Young's Lisanti puts on a show
Scores 4 goals in rout of Parker
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Coach Ross LaBeaux had heard the name, but never saw her play. The first impression was a knockout.
“I saw her touches, and I saw her work ethic,” he said. “She is good on the ball. She wants to get better. How much she loves the game is really impressive. You always know what you are going to get out of her, and that is what I appreciate about her the most.
“Her consistency is great.”
That name is Mia Lisanti, and it has been known in soccer circles a long time. She burst on the scene as a freshman at Young two years with a great feel for the game, a savvy style and a knack for making big plays.
She beat Jones her first two years with goals, including one last season in the 79th minute.
In taking over the program at Young, LaBeaux inherited a foundational piece in Lisanti. The junior is pushing herself into the discussion of the best players in the state in the very deep and impressive junior class.
Lisanti showed off burst, creativity and a deft, finishing touch in scoring a career-high four goals as the Dolphins walloped Parker 8-0 in group play of the Chicago Cup at St. Ignatius here Thursday.
The Dolphins (9-4-1) won their fifth-consecutive game and sixth out of their last seven with the dominant performance. The Dolphins and No. 7 host Wolfpack are the teams to watch in Group A play. They play on Monday for what is likely the championship in their group.
Lisanti scored two goals in each half. Young did not miss a beat despite missing several starters with the school in the middle of its spring break. Other players stepped into the mix.
With each passing game, it appears evident the Dolphins are showing rapid improvement and coming of age under the new system installed by LaBeaux.
“Everybody is just figuring out their role, and they are taking responsibility for it,” Lisanti said. “We are all working hard and doing what we need to do. We wanted to get a shutout, we wanted to score some goals.
“Everybody is taking responsibility in order to execute what we are trying to do.”
Lisanti combines quickness and a forward-pushing style that finds her frequently bearing down on the keeper. Her performance came against Parker freshman Alex Carlin, who has has been a revelation for the Colonels in the first month.
Lisanti repeatedly broke down the Colonels’ back for dangerous opportunities she finished with authority. Young’s offensive outburst was impressive given how stellar the Colonels have been defensively.
She has already scored 12 goals, easily surpassing the seven goals (with seven assists) she had last year in earning all-state recognition. “We are seeing what is is working,” Lisanti said.
“Everybody is becoming a reliable player, whether they are coming off the bench or not. Even though we had a lot of missing starters tonight we were going to execute.”
For her accomplishments, Lisanti was named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match.
Latin's new coach Patrick Stanton took over from his mentor, Neil Curran, who won eight-straight regionals and directed the Colonels to the Class A state title game in 2013.
“It has been a great opportunity to work with these girls,” Stanton said. “Some of them I coached in middle school basketball when they were in eighth grade. It has been a fun opportunity to watch them grow and come into their own.”
Parker (2-7-0) has been competitive and shown steady improvement.
“Despite our record we have many positives so far,” Stanton said. “Our keeper, Alex Carlin, has kept us in many games we probably did not belong in. Tonight was our first time we lost by more than one goal. We are playing teams like McAuley and Latin, and we played them 1-0.
“We have really put together some strong defensive performances. Now we just have to start connecting passes together at the top and find a true target forward.”
Young is more than just Lisanti.
The dynamic twin sisters Ella and Sydney Koleno also continued to impress: Ella with her speed and explosiveness on the perimeter; and Sydney with her cool and precise passing that set up her sister and Lisanti.
Ella had two goals and an assist, and Sydney registered three assists. Sydney’s first assist created the Dolphins’ second goal on a nice ball from Nicole Erenberg, a junior transfer from Lincoln Park who is becoming more comfortable in her new surroundings.
Ella Koleno used her blazing speed to twice create dangerous opportunities in space from loose balls she collected and put away as Young held the commanding 5-0 lead at halftime.
“When I get the ball and pass to Ella, I just know what she is going to do,” Sydney Koleno said. “I know she is going to try and turn the defender on her back. I just know where she is going to be and what she is going to do.”
Ella Koleno has 10 goals. The sisters have worked out their preferred modes of play. Sydney is the facilitator, and Ella has the knack for scoring.
“In the beginning of the season, in the car home after the game, I said, ‘Sydney, come on, next time play me the ball through.’ Now every time I just know the ball is coming,” Ella Koleno said.
Lisanti scored two goals two minutes apart, with the twins assisting each one, which turned the game into a rout. Keila D’Alia-Reconquista closed out the scoring by finishing a rebound ball by Ayana Loyd.
“People are stepping up, and we are buying into it,” LaBeaux said. “Once the girls have figured out where they need to move and where they need to be, we are really effective. We just have to keep moving. We have to keep our eye on the prize. We haven’t had a shutout since forever. We have to score early.
“They are doing the things we are asking of them.”
The turning point was a 4-0-0 week punctuated by a 3-1 victory over rival Payton in Chicago Public League Premier Division play.
A hard lesson this season was a loss on penalty kicks against Glenbard West where the Dolphins trailed 2-0, scored three unanswered goals and allowed a goal on the final play of regulation that led to the shootout loss.
“Going through these times and learning some adversity is good for us, especially learning the lessons through some losses,” LaBeaux said. “You’d rather learn through winning, but it is during losses where you really have to look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Mia Engelmann
D: Inez Herrera-Maher
D: Addie Schlensker
D: Analea Scott
MF: Meaghan Jungels
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Annelise Kelner
MF: Eleanor Sherline
F: Ella Koleno
F: Mia Lisanti
Parker
GK: Alex Carlin
D: Emma Jung
D: Alex Ori
D: Leah Gordon
MF: Lindsay Carlin
MF: Natalie Daskal
MF: Senna Gardner
MF: Paige Shayne
MF: Molly Taylor
MF: Amelia Heorr
F: Ivy Jacobs
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Mia Lisanti, jr., F, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Young—Mia Lisanti (Alexis Sassover),
Young—Nicole Erenberg (Sydney Koleno),
Young—Lisanti (Annelise Kelner), 23rd minute
Young—Ella Koleno (Sydney Koleno), 25th minute
Young—Ella Koleno (Lisanti), 33rd minute
Second half
Young—Lisanti (Ella Koleno), 47th minute
Young—Lisanti (Sydney Koleno), 49th minute
Young—Keila D’Alia-Reconquista (Ayana Loyd), 58th minute
Scores 4 goals in rout of Parker
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Coach Ross LaBeaux had heard the name, but never saw her play. The first impression was a knockout.
“I saw her touches, and I saw her work ethic,” he said. “She is good on the ball. She wants to get better. How much she loves the game is really impressive. You always know what you are going to get out of her, and that is what I appreciate about her the most.
“Her consistency is great.”
That name is Mia Lisanti, and it has been known in soccer circles a long time. She burst on the scene as a freshman at Young two years with a great feel for the game, a savvy style and a knack for making big plays.
She beat Jones her first two years with goals, including one last season in the 79th minute.
In taking over the program at Young, LaBeaux inherited a foundational piece in Lisanti. The junior is pushing herself into the discussion of the best players in the state in the very deep and impressive junior class.
Lisanti showed off burst, creativity and a deft, finishing touch in scoring a career-high four goals as the Dolphins walloped Parker 8-0 in group play of the Chicago Cup at St. Ignatius here Thursday.
The Dolphins (9-4-1) won their fifth-consecutive game and sixth out of their last seven with the dominant performance. The Dolphins and No. 7 host Wolfpack are the teams to watch in Group A play. They play on Monday for what is likely the championship in their group.
Lisanti scored two goals in each half. Young did not miss a beat despite missing several starters with the school in the middle of its spring break. Other players stepped into the mix.
With each passing game, it appears evident the Dolphins are showing rapid improvement and coming of age under the new system installed by LaBeaux.
“Everybody is just figuring out their role, and they are taking responsibility for it,” Lisanti said. “We are all working hard and doing what we need to do. We wanted to get a shutout, we wanted to score some goals.
“Everybody is taking responsibility in order to execute what we are trying to do.”
Lisanti combines quickness and a forward-pushing style that finds her frequently bearing down on the keeper. Her performance came against Parker freshman Alex Carlin, who has has been a revelation for the Colonels in the first month.
Lisanti repeatedly broke down the Colonels’ back for dangerous opportunities she finished with authority. Young’s offensive outburst was impressive given how stellar the Colonels have been defensively.
She has already scored 12 goals, easily surpassing the seven goals (with seven assists) she had last year in earning all-state recognition. “We are seeing what is is working,” Lisanti said.
“Everybody is becoming a reliable player, whether they are coming off the bench or not. Even though we had a lot of missing starters tonight we were going to execute.”
For her accomplishments, Lisanti was named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match.
Latin's new coach Patrick Stanton took over from his mentor, Neil Curran, who won eight-straight regionals and directed the Colonels to the Class A state title game in 2013.
“It has been a great opportunity to work with these girls,” Stanton said. “Some of them I coached in middle school basketball when they were in eighth grade. It has been a fun opportunity to watch them grow and come into their own.”
Parker (2-7-0) has been competitive and shown steady improvement.
“Despite our record we have many positives so far,” Stanton said. “Our keeper, Alex Carlin, has kept us in many games we probably did not belong in. Tonight was our first time we lost by more than one goal. We are playing teams like McAuley and Latin, and we played them 1-0.
“We have really put together some strong defensive performances. Now we just have to start connecting passes together at the top and find a true target forward.”
Young is more than just Lisanti.
The dynamic twin sisters Ella and Sydney Koleno also continued to impress: Ella with her speed and explosiveness on the perimeter; and Sydney with her cool and precise passing that set up her sister and Lisanti.
Ella had two goals and an assist, and Sydney registered three assists. Sydney’s first assist created the Dolphins’ second goal on a nice ball from Nicole Erenberg, a junior transfer from Lincoln Park who is becoming more comfortable in her new surroundings.
Ella Koleno used her blazing speed to twice create dangerous opportunities in space from loose balls she collected and put away as Young held the commanding 5-0 lead at halftime.
“When I get the ball and pass to Ella, I just know what she is going to do,” Sydney Koleno said. “I know she is going to try and turn the defender on her back. I just know where she is going to be and what she is going to do.”
Ella Koleno has 10 goals. The sisters have worked out their preferred modes of play. Sydney is the facilitator, and Ella has the knack for scoring.
“In the beginning of the season, in the car home after the game, I said, ‘Sydney, come on, next time play me the ball through.’ Now every time I just know the ball is coming,” Ella Koleno said.
Lisanti scored two goals two minutes apart, with the twins assisting each one, which turned the game into a rout. Keila D’Alia-Reconquista closed out the scoring by finishing a rebound ball by Ayana Loyd.
“People are stepping up, and we are buying into it,” LaBeaux said. “Once the girls have figured out where they need to move and where they need to be, we are really effective. We just have to keep moving. We have to keep our eye on the prize. We haven’t had a shutout since forever. We have to score early.
“They are doing the things we are asking of them.”
The turning point was a 4-0-0 week punctuated by a 3-1 victory over rival Payton in Chicago Public League Premier Division play.
A hard lesson this season was a loss on penalty kicks against Glenbard West where the Dolphins trailed 2-0, scored three unanswered goals and allowed a goal on the final play of regulation that led to the shootout loss.
“Going through these times and learning some adversity is good for us, especially learning the lessons through some losses,” LaBeaux said. “You’d rather learn through winning, but it is during losses where you really have to look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Mia Engelmann
D: Inez Herrera-Maher
D: Addie Schlensker
D: Analea Scott
MF: Meaghan Jungels
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Annelise Kelner
MF: Eleanor Sherline
F: Ella Koleno
F: Mia Lisanti
Parker
GK: Alex Carlin
D: Emma Jung
D: Alex Ori
D: Leah Gordon
MF: Lindsay Carlin
MF: Natalie Daskal
MF: Senna Gardner
MF: Paige Shayne
MF: Molly Taylor
MF: Amelia Heorr
F: Ivy Jacobs
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Mia Lisanti, jr., F, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Young—Mia Lisanti (Alexis Sassover),
Young—Nicole Erenberg (Sydney Koleno),
Young—Lisanti (Annelise Kelner), 23rd minute
Young—Ella Koleno (Sydney Koleno), 25th minute
Young—Ella Koleno (Lisanti), 33rd minute
Second half
Young—Lisanti (Ella Koleno), 47th minute
Young—Lisanti (Sydney Koleno), 49th minute
Young—Keila D’Alia-Reconquista (Ayana Loyd), 58th minute