Time on Fremd's side in win
over Hoffman Estates
Cholewa's 1st 2 goals of the season power Vikings offense
By Dave Surico
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- First, Fremd beat the clock. Then it beat the timer. And finally the Vikings beat host Hoffman Estates 2-1 in double overtime Thursday in wet and wild Mid-Suburban League match.
The Vikings came within about three minutes of a loss without even being on the field.
During the second of two weather-related delays, the coaches and officials agreed to call the game, which started just after 6:30 p.m., at 9 p.m. if the weather did not let up.
Since the teams had played 17 minutes of the second half, the existing score would have gone in the books as the final, and Hoffman Estates would have earned an abbreviated 1-0 win and rare victory over Fremd.
But the Thor Guard all-clear sounded just before the clock struck 9 and the teams headed out for the final 22 minutes of regulation.
The Vikings followed the wet weather plan of midfielder Julia Szylke to victory. She started both scoring opportunities with 30-yard free-kicks.
The 73rd-minute goal knotted the score.
"My initial thought is get it on frame, and maybe I'll score," Szylke said. "But I also try to make it hard so if the goalie does get contact sometimes it hits off her gloves and one of my teammates can come swoop in, which worked really well tonight."
The junior's prescience was uncanny, even though she used different methods for her success. The first restart was sent ground delivery .
"I thought it's wet, so it's going to skid. Maybe I'll get lucky, bounce a little, go in. So I really kind of like played with the weather," she said.
The ball did exactly what Szylke thought it might, and teammate Marta Cholewa performed the first of her clean-up services from 5 yards.
"It hit off of of someone, I think McKenna (Miller), and then it bounced right in front of me," Cholewa said. "I had a wide open shot, and I just put it in."
That set up Fremd's 1st overtime dramatics.
The game started to get a bit chippy as the Vikings ramped up their possession. Eventually Fremd got another free kick in the right-center of the pitch. Szylke sent this one air mail.
"I was deciding to shoot, and the goalie got contact with it, but again it hit off her gloves," she said. "I was trying to hit it in the left corner, because she was giving me more of the left side, but it was more strength than positioning."
This time Cholewa, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match, had to do a little manuevering on the rain-slicked turf for what turned out to be the game-winner.
Hoffman Estates keeper Frankie Van got both her outstretched hands on the shoulder-high rocket, but the ball sprung away about 7 yards. Surprisingly, Cholewa found herself alone in front of the goal.
"I timed the run in, and it (the ball) went the opposite way I was running," said the sophomore defender, who cut away from the goal line to get her chance. "I always practice turning my hips and shooting. I checked my shoulder, and then I had to place it where the goalie wasn't."
The 88th-minute score capped a great comeback for Fremd (3-3-4), which extended its unbeaten streak to five games (2-0-3).
"Coming back out we plugged away, and we got that first one," said coach Steve Keller. "And I think that triggers a little bit of energy, triggers a little bit of belief.
"We did a nice job in the remaining 20 minutes and then the ovetime was good. Two scrappy goals, but a goal's a goal."
The game was a heartbreaker for Hoffman Estates, which held an edge over Fremd in the first 58 minutes of a game that featured good back-and-forth play, but few dangerous moments.
Hawks center midfielder/forward Ena Sabanagic thrilled a good-sized and soggy crowd with her sparkling dribbling skills and long carries. Those attributes set up her 30-yard goal in the 53rd minute.
Fremd keeper Kelsie Stone anticipated another carry attempt to goal when Sabanagic made a move on the right side.
"They got behind us, and that girl is really talented," Stone said. "It was a hard shot to read.
"I was stalking until she stopped dribbling, and when I looked and saw that her foot was going back for a shot, I just had to get set and give it my best effort."
The ball sailed over her head to give Hoffman Estates a lead that lasted 20 minutes.
"It was more of a lucky shot to be honest," said Sabanagic. "It was a type of frantic moment. We were all running forward. I just wanted to get the ball, get it up. I had crossed the ball several times, and I was 'I might as well take the shot once just to see how it goes' with the wind, with the rain.
"I tried to smack it as hard as I could. That was my only goal.
"I tried to fake my run and then one of our other forwards gave me a good pocket, because she broke the other way. I looked up, took my chance. I saw she was out of the goal a little and gave it a go."
Natalie Nagrant got the assist on the goal.
When the teams returned to the field after the second unscheduled intermission, Fremd started to assert itself.
They maintained a majority of the pressure, won most of the battles and appeared to frustrate Hoffman Estates.
"It's a tough loss. We worked so hard the whole game," said stalwart Hawks center back Jennie Nailor, a Northern Illinois recruit. "I don't know. We kind of let up at the end. Near the end of the game our legs obviously got tired after two overtimes."
It was an unfortunate result for the game hosts, who found their efforts to equalize hampered.
The ball girls left after the second interruption in play, and that left a skelton crew of dads to chase down loose balls, which burned time off the clock. And the Hawks (4-5-0, 2-4-0) played a girl down when Nagrant received her second yellow card of the game in the 93rd minute.
"I'd say that in the first part of game we played the better game slightly," said Hoffman Estates coach Jeff Bird. "And then in the latter half when we went back out there Fremd played the better game and the score reflected that.
"It'd be nice to get away with a win with help from the thunder and lightning, but if the shoe was on the other foot I would want to see it out. You come off the field you're not sure if you're going back on it or not. I think it's almost harder to go out and defend your lead.
"Our girls stepped up. We have a really solid team. I've mentioned to some people before, I think this team's one that's going to open some eyes up. We've had one real disappointing loss, and that was Barrington. All the games we've had are so close.
"I think we're meshing well. Our goal is, because of the losses we've had, to keep building up to the playoffs. And I'm hoping to make a decent run in the playoffs."
Starting line-ups
Fremd
GK: Kelsie Stone
D: Courtney Baker
D: Marta Cholewa
D: Katie Bondi
MF: Kellie Halloran
MF: Allison Marozza
MF: Julie Szylke
MF: Layla Dib
MF: McKenna Miller
F: Emilijia Peleckas
F: Angie Zara
Hoffman Estates
GK: Frankie Van
D: Payton Badziong
D: Vanessa Alonso
D: Jennie Nailor
D: Becca Salerno
MF: Anna Sall
MF: Vanessa Bonilla
MF: Molly Salerno
MF: Ena Sabanagic
F: Michelle Montes De Oca
F: Natalie Nagrant
MVP of the Match: Marta Cholewa, D, Fremd
over Hoffman Estates
Cholewa's 1st 2 goals of the season power Vikings offense
By Dave Surico
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- First, Fremd beat the clock. Then it beat the timer. And finally the Vikings beat host Hoffman Estates 2-1 in double overtime Thursday in wet and wild Mid-Suburban League match.
The Vikings came within about three minutes of a loss without even being on the field.
During the second of two weather-related delays, the coaches and officials agreed to call the game, which started just after 6:30 p.m., at 9 p.m. if the weather did not let up.
Since the teams had played 17 minutes of the second half, the existing score would have gone in the books as the final, and Hoffman Estates would have earned an abbreviated 1-0 win and rare victory over Fremd.
But the Thor Guard all-clear sounded just before the clock struck 9 and the teams headed out for the final 22 minutes of regulation.
The Vikings followed the wet weather plan of midfielder Julia Szylke to victory. She started both scoring opportunities with 30-yard free-kicks.
The 73rd-minute goal knotted the score.
"My initial thought is get it on frame, and maybe I'll score," Szylke said. "But I also try to make it hard so if the goalie does get contact sometimes it hits off her gloves and one of my teammates can come swoop in, which worked really well tonight."
The junior's prescience was uncanny, even though she used different methods for her success. The first restart was sent ground delivery .
"I thought it's wet, so it's going to skid. Maybe I'll get lucky, bounce a little, go in. So I really kind of like played with the weather," she said.
The ball did exactly what Szylke thought it might, and teammate Marta Cholewa performed the first of her clean-up services from 5 yards.
"It hit off of of someone, I think McKenna (Miller), and then it bounced right in front of me," Cholewa said. "I had a wide open shot, and I just put it in."
That set up Fremd's 1st overtime dramatics.
The game started to get a bit chippy as the Vikings ramped up their possession. Eventually Fremd got another free kick in the right-center of the pitch. Szylke sent this one air mail.
"I was deciding to shoot, and the goalie got contact with it, but again it hit off her gloves," she said. "I was trying to hit it in the left corner, because she was giving me more of the left side, but it was more strength than positioning."
This time Cholewa, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match, had to do a little manuevering on the rain-slicked turf for what turned out to be the game-winner.
Hoffman Estates keeper Frankie Van got both her outstretched hands on the shoulder-high rocket, but the ball sprung away about 7 yards. Surprisingly, Cholewa found herself alone in front of the goal.
"I timed the run in, and it (the ball) went the opposite way I was running," said the sophomore defender, who cut away from the goal line to get her chance. "I always practice turning my hips and shooting. I checked my shoulder, and then I had to place it where the goalie wasn't."
The 88th-minute score capped a great comeback for Fremd (3-3-4), which extended its unbeaten streak to five games (2-0-3).
"Coming back out we plugged away, and we got that first one," said coach Steve Keller. "And I think that triggers a little bit of energy, triggers a little bit of belief.
"We did a nice job in the remaining 20 minutes and then the ovetime was good. Two scrappy goals, but a goal's a goal."
The game was a heartbreaker for Hoffman Estates, which held an edge over Fremd in the first 58 minutes of a game that featured good back-and-forth play, but few dangerous moments.
Hawks center midfielder/forward Ena Sabanagic thrilled a good-sized and soggy crowd with her sparkling dribbling skills and long carries. Those attributes set up her 30-yard goal in the 53rd minute.
Fremd keeper Kelsie Stone anticipated another carry attempt to goal when Sabanagic made a move on the right side.
"They got behind us, and that girl is really talented," Stone said. "It was a hard shot to read.
"I was stalking until she stopped dribbling, and when I looked and saw that her foot was going back for a shot, I just had to get set and give it my best effort."
The ball sailed over her head to give Hoffman Estates a lead that lasted 20 minutes.
"It was more of a lucky shot to be honest," said Sabanagic. "It was a type of frantic moment. We were all running forward. I just wanted to get the ball, get it up. I had crossed the ball several times, and I was 'I might as well take the shot once just to see how it goes' with the wind, with the rain.
"I tried to smack it as hard as I could. That was my only goal.
"I tried to fake my run and then one of our other forwards gave me a good pocket, because she broke the other way. I looked up, took my chance. I saw she was out of the goal a little and gave it a go."
Natalie Nagrant got the assist on the goal.
When the teams returned to the field after the second unscheduled intermission, Fremd started to assert itself.
They maintained a majority of the pressure, won most of the battles and appeared to frustrate Hoffman Estates.
"It's a tough loss. We worked so hard the whole game," said stalwart Hawks center back Jennie Nailor, a Northern Illinois recruit. "I don't know. We kind of let up at the end. Near the end of the game our legs obviously got tired after two overtimes."
It was an unfortunate result for the game hosts, who found their efforts to equalize hampered.
The ball girls left after the second interruption in play, and that left a skelton crew of dads to chase down loose balls, which burned time off the clock. And the Hawks (4-5-0, 2-4-0) played a girl down when Nagrant received her second yellow card of the game in the 93rd minute.
"I'd say that in the first part of game we played the better game slightly," said Hoffman Estates coach Jeff Bird. "And then in the latter half when we went back out there Fremd played the better game and the score reflected that.
"It'd be nice to get away with a win with help from the thunder and lightning, but if the shoe was on the other foot I would want to see it out. You come off the field you're not sure if you're going back on it or not. I think it's almost harder to go out and defend your lead.
"Our girls stepped up. We have a really solid team. I've mentioned to some people before, I think this team's one that's going to open some eyes up. We've had one real disappointing loss, and that was Barrington. All the games we've had are so close.
"I think we're meshing well. Our goal is, because of the losses we've had, to keep building up to the playoffs. And I'm hoping to make a decent run in the playoffs."
Starting line-ups
Fremd
GK: Kelsie Stone
D: Courtney Baker
D: Marta Cholewa
D: Katie Bondi
MF: Kellie Halloran
MF: Allison Marozza
MF: Julie Szylke
MF: Layla Dib
MF: McKenna Miller
F: Emilijia Peleckas
F: Angie Zara
Hoffman Estates
GK: Frankie Van
D: Payton Badziong
D: Vanessa Alonso
D: Jennie Nailor
D: Becca Salerno
MF: Anna Sall
MF: Vanessa Bonilla
MF: Molly Salerno
MF: Ena Sabanagic
F: Michelle Montes De Oca
F: Natalie Nagrant
MVP of the Match: Marta Cholewa, D, Fremd
