootout. That marked a strong contrast with its last shootout in the loss against Mother McAuley, where they failed to make a single attempt.
Lisanti started the process by drilling the first ball inside the left corner.
“We definitely learned from the McAuley game,” she said. “We took practice more seriously. You need to work on what you’re trying to do. We had to work on placement, power and composure. Everyone on the team is able to make a penalty kick, but it’s the right balance of execution and confidence.”
Young’s shootout victory over Lane in 2014 was the last time a program other than Lane has won a city title. Young has been victimized three times in the title game and a semifinal two years ago in Lane’s streak of four-consecutive city titles.
“City is always our goal every year, and it is really hard to lose repeatedly to the same team,” Lisanti said. “We are more focused on winning instead of who we are playing. Obviously we want to beat Lane, but this is more about we have to play to our potential.
“It is going to be a battle.”
Starters
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
Jones
DK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Natalie Loos
D: Izzy Kamba
D: Olivia Rodriguez
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Audrey Bruce
MF: Sophie Jennerjahn
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Mia Engelmann, sr., GK, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Carmen Marshall (Natalie Loos), 29th minute
Second half
Young—Mia Lisanti (Sydney Koleno), 53rd minute
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
No scoring
Shootout
Young: Lisanti (make), Ella Koleno (make), Alexis Sassower (make), Analea Scott (make), Lauren Ehlers (miss), Ashley Sidkey (make)
Jones: Natalie Loos (make), Martina Bianchi (miss), Avery Kaplan (make), Marshall (make), Audrey Bruce (make), Olivia Rodriguez (blocked)
GK makes 2 game-altering PK saves in Dolphins’ CPL semi win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Young has been on a roll. Mia Engelmann is a perfectionist, and the last two losses haunted her.
Both came off penalty kick tournament losses against Glenbard West and Mother McAuley in the PepsiCo Showdown and Chicago Cup, respectively.
Working with Young boys coach Ian McCarthy, a keeper specialist, Engelmann has spent the last three weeks on drills, recovery time and anticipation. It has not been easy.
“I have been complaining, because we have been practicing them a lot, and that is a lot of falling on the ground,” Engelmann said. “Before the McAuley game, we did three times in a row in practice, and I felt I was getting better. I was at the point where I felt like I could read where the shooter might go, and if you can’t do that, there is no chance.
“It really paid off tonight.”
Engelmann made two spectacular game-altering saves on penalty kicks at the start of the second half and the decisive sixth-round stop that carried the Dolphins, ranked no. 25 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, past no. 24 Jones 5-4 in a semifinal shootout of the Chicago Public League tournament Tuesday night at Lane.
Junior Ashley Sidkey, the team’s sixth shooter, was officially credited with the game-winning goal. Her shot broke the 4-4 shootout deadlock. Jones’ standout keeper Devin Barry appeared to get a leg on the ball, but it was not enough to stop the forward momentum.
Engelmann made a darting move to her right to deny a shot by Jones freshman Olivia Rodriguez that secured the victory and a title matchup with no. 11 Lane Thursday night at UIC. The victory marks the sixth time in the last seven years these rivals have played for the city championship.
“The sixth shooter, kind of a small girl, and I decided not to guess on that one,” Engelmann said. “I wanted to wait and make a reaction save, and it ended up working out. Also, our shooters converted incredibly.”
Engelmann earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match distinction for her effort which also also included two spectacular stops late in regulation: elevating on a tip-over off a Martina Bianchi free kick; and another diving stop off a ball by Eagles’ elite sophomore Carmen Marshall.
The most important save came at the start of the second half. After a disputed foul inside the box against a Young defender, Engelmann responded by diving to her left and stopping the penalty kick by Natalie Loos in the 41st minute. She clutched the ball just beneath her calves.
“I did not know if it was in or not for a second,” she said.
The prospect of going down 2-0 was a daunting one. Jones had appeared to climb past its own tortured history against the Dolphins. Until this year, the Eagles had never beaten Young. The 2-0 victory in Premier play was another symbolic action that signified how far the program has come.
Both teams came into the game smoldering, riding 10-2-0 records in their last 12 games. The explosive Marshall has been a revelation for the Eagles. Her speed and ability to stop, turn and create separation has taken Jones’s offense to another level.
From the start, she created tremendous pressure against the Dolphins’ backline. Engelmann made her first impressive save off a Marshall ball in the sixth minute.
Marshall also nearly connected with forward Avery Kaplan on a beautiful one-two service and header by Kaplan that was just wide of the mark. In the 29th minute, Jones took control. Just inside midfield, defender Loos blasted a long free kick that Young allowed to bounce and Marshall brilliantly used her quickness to get the first touch past by the reach of Engelmann.
With Jones holding the 1-0 advantage into the start of the second half, the penalty kick opportunity opened another wide door. Just as quickly, Engelmann shut it. Young was properly energized.
“I think that was the most important moment of the game,” star Young forward Mia Lisanti said. “That was such a pivotal play. If we go down 2-0 there, it is hard to get your momentum up, and you still have to score.
“Keeping the score 1-0 at that point meant it was a whole new ballgame.”
Bottled up most of the game, Lisanti had to negotiate the aggressive Jones’ defensive formation. She had been a thorn in the Eagles’ side, scoring game-winning goals in each of the last two years.
Lisanti finally broke free in the 53rd minute. She blasted out from the back and took a beautiful through-ball from freshman midfielder Sydney Koleno for the breakaway. Barry broke off her line hard to throw Lisanti off.
Barry appeared to get a partial deflection but it was not enough to prevent the equalizer.
“I think I just found a seam, and Sydney got the ball into the gap there,” Lisanti said. “And I think they just lost me for a second. They were marking pretty heavy on me the whole game. It was a perfectly placed ball with really good pace on it.”
Despite the emotional turn, Jones remained locked in. Loos and Bianchi are a credible and very difficult combination on set pieces, especially the throw-in from Loos on the left edge for an attempted Bianchi header or flick. Kaplan and Marshall also created some compelling opportunities.
“It does not come down to one play,” Jones coach Derek Bylsma said. “It was a hard-fought game that was about as even as it could get. I really don’t like winning or losing in a shootout. We had chances. They had chances.
“You can’t expect to play a team that good and score just one goal, and it’s either going to end in a tie or loss. We fought hard. We are all disappointed. We wanted to play for a city championship. We were all looking forward to playing Lane. At the end of the day, this is how the sport works.”
Young’s shooters converted five-of-six attempts in the shootout. That marked a strong contrast with its last shootout in the loss against Mother McAuley, where they failed to make a single attempt.
Lisanti started the process by drilling the first ball inside the left corner.
“We definitely learned from the McAuley game,” she said. “We took practice more seriously. You need to work on what you’re trying to do. We had to work on placement, power and composure. Everyone on the team is able to make a penalty kick, but it’s the right balance of execution and confidence.”
Young’s shootout victory over Lane in 2014 was the last time a program other than Lane has won a city title. Young has been victimized three times in the title game and a semifinal two years ago in Lane’s streak of four-consecutive city titles.
“City is always our goal every year, and it is really hard to lose repeatedly to the same team,” Lisanti said. “We are more focused on winning instead of who we are playing. Obviously we want to beat Lane, but this is more about we have to play to our potential.
“It is going to be a battle.”
Starters
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
Jones
DK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Natalie Loos
D: Izzy Kamba
D: Olivia Rodriguez
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Audrey Bruce
MF: Sophie Jennerjahn
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Mia Engelmann, sr., GK, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Carmen Marshall (Natalie Loos), 29th minute
Second half
Young—Mia Lisanti (Sydney Koleno), 53rd minute
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
No scoring
Shootout
Young: Lisanti (make), Ella Koleno (make), Alexis Sassower (make), Analea Scott (make), Lauren Ehlers (miss), Ashley Sidkey (make)
Jones: Natalie Loos (make), Martina Bianchi (miss), Avery Kaplan (make), Marshall (make), Audrey Bruce (make), Olivia Rodriguez (blocked)