York seeks to end bad-luck
streak vs. revived Oak Park
Teams gather momentum for West Suburban Silver stretch run
By Patrick Z. McGavin
In a key West Suburban Silver showdown at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, York is eager to reverse a difficult three-game losing streak against a resurgent Oak Park and River Forest team riding a three-game winning streak that has outscored its opposition 18-1 during that run.
York (5-4-2, 1-1-0) is more than anything experiencing bad luck, symptomatic of the sometimes-random nature of the game. York lost back-to-back conference games on penalty kicks against Lyons and Downers Grove North last week.
"Penalty kicks have not been very good to us," York coach Donald Vana said.
Three of the team's four losses have come in extra-period shootouts. After suffering the difficult losses, York came up against powerhouse St. Charles North at precisely the wrong time and dropped a 5-1 game Friday.
By Vana's own admission, the Dukes have been at their best as an offensive side and have sometimes struggled to shore up their back line after the team's star defender, Jamie Kovatchis, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament at the end of the basketball season.
"We've done a nice job trying to hold teams off, given how our defense is still getting settled without Jamie," Vana said.
York junior Ellen Foley is an athletic keeper. Alyssa Kovatchis is one of the state's top forwards, an explosive and talented player in space who is dangerous from anywhere on the field. Kovatchis powers a three-forward attack, joined there by quick and energetic Jessica Bianchi and quickly improving Madison Casey.
York needs to get its offense untracked. Since surrendering a late goal against Lyons in regulation that ultimately led to its shootout loss, the Dukes have accounted for just one goal in their last two games.
Oak Park and River Forest (4-5-2, 1-1) took advantage of a winnable streak to whip Maine East, Oak Forest and Proviso West to climb toward respectability. Coach Ignacio Ponce has preached patience with a team made up largely of underclassmen who are getting their first significant exposure to varsity play.
"Even in games that we have lost, we saw the improvement," he said.
Ponce has experimented with a lot of different looks and lineup changes. The team's core remains its sharp forward combination of Julia Weiss and Anna Eddelbuettel. Midfielder Grace Huettel is another skilled and versatile player to watch.
Even when it was struggling, Oak Park and River Forest showed some of its best soccer in West Suburban Silver play. The Huskies played Lyons to a tight 1-0 loss to open conference play. As Weiss said, the team started to find its way when it played against level competition.
"That gave us confidence, and now we're starting to find our own combinations," she said.
streak vs. revived Oak Park
Teams gather momentum for West Suburban Silver stretch run
By Patrick Z. McGavin
In a key West Suburban Silver showdown at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, York is eager to reverse a difficult three-game losing streak against a resurgent Oak Park and River Forest team riding a three-game winning streak that has outscored its opposition 18-1 during that run.
York (5-4-2, 1-1-0) is more than anything experiencing bad luck, symptomatic of the sometimes-random nature of the game. York lost back-to-back conference games on penalty kicks against Lyons and Downers Grove North last week.
"Penalty kicks have not been very good to us," York coach Donald Vana said.
Three of the team's four losses have come in extra-period shootouts. After suffering the difficult losses, York came up against powerhouse St. Charles North at precisely the wrong time and dropped a 5-1 game Friday.
By Vana's own admission, the Dukes have been at their best as an offensive side and have sometimes struggled to shore up their back line after the team's star defender, Jamie Kovatchis, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament at the end of the basketball season.
"We've done a nice job trying to hold teams off, given how our defense is still getting settled without Jamie," Vana said.
York junior Ellen Foley is an athletic keeper. Alyssa Kovatchis is one of the state's top forwards, an explosive and talented player in space who is dangerous from anywhere on the field. Kovatchis powers a three-forward attack, joined there by quick and energetic Jessica Bianchi and quickly improving Madison Casey.
York needs to get its offense untracked. Since surrendering a late goal against Lyons in regulation that ultimately led to its shootout loss, the Dukes have accounted for just one goal in their last two games.
Oak Park and River Forest (4-5-2, 1-1) took advantage of a winnable streak to whip Maine East, Oak Forest and Proviso West to climb toward respectability. Coach Ignacio Ponce has preached patience with a team made up largely of underclassmen who are getting their first significant exposure to varsity play.
"Even in games that we have lost, we saw the improvement," he said.
Ponce has experimented with a lot of different looks and lineup changes. The team's core remains its sharp forward combination of Julia Weiss and Anna Eddelbuettel. Midfielder Grace Huettel is another skilled and versatile player to watch.
Even when it was struggling, Oak Park and River Forest showed some of its best soccer in West Suburban Silver play. The Huskies played Lyons to a tight 1-0 loss to open conference play. As Weiss said, the team started to find its way when it played against level competition.
"That gave us confidence, and now we're starting to find our own combinations," she said.