PK student Coseglia leads
Hinsdale C. past Plainfield N.
GK's 2 shootout stops put Red Devils in Aquafina semifinals
By Dave Owen
HINSDALE – Give a great student top-notch teachers, and the results can be amazing.
Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Katy Coseglia provided proof of that Tuesday.
After the Red Devils and Plainfield North played to a 0-0 tie through 80 minutes of regulation and a pair of five-minute overtimes, Coseglia was the difference in the deciding penalty-kick session.
The senior made diving saves at the right post on two of Plainfield North’s four PK attempts.
Shootout conversions by Red Devil teammates Reagan Wright, Liz Nelson, Margaret Tamm and Emma Dannhausen-Brun (the clinching fifth shooter) earned Hinsdale Central (7-1-0) the victory and advancement to the next round of the Pepsi Showdown.
“I can read some of them (penalty kick shooters) by their hips,” Coseglia said, “so I see where that goes. On those two that I saved I was able to read them and where they were going.”
To Hinsdale Central coach Michael Smith, combining Coseglia’s natural talents with some great guidance has produced big-time results.
“Katy Coseglia has clearly established herself as one of the top goalies in the area, if not the state,” Smith said.
“Katy learned from one of the best goalkeepers on penalties I’ve been around, (2014 graduate) Riley Glenn. She would always give us two or three saves (on PK’s). Katy is a student of the game – she watched Riley and what she did and talked to Riley about what to look at (on PKs).
“I also have to praise our goalkeeping coach Harrison Bull,” Smith added. “He works specifically with our goalies and works with Katy about what she needs to be looking at and how she needs to read it.”
Bull’s advice comes from great experience. His coaching career at Hinsdale Central extends back to the 1975 boys state soccer championship.
“I take no credit for what Katy does – I keep my distance and coach Bull and Katy work their magic,” Smith said.
Coseglia’s magic began even before the brilliant PK session.
With 3:50 left in the first overtime, Plainfield North (4-3-1) came inches away from a dramatic win.
Jessica Christmas’ pass hit Sam Elster inside the box, whose well struck 15-yard, straight-on drive appeared destined for the upper reaches of the net.
But the 5-foot-5 Coseglia soared to deflect Elster’s shot off the crossbar, then grabbed the ball as it bounced straight down near the goal line to preserve the 0-0 tie.
“That last save she made in the overtime was a high quality save,” Smith said. “You look at her and she’s 5-whatever, but when she jumped up her hand was above the crossbar.
“That’s quality goaltending, especially from a shot that any other time is in the back of the net.”
To Coseglia, it was again a case of preparation and coaching in that big moment.
“In practices the coaches hit a lot of high balls at me, so that was kind of like an easy one,” Coseglia said. “I was able to tip it, and fortunately a lucky hit with the crossbar.”
The shot was anything but easy by high school soccer standards, and was a frustrating near-miss for Plainfield North standout Elster.
“Jessica our outside left mid gave me a great pass in the middle, slotted it right through,” Elster said. “I saw a tiny opening so I took a shot.
“I’ve been known to hit the crossbar in the past – last year I probably hit it 20 times. I thought it might have gotten in, but he (the official) was in position so I trust what the ref says. It was just unlucky on our part.”
The other quality chance of the extra sessions came with 2:25 left in the second overtime. Hinsdale Central’s Julie Culler broke in right and lined a high 12-yarder on net, but Tiger goalkeeper Erin Kuyawa, who entered the game after halftime, made a reaching grab to maintain the 0-0 tie and send the game into penalties.
The narrow escape on Elster’s crossbar drive gave the Red Devils added fuel for the finish.
“Those (shots off frame) are always a wakeup call for us,” Hinsdale Central’s Emma Dannhausen-Brun said, “to work harder and faster and get more in gear.”
In the PK session, conversions by Dana O’Boye and Elster had the Tigers tied 2-2 with the Red Devils after three shooters. Then after Hinsdale Central’s Tamm scored, Coseglia’s diving save at the left post put Dannhausen-Brun in position to ice the win.
The Red Devils’ star striker delivered with a drive inside the left post.
“I try not to think about it,” Dannhausen-Brun said of the PK, “because when you think about it you psych yourself out. So I just walked up there, put it in the back of the net and sorted everything else out.
“We’ve never beaten Plainfield North so it’s a good feeling. It gives us more confidence for the rest of the season.”
In the battle between elite teams in the Chicagoland Soccer poll, no. 9 Hinsdale Central and 13th-ranked Plainfield North each took plenty of confidence and positives from the ultra-close result.
“I thought Sam in the middle played really well,” Tigers coach Jane Crowe said. “She always does. And our back four was really solid. Dana O’Boye, Abby Gustafson, Brittany Kroll and Kaitlyn Mauder played the entire game in the back and really limited their chances.”
Elster also has seen big progress heading into mid-April.
“There’re times when we’ve struggled,” Elster said, “but I think we’re getting into our prime now. We had a big win Saturday and I think we’re going in the right direction. We’re coming together as a team and really jelling the way we play together.”
Coseglia was just one player of note Tuesday on the Red Devils’ side.
“What I liked in our midfield was Lizzy Nelson, our holding mid,” Smith said. “She’s one of the strongest around when it comes to playing that front screen in front of our back line.
“Her positioning, putting her body between the ball and the opponent to hide the ball and then take that little touch to create space was very strong. She put in 80 minutes at that position.
“And Emma Dannhausen-Brun up top is our one who can finish games, as she did on penalties,” Smith added. “She’s building confidence, and she’s been scoring quite a few goals in the last few matches. We need her staying strong and staying sharp.”
The prominent Red Devil program also historically relies on impact underclassmen. This spring is no different.
“In the midfield we have sophomores Jane Cole and Caroline Renehan,” Smith said, “who have been stepping up and giving us a little more power and control in the midfield, which is allowing us to control games for longer periods of time.”
Controlling play was a struggle Tuesday, as Plainfield North’s strong defensive core routinely intercepted Hinsdale Central passes into the final third.
“We knew it was going to be a battle of two strong teams,” Smith said. “Jane has them organized and does a great job. They play their style, we play our style, and it’s a game of inches.
“As the PKs show, that’s where it’s at. It was two quality teams that have bought into their coaches’ teaching and philosophies.”
The defensive-minded first half generated few chances. Coseglia beat Tigers forward Molly Grant to a loose ball in the box in the 12th minute.
Plainfield North goalkeeper Emma Veselsky’s catch of an Emily LaRocque 12-yard shot 23:30 before halftime marked the only other decent threat inside the box during the first half for either side.
But the offenses began to come out of hibernation after the break, starting with an early Tiger surge.
Coseglia’s catch save denied an 18-yard shot by Grant with 32:30 left in regulation.
At 30:05, Jessica Christmas’ 8-yard shot deflected off the side of the net for the game’s first corner kick by either side, and Hinsdale Central’s Culbertson blocked an Elster send to the crease one minute later.
“I thought in the first half we struggled a little bit,” Crowe said. “They play a little different and really load the middle of the field with a lot of players.
“We had a little bit of a hard time sorting that out, talked about it at halftime and in the second half I thought we came out and had the better of the play after they did in the first. Then we had the momentum going forward into overtime.”
But Hinsdale Central also made its own big second half strides offensively.
A great chance came with 27:15 left in regulation – Abby Cole’s initial shot was juggled and momentarily held by the Tiger goalkeeper. Dannhausen-Brun arrived to tip in the would-be rebound, but officials ruled the play dead after the initial stop.
The next 10 minutes brought back-and-forth chances on shots inside 20 yards – by the Tigers’ Christmas and Kendyl Keay, and the Red Devils’ Renehan and Melanie Sims.
Hinsdale Central then nearly broke through with 15:30 left in regulation. Wright’s nice corner kick send to the far post was headed point blank by Millie Culbertson, but Kuyawa was on the spot for the save.
“They identified what makes us dangerous offensively,” Smith said of the Tigers’ first half brick wall defense. “We struggled to adapt to what they were doing, but later in the second half we started to connect a few more passes in positions where we had a little more time and space.
“And we did a much better job connecting with our forwards and midfielders. We combined a lot more, our outside backs were adding so we were starting to get numbers forward faster in the second half to put them under greater duress.”
The last duress of regulation was provided by the Tigers’ Christmas, whose 12-yard chip off a Keay corner kick with 1:15 left went over the net.
Then it became Coseglia’s time to star.
I love PKs,” said Coseglia, whose actions more than backed up those words.
“(This win) is very important for us. We want to go far in this tournament and hopefully win. Well just focus on one game at a time.”
The Red Devils will need laser focus in their next tournament game Thursday at Loyola (10-0-1).
But rising to the challenges posed by three-time defending regional champions Plainfield North was a good sign.
“We knew we were going to be in a battle from the beginning,” Smith said. “This is the first time we’ve beaten Plainfield North, this being my fifth year, and in practice yesterday we said ‘We’ll beat Plainfield North if we’ll do these things.’ And our girls went out and executed as well as they could.”
Losing on PKs is hardly a reason for concern for Crowe or Plainfield North, especially with the energized second half effort.
“We talked in that brief minute after the game that I was really proud of how they adjusted after halftime,” Crowe said. “Things aren’t always going to be easy in the beginning. If we can learn to sort things out and make adjustments, we’re going to be good. And I thought we did that today.
“It’s hard to look at it and say we lost the game – in PKs anything can happen,” Crowe added. “The way the game went, we shut out a good team, created some good chances and adjusted in the second half. If we can use those things pushing forward, I think we’re going to be fine.”
Starting line-ups
Plainfield North
GK: Emma Veselsky
D: Dana O’Boye
D: Abby Gustafson
D: Kaitlyn Mauder
D: Brittaney Kroll
MF: Sam Elster
MF: Reyse Stirrett
MF: Kendyl Keay
MF: Jessica Christmas
MF: Megan Breier
F: Molly Grant
Hinsdale Central
GK: Katy Coseglia
D: Julie Culler
D: Audrey May
D: Millie Culbertson
D: Reagan Wright
MF: Margaret Tamm
MF: Caroline Renehan
MF: Jane Cole
MF: Liz Nelson
F: Emily LaRocque
F: Katie Shroyer
MVP of the Match: Katy Coseglia, GK, Hinsdale Central
Hinsdale C. past Plainfield N.
GK's 2 shootout stops put Red Devils in Aquafina semifinals
By Dave Owen
HINSDALE – Give a great student top-notch teachers, and the results can be amazing.
Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Katy Coseglia provided proof of that Tuesday.
After the Red Devils and Plainfield North played to a 0-0 tie through 80 minutes of regulation and a pair of five-minute overtimes, Coseglia was the difference in the deciding penalty-kick session.
The senior made diving saves at the right post on two of Plainfield North’s four PK attempts.
Shootout conversions by Red Devil teammates Reagan Wright, Liz Nelson, Margaret Tamm and Emma Dannhausen-Brun (the clinching fifth shooter) earned Hinsdale Central (7-1-0) the victory and advancement to the next round of the Pepsi Showdown.
“I can read some of them (penalty kick shooters) by their hips,” Coseglia said, “so I see where that goes. On those two that I saved I was able to read them and where they were going.”
To Hinsdale Central coach Michael Smith, combining Coseglia’s natural talents with some great guidance has produced big-time results.
“Katy Coseglia has clearly established herself as one of the top goalies in the area, if not the state,” Smith said.
“Katy learned from one of the best goalkeepers on penalties I’ve been around, (2014 graduate) Riley Glenn. She would always give us two or three saves (on PK’s). Katy is a student of the game – she watched Riley and what she did and talked to Riley about what to look at (on PKs).
“I also have to praise our goalkeeping coach Harrison Bull,” Smith added. “He works specifically with our goalies and works with Katy about what she needs to be looking at and how she needs to read it.”
Bull’s advice comes from great experience. His coaching career at Hinsdale Central extends back to the 1975 boys state soccer championship.
“I take no credit for what Katy does – I keep my distance and coach Bull and Katy work their magic,” Smith said.
Coseglia’s magic began even before the brilliant PK session.
With 3:50 left in the first overtime, Plainfield North (4-3-1) came inches away from a dramatic win.
Jessica Christmas’ pass hit Sam Elster inside the box, whose well struck 15-yard, straight-on drive appeared destined for the upper reaches of the net.
But the 5-foot-5 Coseglia soared to deflect Elster’s shot off the crossbar, then grabbed the ball as it bounced straight down near the goal line to preserve the 0-0 tie.
“That last save she made in the overtime was a high quality save,” Smith said. “You look at her and she’s 5-whatever, but when she jumped up her hand was above the crossbar.
“That’s quality goaltending, especially from a shot that any other time is in the back of the net.”
To Coseglia, it was again a case of preparation and coaching in that big moment.
“In practices the coaches hit a lot of high balls at me, so that was kind of like an easy one,” Coseglia said. “I was able to tip it, and fortunately a lucky hit with the crossbar.”
The shot was anything but easy by high school soccer standards, and was a frustrating near-miss for Plainfield North standout Elster.
“Jessica our outside left mid gave me a great pass in the middle, slotted it right through,” Elster said. “I saw a tiny opening so I took a shot.
“I’ve been known to hit the crossbar in the past – last year I probably hit it 20 times. I thought it might have gotten in, but he (the official) was in position so I trust what the ref says. It was just unlucky on our part.”
The other quality chance of the extra sessions came with 2:25 left in the second overtime. Hinsdale Central’s Julie Culler broke in right and lined a high 12-yarder on net, but Tiger goalkeeper Erin Kuyawa, who entered the game after halftime, made a reaching grab to maintain the 0-0 tie and send the game into penalties.
The narrow escape on Elster’s crossbar drive gave the Red Devils added fuel for the finish.
“Those (shots off frame) are always a wakeup call for us,” Hinsdale Central’s Emma Dannhausen-Brun said, “to work harder and faster and get more in gear.”
In the PK session, conversions by Dana O’Boye and Elster had the Tigers tied 2-2 with the Red Devils after three shooters. Then after Hinsdale Central’s Tamm scored, Coseglia’s diving save at the left post put Dannhausen-Brun in position to ice the win.
The Red Devils’ star striker delivered with a drive inside the left post.
“I try not to think about it,” Dannhausen-Brun said of the PK, “because when you think about it you psych yourself out. So I just walked up there, put it in the back of the net and sorted everything else out.
“We’ve never beaten Plainfield North so it’s a good feeling. It gives us more confidence for the rest of the season.”
In the battle between elite teams in the Chicagoland Soccer poll, no. 9 Hinsdale Central and 13th-ranked Plainfield North each took plenty of confidence and positives from the ultra-close result.
“I thought Sam in the middle played really well,” Tigers coach Jane Crowe said. “She always does. And our back four was really solid. Dana O’Boye, Abby Gustafson, Brittany Kroll and Kaitlyn Mauder played the entire game in the back and really limited their chances.”
Elster also has seen big progress heading into mid-April.
“There’re times when we’ve struggled,” Elster said, “but I think we’re getting into our prime now. We had a big win Saturday and I think we’re going in the right direction. We’re coming together as a team and really jelling the way we play together.”
Coseglia was just one player of note Tuesday on the Red Devils’ side.
“What I liked in our midfield was Lizzy Nelson, our holding mid,” Smith said. “She’s one of the strongest around when it comes to playing that front screen in front of our back line.
“Her positioning, putting her body between the ball and the opponent to hide the ball and then take that little touch to create space was very strong. She put in 80 minutes at that position.
“And Emma Dannhausen-Brun up top is our one who can finish games, as she did on penalties,” Smith added. “She’s building confidence, and she’s been scoring quite a few goals in the last few matches. We need her staying strong and staying sharp.”
The prominent Red Devil program also historically relies on impact underclassmen. This spring is no different.
“In the midfield we have sophomores Jane Cole and Caroline Renehan,” Smith said, “who have been stepping up and giving us a little more power and control in the midfield, which is allowing us to control games for longer periods of time.”
Controlling play was a struggle Tuesday, as Plainfield North’s strong defensive core routinely intercepted Hinsdale Central passes into the final third.
“We knew it was going to be a battle of two strong teams,” Smith said. “Jane has them organized and does a great job. They play their style, we play our style, and it’s a game of inches.
“As the PKs show, that’s where it’s at. It was two quality teams that have bought into their coaches’ teaching and philosophies.”
The defensive-minded first half generated few chances. Coseglia beat Tigers forward Molly Grant to a loose ball in the box in the 12th minute.
Plainfield North goalkeeper Emma Veselsky’s catch of an Emily LaRocque 12-yard shot 23:30 before halftime marked the only other decent threat inside the box during the first half for either side.
But the offenses began to come out of hibernation after the break, starting with an early Tiger surge.
Coseglia’s catch save denied an 18-yard shot by Grant with 32:30 left in regulation.
At 30:05, Jessica Christmas’ 8-yard shot deflected off the side of the net for the game’s first corner kick by either side, and Hinsdale Central’s Culbertson blocked an Elster send to the crease one minute later.
“I thought in the first half we struggled a little bit,” Crowe said. “They play a little different and really load the middle of the field with a lot of players.
“We had a little bit of a hard time sorting that out, talked about it at halftime and in the second half I thought we came out and had the better of the play after they did in the first. Then we had the momentum going forward into overtime.”
But Hinsdale Central also made its own big second half strides offensively.
A great chance came with 27:15 left in regulation – Abby Cole’s initial shot was juggled and momentarily held by the Tiger goalkeeper. Dannhausen-Brun arrived to tip in the would-be rebound, but officials ruled the play dead after the initial stop.
The next 10 minutes brought back-and-forth chances on shots inside 20 yards – by the Tigers’ Christmas and Kendyl Keay, and the Red Devils’ Renehan and Melanie Sims.
Hinsdale Central then nearly broke through with 15:30 left in regulation. Wright’s nice corner kick send to the far post was headed point blank by Millie Culbertson, but Kuyawa was on the spot for the save.
“They identified what makes us dangerous offensively,” Smith said of the Tigers’ first half brick wall defense. “We struggled to adapt to what they were doing, but later in the second half we started to connect a few more passes in positions where we had a little more time and space.
“And we did a much better job connecting with our forwards and midfielders. We combined a lot more, our outside backs were adding so we were starting to get numbers forward faster in the second half to put them under greater duress.”
The last duress of regulation was provided by the Tigers’ Christmas, whose 12-yard chip off a Keay corner kick with 1:15 left went over the net.
Then it became Coseglia’s time to star.
I love PKs,” said Coseglia, whose actions more than backed up those words.
“(This win) is very important for us. We want to go far in this tournament and hopefully win. Well just focus on one game at a time.”
The Red Devils will need laser focus in their next tournament game Thursday at Loyola (10-0-1).
But rising to the challenges posed by three-time defending regional champions Plainfield North was a good sign.
“We knew we were going to be in a battle from the beginning,” Smith said. “This is the first time we’ve beaten Plainfield North, this being my fifth year, and in practice yesterday we said ‘We’ll beat Plainfield North if we’ll do these things.’ And our girls went out and executed as well as they could.”
Losing on PKs is hardly a reason for concern for Crowe or Plainfield North, especially with the energized second half effort.
“We talked in that brief minute after the game that I was really proud of how they adjusted after halftime,” Crowe said. “Things aren’t always going to be easy in the beginning. If we can learn to sort things out and make adjustments, we’re going to be good. And I thought we did that today.
“It’s hard to look at it and say we lost the game – in PKs anything can happen,” Crowe added. “The way the game went, we shut out a good team, created some good chances and adjusted in the second half. If we can use those things pushing forward, I think we’re going to be fine.”
Starting line-ups
Plainfield North
GK: Emma Veselsky
D: Dana O’Boye
D: Abby Gustafson
D: Kaitlyn Mauder
D: Brittaney Kroll
MF: Sam Elster
MF: Reyse Stirrett
MF: Kendyl Keay
MF: Jessica Christmas
MF: Megan Breier
F: Molly Grant
Hinsdale Central
GK: Katy Coseglia
D: Julie Culler
D: Audrey May
D: Millie Culbertson
D: Reagan Wright
MF: Margaret Tamm
MF: Caroline Renehan
MF: Jane Cole
MF: Liz Nelson
F: Emily LaRocque
F: Katie Shroyer
MVP of the Match: Katy Coseglia, GK, Hinsdale Central
