Lyons shows winning attitude against York
Hosts score early and coast to 3-1 win
By Dave Surico
LA GRANGE -- Lyons showed that high school can indeed be drama free, at least for a few hours, with a 3-1 win over York on Tuesday.
The host Lions dominated the early play and put away goals in the third, seventh and thirteenth minutes to eliminate any intrigue from the meeting of battled-tested
West Suburban Conference Silver Division foes.
Mary Devine found the first of many Grace Salvino corners at the far post with the match only several minutes old. Miscommunication at the goal line allowed the sophomore's header to slip inside the standard with only 2:12 elapsed in the game.
Salvino did the honors next. Eileen Murphy demonstrated her foot skills with a carry down the right sideline and put the ball in the middle of the box. It deflected off a backliner and Salvino gained control. The senior held the ball in the center at about 10 yards with a defender at her back. She then turned to her right.
"I placed it in the bottom right corner," said the recent University of Michigan signee. "So far the defense (against me) has been great. It's been a more of a challenge to try to place the ball in the goal rather than going forward."
Lyons maintained the pressure and eliminated the last hint of doubt in the outcome when Jenna Fuller took a pass from Salvino and moved the ball down the middle. Once
in the box, she finished confidantly for a 3-0 cushion.
The hosts displayed masterful patience and possession in the first 60 hour. The defense was was imposing and shut down York regularly when the Dukes got to the top of their attacking third.
After stops, the stoic backline, which featured starters Keira Frese, Izy Scott, Sarah Fitzgerald and Kaelan Lee, shared the ball to find the right lane to start the offense. The passing often included Emily Johnson, who left the game after about 70 minutes of scoreless goaltending.
"I thought we played pretty well for the most part," said coach Bill Lanspeary. "We caught a couple breaks early and capitalized on our chances, which helped us get off to a good start and a comfortable lead.
"And after that we kind of settled in, and actually I think we passed the ball around a lot better after we had the lead. Overall a very good effort by our backs. We didn't give up many dangerous opportunities. And our forwards capitalized on things.
"We've got some dangerous players, who can create stuff individually. We've got kids who can make things happen up there, and they did today and finished them."
After the game, MVP of the Match Salvino, who boosted her totals to 6 goals and 3 assists on the season, was able to relax and reflect.
"It's awesome to come out and play. High school soccer's fun," she said with a smile. "You get out and put on a few moves you probably wouldn't get to do in club. I take corners and free-kicks which I usually don't do (in club). It's awesome to have fun with it, laugh with my sister and friends."
The result may have provided some overdue relief for the Lions (10-1-1, 4-0-0). It was only the second time this season they have won by more than a 1-goal margin.
Besides a 9-0 win over conference foe Proviso West, Lyons' eight other victories have come from seven 1-goal games and a shootout win. They included scores over Waubonsie Valley, Lake Zurich (PKs), Warren and Lincoln-Way North. Lyons tied Metea Valley 3-3 in the third game of the season and fell to current no. 1 Loyola on April 12.
"We need more games like this where we go up by a few goals," said senior Bridget Kirby, who had an injury that forced her to miss all the games this season except for the last two.
"We've had a lot of really, really close games so finishing the opportunities that we have is definitely big. We've been getting a lot of them, but in the final third finishing it off is really important. I think if we can get that then we're going to be really dangerous coming into the playoffs.
"Definitely trying to keep it up as we play these huge opponents coming up. Hinsdale (Central) is a game we always look forward to. Just trying to get some goals in these games is really important to us."
The May 10 showdown that traditionally crowns the Silver Division champ will have to sit on the backburner for now. The no. 10 Lions must prepare to navigate the treacherous waters of the Naperville Invitational and a very dangerous opener at third-ranked Naperville North at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Visiting York finally found its rhythm late and took on the aggressor's role.
"We came out flat the first half. We didn't come out to play," said interim coach Stevan Dobric, who headed the Dukes jv team the past five seasons. "The girls were testing all day -- ACT, SAT, PARCC testing.
"We were more mentally prepared the second half and came out with much more energy. Won the second half, but you can't come back from three goals down with only one in the second half.
"Once we got in the game mentally, the girls matched them. ... In the last 15 minutes of the second half we had them packed in pretty good."
Maggie Bleyer broke the ice for the Dukes in the 79th minute. She settled the ball in the middle of the pitch and turned to launch a 29-yard shot that bent under the cross-bar for an unassisted goal.
"Off a throw-in I controlled it and turned the player," Bleyer said of her goal. "(Our) second half was much better than the first. The team came out with much more energy and aggressiveness to win the ball."
The game was nothing new for the Dukes (4-6-0, 0-2-0), who know a thing or two about tough competition. Their losses include one to no. 8 Hinsdale Central in overtime to open the conference season and others to no. 6 St. Charles North, no. 15 Plainfield North, no. 22 Benet and in PKs to 18th-ranked Lake Zurich.
York has 14 seniors on its 20-player roster, but only half of the squad had varsity experience prior to this season according to Dobric.
"I look forward to us continuing to gel as a unit and getting ready for playoffs," he said. "Once the playoffs start, the record doesn't matter."
The Dukes resume their campaign with a home conference match against Proviso West on Wednesday (April 20).
Starting line-ups
York
GK: Ellen Foley
D: Ffyon Hund
D: Abby Horn
D: Jenna Dvorak
D: Kaylin Kenny
MF: Jenna Lundgren
MF: Bailey Sterns
MF: Madison Casey
MF: Rachel Teague
MF: Cassidy Privett
F: Maggie Bleyer
Lyons
GK: Emily Johnson
D: Keira Frese
D: Izy Scott
D: Sarah Fitzgerald
D: Kaelan Lee
MF: Sheila Murphy
MF: Elizabeth Hall
MF: Eileen Murphy
F: Jenna Fuller
F: Mary Devine
F: Grace Salvino
MVP of the Match: Grace Salvino, F, Lyons
Hosts score early and coast to 3-1 win
By Dave Surico
LA GRANGE -- Lyons showed that high school can indeed be drama free, at least for a few hours, with a 3-1 win over York on Tuesday.
The host Lions dominated the early play and put away goals in the third, seventh and thirteenth minutes to eliminate any intrigue from the meeting of battled-tested
West Suburban Conference Silver Division foes.
Mary Devine found the first of many Grace Salvino corners at the far post with the match only several minutes old. Miscommunication at the goal line allowed the sophomore's header to slip inside the standard with only 2:12 elapsed in the game.
Salvino did the honors next. Eileen Murphy demonstrated her foot skills with a carry down the right sideline and put the ball in the middle of the box. It deflected off a backliner and Salvino gained control. The senior held the ball in the center at about 10 yards with a defender at her back. She then turned to her right.
"I placed it in the bottom right corner," said the recent University of Michigan signee. "So far the defense (against me) has been great. It's been a more of a challenge to try to place the ball in the goal rather than going forward."
Lyons maintained the pressure and eliminated the last hint of doubt in the outcome when Jenna Fuller took a pass from Salvino and moved the ball down the middle. Once
in the box, she finished confidantly for a 3-0 cushion.
The hosts displayed masterful patience and possession in the first 60 hour. The defense was was imposing and shut down York regularly when the Dukes got to the top of their attacking third.
After stops, the stoic backline, which featured starters Keira Frese, Izy Scott, Sarah Fitzgerald and Kaelan Lee, shared the ball to find the right lane to start the offense. The passing often included Emily Johnson, who left the game after about 70 minutes of scoreless goaltending.
"I thought we played pretty well for the most part," said coach Bill Lanspeary. "We caught a couple breaks early and capitalized on our chances, which helped us get off to a good start and a comfortable lead.
"And after that we kind of settled in, and actually I think we passed the ball around a lot better after we had the lead. Overall a very good effort by our backs. We didn't give up many dangerous opportunities. And our forwards capitalized on things.
"We've got some dangerous players, who can create stuff individually. We've got kids who can make things happen up there, and they did today and finished them."
After the game, MVP of the Match Salvino, who boosted her totals to 6 goals and 3 assists on the season, was able to relax and reflect.
"It's awesome to come out and play. High school soccer's fun," she said with a smile. "You get out and put on a few moves you probably wouldn't get to do in club. I take corners and free-kicks which I usually don't do (in club). It's awesome to have fun with it, laugh with my sister and friends."
The result may have provided some overdue relief for the Lions (10-1-1, 4-0-0). It was only the second time this season they have won by more than a 1-goal margin.
Besides a 9-0 win over conference foe Proviso West, Lyons' eight other victories have come from seven 1-goal games and a shootout win. They included scores over Waubonsie Valley, Lake Zurich (PKs), Warren and Lincoln-Way North. Lyons tied Metea Valley 3-3 in the third game of the season and fell to current no. 1 Loyola on April 12.
"We need more games like this where we go up by a few goals," said senior Bridget Kirby, who had an injury that forced her to miss all the games this season except for the last two.
"We've had a lot of really, really close games so finishing the opportunities that we have is definitely big. We've been getting a lot of them, but in the final third finishing it off is really important. I think if we can get that then we're going to be really dangerous coming into the playoffs.
"Definitely trying to keep it up as we play these huge opponents coming up. Hinsdale (Central) is a game we always look forward to. Just trying to get some goals in these games is really important to us."
The May 10 showdown that traditionally crowns the Silver Division champ will have to sit on the backburner for now. The no. 10 Lions must prepare to navigate the treacherous waters of the Naperville Invitational and a very dangerous opener at third-ranked Naperville North at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Visiting York finally found its rhythm late and took on the aggressor's role.
"We came out flat the first half. We didn't come out to play," said interim coach Stevan Dobric, who headed the Dukes jv team the past five seasons. "The girls were testing all day -- ACT, SAT, PARCC testing.
"We were more mentally prepared the second half and came out with much more energy. Won the second half, but you can't come back from three goals down with only one in the second half.
"Once we got in the game mentally, the girls matched them. ... In the last 15 minutes of the second half we had them packed in pretty good."
Maggie Bleyer broke the ice for the Dukes in the 79th minute. She settled the ball in the middle of the pitch and turned to launch a 29-yard shot that bent under the cross-bar for an unassisted goal.
"Off a throw-in I controlled it and turned the player," Bleyer said of her goal. "(Our) second half was much better than the first. The team came out with much more energy and aggressiveness to win the ball."
The game was nothing new for the Dukes (4-6-0, 0-2-0), who know a thing or two about tough competition. Their losses include one to no. 8 Hinsdale Central in overtime to open the conference season and others to no. 6 St. Charles North, no. 15 Plainfield North, no. 22 Benet and in PKs to 18th-ranked Lake Zurich.
York has 14 seniors on its 20-player roster, but only half of the squad had varsity experience prior to this season according to Dobric.
"I look forward to us continuing to gel as a unit and getting ready for playoffs," he said. "Once the playoffs start, the record doesn't matter."
The Dukes resume their campaign with a home conference match against Proviso West on Wednesday (April 20).
Starting line-ups
York
GK: Ellen Foley
D: Ffyon Hund
D: Abby Horn
D: Jenna Dvorak
D: Kaylin Kenny
MF: Jenna Lundgren
MF: Bailey Sterns
MF: Madison Casey
MF: Rachel Teague
MF: Cassidy Privett
F: Maggie Bleyer
Lyons
GK: Emily Johnson
D: Keira Frese
D: Izy Scott
D: Sarah Fitzgerald
D: Kaelan Lee
MF: Sheila Murphy
MF: Elizabeth Hall
MF: Eileen Murphy
F: Jenna Fuller
F: Mary Devine
F: Grace Salvino
MVP of the Match: Grace Salvino, F, Lyons