Lincoln-Way West finds
rhythm, rolls over Oak Forest
Mikalauski ignites Warriors' attack
By Steve Millar
NEW LENOX -- Lincoln-Way West started slow Thursday night as visiting Oak Forest surprisingly took it to the Warriors over the first 10 minutes of the PepsiCo Showdown consolation match.
“We came out very flat in the first 5-to-10 minutes,” Lincoln-Way West coach Jeff Theiss said. “It was a matter of allowing the ball to turn us and not challenging the ball in the air. You’ve got to credit Oak Forest. They came out with pace. They were running through everything, and they were looking to shoot from distance. We didn’t look like ourselves.”
The remedy for the Warriors was simple: more effort.
Of course, being lethal on set-pieces helps, too.
Lincoln-Way West scored twice off corner kicks and two more times off throw-ins and rolled to an 8-1 win.
“With Madison Mikalauski’s service on corners and Brianne Owen’s throws, combined with having hungry players in the box who will go finish those opportunities, that’s dangerous,” Theiss said.
Senior forward Brianna Heyer continued her dominant play for the Warriors (8-3-0) with a hat trick and 2 assists. Breanna Bembenek scored twice, and Mikalauski and Owen had 2 assists each.
It was Mikalauski, Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match, who was most responsible for swinging the game in the Warriors’ favor after the shaky start. The junior controlled the middle of the field and ignited the Lincoln-Way West offense.
“Madison took this game over,” Theiss said. “We’ve seen that a few times from her. Her confidence is booming. It’s exciting to watch.”
Mikalauski’s ability to push the ball forward and generate offense woke up the Warriors.
“Everyone was kind of flat and off their game,” she said. “We just needed to push up. I feel more confident on the ball. In the past, I didn’t like going 1-v.-1, but I like taking them now.”
The Warriors jumped in front of Oak Forest (5-6-1) in the 16th minute when Olivia Judge came up with a steal and quickly played a through-ball across the field to Bembenek, who got behind the defense and scored.
Six minutes later, Lincoln-Way West pulled away by scoring off consecutive corner-kicks. On the first, Mikalauski played a short ball to freshman Jane Pinkerton, who ripped a laser-like shot from 25 yards out. Oak Forest goalkeeper Abby Anderson (7 saves) leaped and got her hands on the ball, but couldn’t stop it from going in.
“Jane came from out of nowhere,” Mikalauski said. “I didn’t even know she was there. It’s what we’ve practiced before, and she just had an open shot, so she took it.”
Heyer headed home Mikalauski’s corner to make it 3-0 in the 26th minute.
“I love taking the corners,” Mikalauski said. “They’re such dangerous opportunities, and we’ve been so good at putting them in the back of the net.”
Heyer said the Warriors’ toughness and desire is the reason they have so much success on set-pieces.
“Our ability to crash is big,” she said. “We always have three or four players in there who are willing to run through, put a head on it, try to get a foot in there, whatever it takes.”
Freshman Anna Kirk scored off Heyer’s pass in the 32nd minute to make it 4-0.
Owen got in on the action in the second half. Twice, she took throws deep in the Warriors’ offensive zone and found Heyer crashing the net.
Heyer finished both chances, scoring on a header with 28:07 left to make it 5-0 and volleying in a shot with 21:41 to go to increase the lead to 7-1.
“It’s extremely dangerous when Brianne puts those throws in,” Heyer said. “Whether she throws them right up there by the box or if we’re further back and she throws it over the defender’s head and allows me or Breanna Bembenek to run on to the ball, it’s dangerous either way.”
Owen, a freshman, said she works on the throw-ins all the time.
“I’ve always been good at the throws and I just try to get better and better,” she said. “When I go to the gym, I’m always working on the throws.
“I can always count on players like Heyer and (Brittany) Stover to crash hard and take advantage of the throws.”
Bembenek scored off a Heyer pass in the second half and freshman Sarah Wintercorn closed the scoring for the Warriors.
Oak Forest’s lone goal came off a corner with 26 minutes left. Nicole Tucker tracked down Christina Majercak’s cross in front of the net and buried her shot.
“I was just waiting for the cross, and it came in,” said Tucker, a sophomore. “I ran to the ball and put it in. I was excited and happy for myself, because it was my first goal as a varsity soccer player.”
Oak Forest coach Hanah Shehaiber was encouraged by the way her team played early in the match.
“The first 15 minutes, we held together well,” she said. “We’re at the growing stages of the program where we’re starting, hopefully, to increase our performance level from 15 minutes to at least an entire half, and then refocus in the second half.
“You’re playing against a bunch of girls who play club soccer together. They’re familiar with each other. They know where the other one already is. They had some nice overlaps and crossovers that were difficult for us to track. We have a lot of young girls, but I’m looking forward to seeing our program continue to develop.”
Lincoln-Way West takes on Elgin in their final PepsiCo Showdown game Saturday in Schaumburg before a key set of games next week.
“We have a huge week next week with Lincoln-Way East and Andrew in (SouthWest Suburban Red) conference games and a big test with Lemont next Saturday,” Theiss said.
Starting lineups
Oak Forest
GK: Grace Rollins
D: Taylor Blokel
D: Jessica Jones
D: Clare Doolin
D: Christina Majercak
MF: Jenna Brown
MF: Alyssa Gilman
MF: McKenzie Gleason
MF: Crystal Montes
F: Nicole Tucker
F: Yasmine Matthews
Lincoln-Way West
GK: Erin Toomey
D: Madelyn Burdelik
D: Samantha Sarna
D: Brittany Stover
D: Megan Shelton
MF: Madison Mikalauski
MF: Jane Pinkerton
MF: Anna Kirk
MF: Meghan Schick
F: Breanna Bembenek
F: Brianna Heyer
MVP of the Match: Madison Mikalauski, MF, Lincoln-Way West
rhythm, rolls over Oak Forest
Mikalauski ignites Warriors' attack
By Steve Millar
NEW LENOX -- Lincoln-Way West started slow Thursday night as visiting Oak Forest surprisingly took it to the Warriors over the first 10 minutes of the PepsiCo Showdown consolation match.
“We came out very flat in the first 5-to-10 minutes,” Lincoln-Way West coach Jeff Theiss said. “It was a matter of allowing the ball to turn us and not challenging the ball in the air. You’ve got to credit Oak Forest. They came out with pace. They were running through everything, and they were looking to shoot from distance. We didn’t look like ourselves.”
The remedy for the Warriors was simple: more effort.
Of course, being lethal on set-pieces helps, too.
Lincoln-Way West scored twice off corner kicks and two more times off throw-ins and rolled to an 8-1 win.
“With Madison Mikalauski’s service on corners and Brianne Owen’s throws, combined with having hungry players in the box who will go finish those opportunities, that’s dangerous,” Theiss said.
Senior forward Brianna Heyer continued her dominant play for the Warriors (8-3-0) with a hat trick and 2 assists. Breanna Bembenek scored twice, and Mikalauski and Owen had 2 assists each.
It was Mikalauski, Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match, who was most responsible for swinging the game in the Warriors’ favor after the shaky start. The junior controlled the middle of the field and ignited the Lincoln-Way West offense.
“Madison took this game over,” Theiss said. “We’ve seen that a few times from her. Her confidence is booming. It’s exciting to watch.”
Mikalauski’s ability to push the ball forward and generate offense woke up the Warriors.
“Everyone was kind of flat and off their game,” she said. “We just needed to push up. I feel more confident on the ball. In the past, I didn’t like going 1-v.-1, but I like taking them now.”
The Warriors jumped in front of Oak Forest (5-6-1) in the 16th minute when Olivia Judge came up with a steal and quickly played a through-ball across the field to Bembenek, who got behind the defense and scored.
Six minutes later, Lincoln-Way West pulled away by scoring off consecutive corner-kicks. On the first, Mikalauski played a short ball to freshman Jane Pinkerton, who ripped a laser-like shot from 25 yards out. Oak Forest goalkeeper Abby Anderson (7 saves) leaped and got her hands on the ball, but couldn’t stop it from going in.
“Jane came from out of nowhere,” Mikalauski said. “I didn’t even know she was there. It’s what we’ve practiced before, and she just had an open shot, so she took it.”
Heyer headed home Mikalauski’s corner to make it 3-0 in the 26th minute.
“I love taking the corners,” Mikalauski said. “They’re such dangerous opportunities, and we’ve been so good at putting them in the back of the net.”
Heyer said the Warriors’ toughness and desire is the reason they have so much success on set-pieces.
“Our ability to crash is big,” she said. “We always have three or four players in there who are willing to run through, put a head on it, try to get a foot in there, whatever it takes.”
Freshman Anna Kirk scored off Heyer’s pass in the 32nd minute to make it 4-0.
Owen got in on the action in the second half. Twice, she took throws deep in the Warriors’ offensive zone and found Heyer crashing the net.
Heyer finished both chances, scoring on a header with 28:07 left to make it 5-0 and volleying in a shot with 21:41 to go to increase the lead to 7-1.
“It’s extremely dangerous when Brianne puts those throws in,” Heyer said. “Whether she throws them right up there by the box or if we’re further back and she throws it over the defender’s head and allows me or Breanna Bembenek to run on to the ball, it’s dangerous either way.”
Owen, a freshman, said she works on the throw-ins all the time.
“I’ve always been good at the throws and I just try to get better and better,” she said. “When I go to the gym, I’m always working on the throws.
“I can always count on players like Heyer and (Brittany) Stover to crash hard and take advantage of the throws.”
Bembenek scored off a Heyer pass in the second half and freshman Sarah Wintercorn closed the scoring for the Warriors.
Oak Forest’s lone goal came off a corner with 26 minutes left. Nicole Tucker tracked down Christina Majercak’s cross in front of the net and buried her shot.
“I was just waiting for the cross, and it came in,” said Tucker, a sophomore. “I ran to the ball and put it in. I was excited and happy for myself, because it was my first goal as a varsity soccer player.”
Oak Forest coach Hanah Shehaiber was encouraged by the way her team played early in the match.
“The first 15 minutes, we held together well,” she said. “We’re at the growing stages of the program where we’re starting, hopefully, to increase our performance level from 15 minutes to at least an entire half, and then refocus in the second half.
“You’re playing against a bunch of girls who play club soccer together. They’re familiar with each other. They know where the other one already is. They had some nice overlaps and crossovers that were difficult for us to track. We have a lot of young girls, but I’m looking forward to seeing our program continue to develop.”
Lincoln-Way West takes on Elgin in their final PepsiCo Showdown game Saturday in Schaumburg before a key set of games next week.
“We have a huge week next week with Lincoln-Way East and Andrew in (SouthWest Suburban Red) conference games and a big test with Lemont next Saturday,” Theiss said.
Starting lineups
Oak Forest
GK: Grace Rollins
D: Taylor Blokel
D: Jessica Jones
D: Clare Doolin
D: Christina Majercak
MF: Jenna Brown
MF: Alyssa Gilman
MF: McKenzie Gleason
MF: Crystal Montes
F: Nicole Tucker
F: Yasmine Matthews
Lincoln-Way West
GK: Erin Toomey
D: Madelyn Burdelik
D: Samantha Sarna
D: Brittany Stover
D: Megan Shelton
MF: Madison Mikalauski
MF: Jane Pinkerton
MF: Anna Kirk
MF: Meghan Schick
F: Breanna Bembenek
F: Brianna Heyer
MVP of the Match: Madison Mikalauski, MF, Lincoln-Way West
