Benet hopes to provide
rude welcome for Joliet Catholic
By Matt Le Cren
After winning its final two games at the Naperville Invitational, Benet is looking ahead.
“Every game from this point on, we’re just getting ready for the state tournament,” Benet coach Gerard Oconer said. “So, we’re hoping to keep progressing.”
The Redwings will start by hosting Joliet Catholic on Thursday in a match that will have major implications in the race for the East Suburban Catholic Conference championship and possibly preview a sectional semifinal.
Benet (12-4-0, 5-0-0) will clinch a share of its third-straight league title with a win over the Hilltoppers (11-4-1, 3-1-1). The Redwings, who shared the 2019 conference title and won it outright in 2021, would still need to beat Saint Viator (7-2-3, 3-1-2) at home on Monday to claim sole possession of the crown.
Carmel (8-4-1, 4-1-0) is still in the running. The Corsairs only league loss was a 1-0 decision against Benet on April 6, a date far too early to be scheduled for an important conference clash.
Click here to see updated East Suburban Catholic Conference standings
With that key hurdle prematurely cleared, the Redwings are laser focused on the task at hand.
“I think Joliet Catholic is going to have some pretty dangerous offensive weapons,” Oconer said. “They’ve been scoring a lot of goals lately.
“They put up seven goals against Nazareth, so they will be tough to defend. They have a couple of really good freshmen that have helped fill the void of all those seniors that they graduated last year. We expect a really good game.”
Liz Cardwell and Bella Berta are the two freshmen attackers who spearhead the Joliet Catholic attack, which has produced 20 goals in the Angels’ current three-game winning streak. They are former club teammates of Benet sophomore Nora Hanson, who along with junior Sadie Sterbenz, senior Annastacia Thiel and classmate Bailey Abbott will be tasked with slowing them down.
Abbott has emerged as a force after a recent position change.
“One player who is really starting to shine, especially during the Naperville Invitational, is Bailey Abbott,” Oconer said. “We moved her from the midfield into the back, and it’s really solidified everything that we’re trying to do defensively.”
The Redwings have posted three-consecutive shutouts. Before their Naperville Invitational consolation wins against Downers Grove South (1-0) and Bolingbrook (3-0) last weekend, they topped league foe Marian Central 9-0.
Junior Gabi DiMatteo scored the game-winning Naperville Invitational goals.
“She’s provided a nice spark for us off the bench,” Oconer said. “She has stood out the last few games and has provided us with good scoring.
“She was our leading scorer on our JV team last year, so it’s good to see her get acclimated to the varsity level.”
DiMatteo’s contributions have been key for what is a young lineup. Leading scorer Mariana Pinto and stalwart midfielder Katie Lewellyan are the only senior starters among the attacking corps.
“Gabi is just one of those players that has a knack for being in the right place to be able to finish chances,” Oconer said. “She … always has that one moment of magic where she’s able to figure out how to get herself in front of the goal, and then she’ll score.”
DiMatteo has scored six goals and collected four assists. That ties her with junior midfielder Rachel Burns for second in goals and third in assists on the team. Pinto leads the squad with 20 goals. Senior midfielder Katie Lewellyan and junior forward Anna Casmere lead the helpers category with five each.
A win over Joliet Catholic would not only give the Redwings supremacy of the East Suburban Catholic Conference, but it would also be a psychological boost in case they meet the Angels again in the playoffs. Benet is the top seed at the Class AA Wheaton Academy Sectional, while Joliet Catholic is seeded fourth. They could play each other in the sectional semifinals on May 24.
The Redwings open play May 17 in the Hinsdale South Regional against the winner of (16) Back of the Yards and (17) Plano, who meet May 14.
Click here to see Benet's updated team page
rude welcome for Joliet Catholic
By Matt Le Cren
After winning its final two games at the Naperville Invitational, Benet is looking ahead.
“Every game from this point on, we’re just getting ready for the state tournament,” Benet coach Gerard Oconer said. “So, we’re hoping to keep progressing.”
The Redwings will start by hosting Joliet Catholic on Thursday in a match that will have major implications in the race for the East Suburban Catholic Conference championship and possibly preview a sectional semifinal.
Benet (12-4-0, 5-0-0) will clinch a share of its third-straight league title with a win over the Hilltoppers (11-4-1, 3-1-1). The Redwings, who shared the 2019 conference title and won it outright in 2021, would still need to beat Saint Viator (7-2-3, 3-1-2) at home on Monday to claim sole possession of the crown.
Carmel (8-4-1, 4-1-0) is still in the running. The Corsairs only league loss was a 1-0 decision against Benet on April 6, a date far too early to be scheduled for an important conference clash.
Click here to see updated East Suburban Catholic Conference standings
With that key hurdle prematurely cleared, the Redwings are laser focused on the task at hand.
“I think Joliet Catholic is going to have some pretty dangerous offensive weapons,” Oconer said. “They’ve been scoring a lot of goals lately.
“They put up seven goals against Nazareth, so they will be tough to defend. They have a couple of really good freshmen that have helped fill the void of all those seniors that they graduated last year. We expect a really good game.”
Liz Cardwell and Bella Berta are the two freshmen attackers who spearhead the Joliet Catholic attack, which has produced 20 goals in the Angels’ current three-game winning streak. They are former club teammates of Benet sophomore Nora Hanson, who along with junior Sadie Sterbenz, senior Annastacia Thiel and classmate Bailey Abbott will be tasked with slowing them down.
Abbott has emerged as a force after a recent position change.
“One player who is really starting to shine, especially during the Naperville Invitational, is Bailey Abbott,” Oconer said. “We moved her from the midfield into the back, and it’s really solidified everything that we’re trying to do defensively.”
The Redwings have posted three-consecutive shutouts. Before their Naperville Invitational consolation wins against Downers Grove South (1-0) and Bolingbrook (3-0) last weekend, they topped league foe Marian Central 9-0.
Junior Gabi DiMatteo scored the game-winning Naperville Invitational goals.
“She’s provided a nice spark for us off the bench,” Oconer said. “She has stood out the last few games and has provided us with good scoring.
“She was our leading scorer on our JV team last year, so it’s good to see her get acclimated to the varsity level.”
DiMatteo’s contributions have been key for what is a young lineup. Leading scorer Mariana Pinto and stalwart midfielder Katie Lewellyan are the only senior starters among the attacking corps.
“Gabi is just one of those players that has a knack for being in the right place to be able to finish chances,” Oconer said. “She … always has that one moment of magic where she’s able to figure out how to get herself in front of the goal, and then she’ll score.”
DiMatteo has scored six goals and collected four assists. That ties her with junior midfielder Rachel Burns for second in goals and third in assists on the team. Pinto leads the squad with 20 goals. Senior midfielder Katie Lewellyan and junior forward Anna Casmere lead the helpers category with five each.
A win over Joliet Catholic would not only give the Redwings supremacy of the East Suburban Catholic Conference, but it would also be a psychological boost in case they meet the Angels again in the playoffs. Benet is the top seed at the Class AA Wheaton Academy Sectional, while Joliet Catholic is seeded fourth. They could play each other in the sectional semifinals on May 24.
The Redwings open play May 17 in the Hinsdale South Regional against the winner of (16) Back of the Yards and (17) Plano, who meet May 14.
Click here to see Benet's updated team page