Draw provides different
results for Carmel, Loyola
Host Corsairs buoyed by 2-2 finish, no. 8 Ramblers left searching
By Patrick Z. McGavin
MUNDELEIN — Talk about the curve. Soccer is a game of many colors and beats. Trying to get a bead on the known or the unknown is a kind of parlor game.
Loyola turned up for a late season nonconference friendly with Carmel looking to regroup, emotionally and physically, and find its groove again. The punishing attack and obliterating backline that propelled the no. 8 Ramblers to an undefeated start and the top-ranking of Chicagoland Soccer less than two weeks ago have been sporadic.
“We’ve been in a lull ever since the St. Charles East game,” Loyola coach Craig Snower.
The Ramblers wanted to locate the sense of urgency and purpose.
Carmel sought something else. The Corsairs needed to know if they could rise to the occasion and find their own resourcefulness and skill against unfavorable circumstances.
“I think most people, those that know and follow soccer, considered us the underdog in this game,” Carmel first-year coach Ray Krawzak said. “We have to know, with the state tournament coming up, that we can play in adverse situations, against a team, like a Barrington, we’re not supposed to beat and play well.”
The game rarely follows a particular script. Soccer is the very antithesis of “best-laid plans.”
The prime exhibit was a game where two teams both experiencing problems of late scoring combined for four goals in the first 22 minutes. That was just the warm up.
Loyola and Carmel had their share of sharp play and individual moments of brilliance only to be thwarted in some old-fashioned luck, circumstance or the unaccountable. After the scoring there were fascinating and brilliant moments of incomplete success that ended with the two sides walking away with the 2-2 draw Thursday.
The game was physical, contested and played with deep emotion on both sides.
Carmel junior midfielder Angela Salvi converted a penalty kick that decided the final. Loyola missed a penalty kick in the 30th minute when the shooter pulled it wide left. Carmel sophomore midfielder Gianna Sarallo answered the early Loyola goal with her own.
“Lily (Sykes) took the first shot, and I was hoping it was going to go in, but I thought I better hustle and get to the box. I was able to get a touch and the keeper fumbled it a little bit,” she said.
The names were not necessarily the ones that have monopolized the headlines, at least for Carmel. Loyola forwards Devin Burns and Stephanie Ramsay continued their strong individual performance by scoring their 19th and 15th respective goals for the Ramblers (15-3-4).
In a twist, the person probably least likely to be considered involved saved the outcome for Carmel.
Sophia Sarkis is a reserve sophomore keeper who has ceded the primary duties to Tina O’Block, the senior four-year varsity player who was the standout on last year’s Class 2A state title team. O’Block surrendered only eight goals in 22 games last year.
Sarkis saw action in two games, before her coach decided to give her the start Thursday.
“I was supposed to play more but then I got hurt,” she said.
In the 74th minute, Sarkis made the right read and denied a virtual breakaway by Devin Burns. K.K. Phelan slotted a left-footed drop that Burns maneuvered and controlled in stride as she advanced toward the goal. Burns opted for her left foot and Sarkis made the jump on the ball.
“We do this thing in practice, the drop drill, and that was exactly what it was. I just made a strong drop and fortunately went to the right spot,” said Sarkis, who earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her play.
“Tina has been in there for the bulk of the time for us this year, but I wanted to give Sophia the chance today,” Krawzak said.
Her counterpart, Caroline Karlson, was also the unexpected savior for the Ramblers. She replaced sophomore starter Maggie Avery late in the first half. She denied two excellent Carmel scoring chances in the second half, lunging to her right to deny Carmel junior midfielder Shannon Murphy.
Here is the great paradox or beauty of the game. You end up being wowed by a kind of futility, near chances and slipped possibilities. The shootout of the first 22 minutes was replaced by a frantic and wild series of actions hard to control. Some of it was just bad luck.
Sophomore Carmel forward Riley Harmon made a quick move to get around her defender and played a ball to sophomore midfielder Kathleen Graham that hit off the bar.
That is soccer. The moment you think you are in control you are disabused of that notion.
Craig Snower could only lament the missed opportunities. The refrain was a little too familiar for a team just 2-3-2 in its last seven games.
“We are running out of excuses,” he said. “We scored first, and we really should have gone up 2-0. But instead we let them power in two goals and that’s the game.
“We missed a penalty kick. All three of our forwards had a shot at the goal in the second half."
All teams must deal with the specter of injury. Loyola played without its two starting center backs. Lauren Chrisman is out with a concussion. Sophomore Riley Burns was held out, for precaution. Other players stepped up. Freshman defender Lauren Daffada impressed with her ballhawking and strong tackling.
“The game was on grass, which is a different surface for us and we’re not used to it,” Ramsay said
Loyola hosts North Suburban Conference Lake Division champion Stevenson at home Saturday for its final regular season game.
“Then we have 10 days off before our first tournament game (against Schurz), and I’m looking forward to getting out on the training field,” Snower said.
Likewise, Carmel plays Joliet Catholic and then has the necessary time off before its starts the hunt for a repeat championship. The 2015 Class 2A state champs will in Class 3A this year. Loyola is the no. 2 seed of the Maine South Sectional. Carmel is the no. 4 seed of the Palatine Sectional.
“Loyola is a great team, the kind of we might see again in the state tournament and a game like today was really just about getting in the right frame of mind and getting ready for the playoffs,” Sarallo said.
Starting line-ups
Loyola
GK: Maggie Avery
D: Lauren Daffada
D: Alex Yasko
D: Ryan Flanagan
D: Jillian Jensen
F: Natalie Joyce
MF: Cate Shellenback
MF: Ally West
F: Stephanie Ramsay
F: Devin Burns
F: K.K. Phelan
Carmel
GK: Sophia Sarkis
D: Ali Cepon
D: Haley Miller
D: Grace Nolan
D: Lisa Harwardt
M: Shannon Murphy
M: Kathleen Graham
M: Lily Sykes
M: Gianna Sarallo
F: Erin Johnston
F: Angela Salvi
MVP of the match: Sophia Sarkis, GK, Carmel
results for Carmel, Loyola
Host Corsairs buoyed by 2-2 finish, no. 8 Ramblers left searching
By Patrick Z. McGavin
MUNDELEIN — Talk about the curve. Soccer is a game of many colors and beats. Trying to get a bead on the known or the unknown is a kind of parlor game.
Loyola turned up for a late season nonconference friendly with Carmel looking to regroup, emotionally and physically, and find its groove again. The punishing attack and obliterating backline that propelled the no. 8 Ramblers to an undefeated start and the top-ranking of Chicagoland Soccer less than two weeks ago have been sporadic.
“We’ve been in a lull ever since the St. Charles East game,” Loyola coach Craig Snower.
The Ramblers wanted to locate the sense of urgency and purpose.
Carmel sought something else. The Corsairs needed to know if they could rise to the occasion and find their own resourcefulness and skill against unfavorable circumstances.
“I think most people, those that know and follow soccer, considered us the underdog in this game,” Carmel first-year coach Ray Krawzak said. “We have to know, with the state tournament coming up, that we can play in adverse situations, against a team, like a Barrington, we’re not supposed to beat and play well.”
The game rarely follows a particular script. Soccer is the very antithesis of “best-laid plans.”
The prime exhibit was a game where two teams both experiencing problems of late scoring combined for four goals in the first 22 minutes. That was just the warm up.
Loyola and Carmel had their share of sharp play and individual moments of brilliance only to be thwarted in some old-fashioned luck, circumstance or the unaccountable. After the scoring there were fascinating and brilliant moments of incomplete success that ended with the two sides walking away with the 2-2 draw Thursday.
The game was physical, contested and played with deep emotion on both sides.
Carmel junior midfielder Angela Salvi converted a penalty kick that decided the final. Loyola missed a penalty kick in the 30th minute when the shooter pulled it wide left. Carmel sophomore midfielder Gianna Sarallo answered the early Loyola goal with her own.
“Lily (Sykes) took the first shot, and I was hoping it was going to go in, but I thought I better hustle and get to the box. I was able to get a touch and the keeper fumbled it a little bit,” she said.
The names were not necessarily the ones that have monopolized the headlines, at least for Carmel. Loyola forwards Devin Burns and Stephanie Ramsay continued their strong individual performance by scoring their 19th and 15th respective goals for the Ramblers (15-3-4).
In a twist, the person probably least likely to be considered involved saved the outcome for Carmel.
Sophia Sarkis is a reserve sophomore keeper who has ceded the primary duties to Tina O’Block, the senior four-year varsity player who was the standout on last year’s Class 2A state title team. O’Block surrendered only eight goals in 22 games last year.
Sarkis saw action in two games, before her coach decided to give her the start Thursday.
“I was supposed to play more but then I got hurt,” she said.
In the 74th minute, Sarkis made the right read and denied a virtual breakaway by Devin Burns. K.K. Phelan slotted a left-footed drop that Burns maneuvered and controlled in stride as she advanced toward the goal. Burns opted for her left foot and Sarkis made the jump on the ball.
“We do this thing in practice, the drop drill, and that was exactly what it was. I just made a strong drop and fortunately went to the right spot,” said Sarkis, who earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors for her play.
“Tina has been in there for the bulk of the time for us this year, but I wanted to give Sophia the chance today,” Krawzak said.
Her counterpart, Caroline Karlson, was also the unexpected savior for the Ramblers. She replaced sophomore starter Maggie Avery late in the first half. She denied two excellent Carmel scoring chances in the second half, lunging to her right to deny Carmel junior midfielder Shannon Murphy.
Here is the great paradox or beauty of the game. You end up being wowed by a kind of futility, near chances and slipped possibilities. The shootout of the first 22 minutes was replaced by a frantic and wild series of actions hard to control. Some of it was just bad luck.
Sophomore Carmel forward Riley Harmon made a quick move to get around her defender and played a ball to sophomore midfielder Kathleen Graham that hit off the bar.
That is soccer. The moment you think you are in control you are disabused of that notion.
Craig Snower could only lament the missed opportunities. The refrain was a little too familiar for a team just 2-3-2 in its last seven games.
“We are running out of excuses,” he said. “We scored first, and we really should have gone up 2-0. But instead we let them power in two goals and that’s the game.
“We missed a penalty kick. All three of our forwards had a shot at the goal in the second half."
All teams must deal with the specter of injury. Loyola played without its two starting center backs. Lauren Chrisman is out with a concussion. Sophomore Riley Burns was held out, for precaution. Other players stepped up. Freshman defender Lauren Daffada impressed with her ballhawking and strong tackling.
“The game was on grass, which is a different surface for us and we’re not used to it,” Ramsay said
Loyola hosts North Suburban Conference Lake Division champion Stevenson at home Saturday for its final regular season game.
“Then we have 10 days off before our first tournament game (against Schurz), and I’m looking forward to getting out on the training field,” Snower said.
Likewise, Carmel plays Joliet Catholic and then has the necessary time off before its starts the hunt for a repeat championship. The 2015 Class 2A state champs will in Class 3A this year. Loyola is the no. 2 seed of the Maine South Sectional. Carmel is the no. 4 seed of the Palatine Sectional.
“Loyola is a great team, the kind of we might see again in the state tournament and a game like today was really just about getting in the right frame of mind and getting ready for the playoffs,” Sarallo said.
Starting line-ups
Loyola
GK: Maggie Avery
D: Lauren Daffada
D: Alex Yasko
D: Ryan Flanagan
D: Jillian Jensen
F: Natalie Joyce
MF: Cate Shellenback
MF: Ally West
F: Stephanie Ramsay
F: Devin Burns
F: K.K. Phelan
Carmel
GK: Sophia Sarkis
D: Ali Cepon
D: Haley Miller
D: Grace Nolan
D: Lisa Harwardt
M: Shannon Murphy
M: Kathleen Graham
M: Lily Sykes
M: Gianna Sarallo
F: Erin Johnston
F: Angela Salvi
MVP of the match: Sophia Sarkis, GK, Carmel