Barrington presents tough challenge
for Prospect in Mid-Suburban League test
By Mike Garofola
Both Barrington and Prospect have plenty to play for tonight in this Mid-Suburban League contest at the Lady Knights home park at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Monday).
Monday's clash features the high-flying Fillies, who enter with a perfect 5-0-0 league record. That puts them three points behind Fremd (6-1-0) and Conant (6-2-0).
For the home side (2-2-1), a few slips on the banana peel last week against East Division-leading Buffalo Grove (4-3-0) then Conant, means Tom Froats' club is chasing the Bison by five points. That makes the next three games perhaps the most important of the season if the Lady Knights hope to advance to the championship MSL Cup in three weeks.
"Getting back into the MSL after our tournament last weekend presents important matches for us, but we cannot look ahead, just as we can't look at having to winning all of them or else," says Froats.
"We still are not at the consistent level of excellent play we strive for, but when we reach that level everything will take care of itself."
After the nasty spring weather punched holes in the Lady Knights schedule, the club (4-5-1 overall) had played only four games before its heart-breaking defeats to the aforementioned sides from Buffalo Grove and Conant. Prospect went 2-2-0 last weekend at its annual two-day tournament.
"Playing the tournament ... you're dealing with a few players nursing minor injuries," said Froats. "So we have to be a little creative with the lineup and placing players in new positions. That really tests our depth which has been one our strengths.
"In the long run that will help us, as will going through PKs in our tourney opener. That will also give us a sense of what may happen in the postseason."
Froats says he's thrilled with the play of several of his players of late including freshman Jalyn Mosley and keeper Meredith Nyborg, who each impressed last weekend. In addition, box-to-box sophomore Ashley Welk has been as steady as anyone on the Lady Knights club thus far.
Prospect will need to be at its best with the no. 2-ranked Fillies (11-1-0 overall), who have registered 10 shutouts on the season, finished second at the recent North Shore Invitational, and earned a quarterfinals slot in the prestigious Naperville Invitational last weekend.
"Every opponent we meet always brings their best game against us; (it's) something we have to respect and expect," said junior Samantha Schmitz, the Fillies superb keeper. "And it's something, if we didn't have great chemistry on and off the field, we wouldn't be able to handle.
"I really feel having to deal with that each game has made us a better team, helps us keep our focus and desire to succeed at a really high level. So we'll be ready for just about everything from here on out."
Schmitz has an all-star cast in front of her, led by Chicagoland Soccer all-staters Jackie Batliner and Kayla Keck and all-area star Haley Tausend. Newcomer Maddie Rosen has stepped into the lineup on the outside left and fits right in with her accomplished teammates.
The Fillies have outscored their opponents 39-3 this season. Sophia Spinell, a Chicagoland Soccer all-state midfielder, leads the club with 6 goals and 9 assists, followed by sophomore Ashley Prell, who has 6 goals, and 2 assists.
"We have a lot of respect for Prospect. They have some very talented attacking players that we'll have to keep an eye on if we hope to come away with the result that we desire," said Fillies manager Ryan Stengren.
"Tom does a great job over there, and you can bet he'll have them ready to go for us tonight. So we're expecting a tough 80 minutes from them."
for Prospect in Mid-Suburban League test
By Mike Garofola
Both Barrington and Prospect have plenty to play for tonight in this Mid-Suburban League contest at the Lady Knights home park at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Monday).
Monday's clash features the high-flying Fillies, who enter with a perfect 5-0-0 league record. That puts them three points behind Fremd (6-1-0) and Conant (6-2-0).
For the home side (2-2-1), a few slips on the banana peel last week against East Division-leading Buffalo Grove (4-3-0) then Conant, means Tom Froats' club is chasing the Bison by five points. That makes the next three games perhaps the most important of the season if the Lady Knights hope to advance to the championship MSL Cup in three weeks.
"Getting back into the MSL after our tournament last weekend presents important matches for us, but we cannot look ahead, just as we can't look at having to winning all of them or else," says Froats.
"We still are not at the consistent level of excellent play we strive for, but when we reach that level everything will take care of itself."
After the nasty spring weather punched holes in the Lady Knights schedule, the club (4-5-1 overall) had played only four games before its heart-breaking defeats to the aforementioned sides from Buffalo Grove and Conant. Prospect went 2-2-0 last weekend at its annual two-day tournament.
"Playing the tournament ... you're dealing with a few players nursing minor injuries," said Froats. "So we have to be a little creative with the lineup and placing players in new positions. That really tests our depth which has been one our strengths.
"In the long run that will help us, as will going through PKs in our tourney opener. That will also give us a sense of what may happen in the postseason."
Froats says he's thrilled with the play of several of his players of late including freshman Jalyn Mosley and keeper Meredith Nyborg, who each impressed last weekend. In addition, box-to-box sophomore Ashley Welk has been as steady as anyone on the Lady Knights club thus far.
Prospect will need to be at its best with the no. 2-ranked Fillies (11-1-0 overall), who have registered 10 shutouts on the season, finished second at the recent North Shore Invitational, and earned a quarterfinals slot in the prestigious Naperville Invitational last weekend.
"Every opponent we meet always brings their best game against us; (it's) something we have to respect and expect," said junior Samantha Schmitz, the Fillies superb keeper. "And it's something, if we didn't have great chemistry on and off the field, we wouldn't be able to handle.
"I really feel having to deal with that each game has made us a better team, helps us keep our focus and desire to succeed at a really high level. So we'll be ready for just about everything from here on out."
Schmitz has an all-star cast in front of her, led by Chicagoland Soccer all-staters Jackie Batliner and Kayla Keck and all-area star Haley Tausend. Newcomer Maddie Rosen has stepped into the lineup on the outside left and fits right in with her accomplished teammates.
The Fillies have outscored their opponents 39-3 this season. Sophia Spinell, a Chicagoland Soccer all-state midfielder, leads the club with 6 goals and 9 assists, followed by sophomore Ashley Prell, who has 6 goals, and 2 assists.
"We have a lot of respect for Prospect. They have some very talented attacking players that we'll have to keep an eye on if we hope to come away with the result that we desire," said Fillies manager Ryan Stengren.
"Tom does a great job over there, and you can bet he'll have them ready to go for us tonight. So we're expecting a tough 80 minutes from them."