PALATINE -- Gemma Gillespie and Gwen Zimmerman stole the show with four goals between them as host Fremd cruised past visiting Hersey with a comprehensive 5-1 victory in the Mid-Suburban League opener for both sides Wednesday at Hildebrandt Field.

Newcomer Sami Serpico set up both teammates in the first period as the home side took hold of the contest. Then Zimmerman, Bella Scesniak and Gillespie -- with a stunning free kick finish -- helped the Vikings earn their first victory of the season and three important league points.

Both Zimmerman and Ava Catherall voiced that the Vikings did not want to drop any points, especially early on knowing that Barrington looms as the team to beat.

"(It) was probably a more important game for us than Hersey, because just like last year it will come down to Barrington and us for the (MSL West) division," said Catherall.

In manager Steve Keller’s first 11, Catherall was stationed alongside Natalia Wala up-top in the 4-3-1-2 formation. Later the pair was joined by Zimmerman to give the Vikings (1-1-2, 1-0-0) a deadly striking trio.

“We came out and played really well at the start to set the tone for this game,” Catherall added.

"We have both Natalia and Sophia Kennedy back from club, Sami (Serpico) is a great addition," said Zimmerman, who led the Vikings a year ago with 16 goals and was named to the Chicagoland Soccer All-State team at season’s end. “Plus there's a really good group of freshmen on the team to help us overcome some of our graduation losses."

"It was great to see us put (five) on the scoreboard tonight," said Keller, whose club ranked at the bottom of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 after draws with no. 15 St. Charles East and no.6 Naperville North and a 3-2 loss at no. 18 Lake Zurich.

“After a bit of a slow start, I feel like our attack got going when we pushed Gwen up-top,” Keller added. “That move seemed to turn the tide for us for the rest of the night.”

Visiting Hersey had also run a gauntlet before the match. The Huskies, ranked 31st in the First 50 poll, beat then no. 20 Stevenson on the road in their season-opener, before losses to Top 25 no. 5 Libertyville, Loyola (30th in the First 50 in a shootout) and no. 11 St. Charles North before the midweek contest with Fremd.

Making matters more difficult for Mike Rusniak’s club was the fact the Huskies games were bunched together in a six-day span. The Loyola and St. Charles North games were part of the Rose Augsburg-Drach Invitational.

"It has been a very busy start to our season," began Rusniak, who led the Huskies to a MSL East Division title last spring, and a spot in the 33rd annual Soccer Cup where they lost 2-1 in overtime to eventual Class 3A state runnerup Barrington.

"(It's) never an excuse for losing, but we knew going in that this early stretch of games was going to be taxing, and we needed to focus on one game at a time," continued Rusniak.

"Results have not been in our favor, but all of these games have provided learning opportunities and a chance for us to find our identity."

Gracie Lisota found her identity quickly a year ago when the-then freshmen bagged 20 goals alongside her All-American teammate Megan Mrowicki (now playing at Notre Dame), who sent 30 into the back of the net to give the Huskies a lethal partnership up-top.

"I thought we came out and played a pretty good first 10-15 minutes, especially after our 3-1 loss the other day in our tournament game against St. Charles North," said Lisota.

"When their first goal came, I think we panicked a little. After that (Fremd) pretty much took control of the game."

"We have a great defender in Kiki Craft out with an injury, and three young players out there for us who are still finding their way against some really great teams right now," added Rusniak.

Craft is expected back on the pitch in two weeks.

During the early exchanges, Hersey got a handful of quality early balls up the left side from Lisota, who found Abi Beck and Faith Sena most frequently. But Fremd’s backline dispatched the Huskies’ hopes of putting something on frame.

The hosts, always a stingy bunch, returned Maddie McMillan, Bella Scesniak and all-stater Gillespie, whom they packaged along the back. Gillespie also spent plenty of time in the middle of the park when Keller made a tactical move from time-to-time.

In addition, Keller returned both of his keepers, Riley Goettsche and Emily Gordon, who shared time between the sticks on a cold, dreary night in Palatine.

Serpico went close to earn the second of Fremd’s five first half corners. A favorable bounce off a Huskies player allowed the sophomore to unleash an attempt that Huskies keeper Sam Fetzer turned away in the 11th minute.

"I know goals went into our net tonight, but I felt that Sam played really well for us back there,” said Lisota. “None of those goals were on her."

The second corner from the home side provided inspiration for its attack. Serpico, Zimmerman, Catherall, Wala and junior Cami Tofilon added to Hersey’s worries as each in the quintet took advantage of time and used their pace to put the visitors under constant pressure.

The fourth corner led to the opener by Gillespie who ran onto a Serpico serve in the 21st minute and finished high into the back of the net.

Zimmerman, Serpico, and then freshmen Francesca Calderon all forced Fetzer into action during a 10-minute stretch until Zimmerman doubled the Vikings advantage in the 33rd minute.

Serpico and Zimmerman worked together to give Serpico a wonderful strike that hit off the gloves of Fetzer and spilled freely for a sitter that Zimmerman finished easily for a 2-0 lead that carried to halftime.

"We came ready to play tonight,” Zimmerman said. “After that first goal, I felt like we did a lot of really good things with our possession and passing to keep the pressure on them."

"After our good start, then after their first goal, you could see our play fall off a little," said Rusniak. “Fremd is such a good team and just put so much pressure on us and took advantage of our inexperience in spots.”

The first 10 minutes of the second half were even. Both sides created a chance or two. Fremd’s Tofilon went just wide of the back post, and Lisota found the roof of the Vikings net from 22 yards with her left-footer.

A strong, sharp tackle on Serpico by Huskies senior and tri-captain Finley Wilcox dashed the hopes of a third goal from the home side in the 49th minute.

However, the visitors were unable to stop Zimmerman from claiming her brace with an unassisted strike in the 53rd minute.

Hersey junior Gretchen Chianelli, who bagged two goals in tourney play in St. Charles, pulled a goal back in the 55th minute when she finished under Fremd second half keeper Gordon following a Lisota corner.

The Vikings then put to rest any hopes of a comeback from their guests when a Serpico corner sent near the spot ended with Scesniak slotting one home in the 59th minute.

Gillespie added one more 13 minutes from time with a sensational long-range free kick that Fetzer had no chance to turn around.

Gillespie and Zimmerman shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor for their efforts.

"We lost to a very good team tonight," said Lisota. “We all know we're a much better team than we showed, but the work and effort is there. We just need to play more games to get ourselves to where we want to be.”

"Gracie wants to win and help team win more than anything," began Rusniak. "I commend her on her ability to be relentless and always showing her best effort.

“She has taken the burden of our productivity on offense. She could be more selfish when on the ball, but her nature is to be the ultimate teammate who wants to set up her teammates for scoring opportunities.

"We are most fortunate to have her not only as a player, but as a person and great teammate."

The Huskies (2-5-0, 0-1-0) found the perfect tonic for the loss with a 1-0 win over Burlington Central on Thursday in their final game of pool play at the Augsburg-Drach. In a consolation match Saturday, Hersey fell to tourney host St. Charles East 1-0; each of the Huskies losses this season have come against a ranked team.

Fremd will take a week away due to spring break. It will provide time for R & R and rehab time for a couple of players who suffered minor injuries against Hersey.

"It was a good all-around effort tonight," said an upbeat Catherall. “We have very good depth this year. You saw it with players coming off the bench and playing well.”

"We played well the other night against a very good Naperville North team which ended in a (0-0) draw,” said Keller. “I thought there was more purpose in all aspects of the game tonight, which is something that we'll want to build on going forward when we come back from spring break."

Fremd returns to six-consecutive league games when they return to action against Rolling Meadows on April 3, before its Naperville Invitational opener April 18 vs. Lyons at New Trier.

After the break, Hersey returns to five matches in four days. It starts with a visit from league foe Hoffman Estates on April 3, then continues against the host team in the Lake Zurich quad April 4.

Starting lineups

Hersey (4-5-1)
G- Sam Fetzer
D- Sophia Duski
D- Finley Wilcox
D- Natalie Suto
D- Abby Molster
M- Abi Beck
M- Grace Balis
M- Faith Sena
M- Asha Bontje
M- Gretchen Chianelli
F- Gracie Lisota

Fremd (4-3-1-2)
G- Riley Goettsche
D- Lia DiGirolamo
D- Bella Scesniak
D- Gemma Gillespie
D- Maddie McMillan
M- Sami Serpico
M- Sophie Kennedy
M- Cami Tofilon
M- Gwen Zimmerman
F- Ava Catherall
F- Natalia Wala

Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Gemma Gillespie, sr., D/MF, Fremd;
Gwen Zimmerman, so., M/F, Fremd

Referee: Fabio Compo

Scoring summary

First half
Fremd: Gillespie (Serpico) 21'
Fremd: Zimmerman (Serpico) 33'

Second half
Fremd: Zimmerman (unassisted), 53'
Hersey: Chianeli (unassisted), 55'
Fremd: Scesniak (unassisted), 59'
Fremd: Gillespie (free kick) 67'