Saint Viator breaks out for impressive win
Kohn hat trick lead Lions to 4-1 win over LWC
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – Lauren Kohn isn’t used to losing.
Neither is Saint Viator.
But the Lions have done a lot of it this spring, despite Kohn’s best efforts.
Even though the month of April ended on a rainy, dreary note, there was a ray of hope for Saint Viator, which sloshed through the pouring rain to knock off Lincoln-Way Central 4-1 in consolation action at Naperville North on the final day of the Naperville Invitational.
The result snapped an unheard of seven-game losing streak for the Lions (4-8-2), who are in rebuilding mode.
“We’re a really young team this year so we have a lot of fresh new faces and people who don’t know what they’re doing as much, but we’ve been trying to struggle through it,” Kohn said. “We don’t have many seniors and upperclassmen, but we’ve been trying to lead (the youngsters) through it.”
Kohn, a senior midfielder, did a great job of leading the way Saturday, recording her first hat trick of the season and dishing out an assist. She has scored 10 of the Lions’ 23 goals.
“Lauren is having a great season,” Saint Viator coach Mike Taylor said. “She comes in every game and has a great game.
“She doesn’t have a lot of support up front because they are so young and inexperienced, but she plays well.”
Kohn gave the Lions an early 1-0 lead before the Knights (2-11-3) tied it on a penalty kick.
The Lions answered with a penalty kick from Kohn to take the lead for good with 26:17 left in the second half.
Freshman Connie Aherns, playing in her second varsity match, then scored her first career goal off a corner kick from Kohn at the 8:40 mark before Kohn finished the scoring by blasting a 30-yard free kick over the head of Lincoln-Way Central goalkeeper Dana Tomasik with 4:53 to go.
“Today was a big game for us,” Kohn said. “It has been really frustrating but today we broke out of it.
“It’s good going into next week, because we have three conference games, so we needed to win.”
Any win was welcome if only to raise spirits.
“We’re young; I’ve got three freshmen and 10 sophomores,” Taylor said. “It’s a building year.
“I’ve got three studs playing club who are all sophomores. That hurts a little bit.
“We’ve made silly mistakes and that’s what has cost us in some games to give up stupid goals. It’s just getting some continuity. And you know with young ones, sometimes they play well and sometimes they play bad, and you don’t know which team is coming there.
“But the key thing is, which we said to them, to come out and play with desire. Play with heart, play with desire and from there you see what you get.”
Kohn, who has a history of injuries and has battled shin splints this season, has always followed that advice. She hasn’t missed a game despite getting physical therapy three times a week and being thrust into an unfamiliar leadership role.
“It’s tough,” she said. “(It) is a lot different because in past years we’ve been so much older, and I’ve been the younger one.
“It’s been hard leading them. I’m not used to it, but I’m trying to step up and tell them what to do and lead them on and off the field.”
Taylor was also pleased with the play of sophomore goalkeeper Colleen Gallagher.
“We knew Colleen had a couple weaknesses here and there, but she has improved so much during the course of the season,” Taylor said. “She came up with two huge saves today, stopped a breakaway.
“She’s just improved leaps and bounds, and she’s really helped us start to get back on a winning track, so I’m pleased with her.”
Then there is Aherns, a promising attacker whom Taylor promoted this week.
“She reminds me a lot of (former star) Taylor Skala, just athletic,” Taylor said. “She knows if she misses, she misses and if she hits, she hits.
“She’s got some good speed. She’ll just improve as she goes.”
Starting line-ups
Saint Viator
GK Colleen Gallagher
D Maureen McGrath
D Sarah Schade
D Maggie Leazer
M Payton McDonnell
M Lauren Kohn
M Maeve Schumacher
M Mary Ann Castelli
F Michaela Mueller
F Megan Vicens
F Delia Douglas
Lincoln-Way Central
GK Dana Tomasik
D Megan Lucchetti
D Sarah Heimberg
D Kylee Brandau
M Riley Recker
M Shannon Klemm
M Sabrina DiFiori
M Katie Farr
M Ashley Frawley
F Madde Elliott
F Alivia Crowhurst
MVP of the Match: Lauren Kohn, MF, Saint Viator
Kohn hat trick lead Lions to 4-1 win over LWC
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – Lauren Kohn isn’t used to losing.
Neither is Saint Viator.
But the Lions have done a lot of it this spring, despite Kohn’s best efforts.
Even though the month of April ended on a rainy, dreary note, there was a ray of hope for Saint Viator, which sloshed through the pouring rain to knock off Lincoln-Way Central 4-1 in consolation action at Naperville North on the final day of the Naperville Invitational.
The result snapped an unheard of seven-game losing streak for the Lions (4-8-2), who are in rebuilding mode.
“We’re a really young team this year so we have a lot of fresh new faces and people who don’t know what they’re doing as much, but we’ve been trying to struggle through it,” Kohn said. “We don’t have many seniors and upperclassmen, but we’ve been trying to lead (the youngsters) through it.”
Kohn, a senior midfielder, did a great job of leading the way Saturday, recording her first hat trick of the season and dishing out an assist. She has scored 10 of the Lions’ 23 goals.
“Lauren is having a great season,” Saint Viator coach Mike Taylor said. “She comes in every game and has a great game.
“She doesn’t have a lot of support up front because they are so young and inexperienced, but she plays well.”
Kohn gave the Lions an early 1-0 lead before the Knights (2-11-3) tied it on a penalty kick.
The Lions answered with a penalty kick from Kohn to take the lead for good with 26:17 left in the second half.
Freshman Connie Aherns, playing in her second varsity match, then scored her first career goal off a corner kick from Kohn at the 8:40 mark before Kohn finished the scoring by blasting a 30-yard free kick over the head of Lincoln-Way Central goalkeeper Dana Tomasik with 4:53 to go.
“Today was a big game for us,” Kohn said. “It has been really frustrating but today we broke out of it.
“It’s good going into next week, because we have three conference games, so we needed to win.”
Any win was welcome if only to raise spirits.
“We’re young; I’ve got three freshmen and 10 sophomores,” Taylor said. “It’s a building year.
“I’ve got three studs playing club who are all sophomores. That hurts a little bit.
“We’ve made silly mistakes and that’s what has cost us in some games to give up stupid goals. It’s just getting some continuity. And you know with young ones, sometimes they play well and sometimes they play bad, and you don’t know which team is coming there.
“But the key thing is, which we said to them, to come out and play with desire. Play with heart, play with desire and from there you see what you get.”
Kohn, who has a history of injuries and has battled shin splints this season, has always followed that advice. She hasn’t missed a game despite getting physical therapy three times a week and being thrust into an unfamiliar leadership role.
“It’s tough,” she said. “(It) is a lot different because in past years we’ve been so much older, and I’ve been the younger one.
“It’s been hard leading them. I’m not used to it, but I’m trying to step up and tell them what to do and lead them on and off the field.”
Taylor was also pleased with the play of sophomore goalkeeper Colleen Gallagher.
“We knew Colleen had a couple weaknesses here and there, but she has improved so much during the course of the season,” Taylor said. “She came up with two huge saves today, stopped a breakaway.
“She’s just improved leaps and bounds, and she’s really helped us start to get back on a winning track, so I’m pleased with her.”
Then there is Aherns, a promising attacker whom Taylor promoted this week.
“She reminds me a lot of (former star) Taylor Skala, just athletic,” Taylor said. “She knows if she misses, she misses and if she hits, she hits.
“She’s got some good speed. She’ll just improve as she goes.”
Starting line-ups
Saint Viator
GK Colleen Gallagher
D Maureen McGrath
D Sarah Schade
D Maggie Leazer
M Payton McDonnell
M Lauren Kohn
M Maeve Schumacher
M Mary Ann Castelli
F Michaela Mueller
F Megan Vicens
F Delia Douglas
Lincoln-Way Central
GK Dana Tomasik
D Megan Lucchetti
D Sarah Heimberg
D Kylee Brandau
M Riley Recker
M Shannon Klemm
M Sabrina DiFiori
M Katie Farr
M Ashley Frawley
F Madde Elliott
F Alivia Crowhurst
MVP of the Match: Lauren Kohn, MF, Saint Viator