NORTHFIELD -- On the night that New Trier honored legendary manager Jim Burnside for his 600 career wins, freshman keeper Annie Fowler grabbed the spotlight when her team and coach needed her the most.

After 64 minutes of play, Glenbrook South’s Claire Baim stepped up to the penalty marker to try to put her team ahead and give the Titans the chance for their first non-loss to the Trevians since 2019 (a 1-1 tie). 

The 5-foot-9-inch Fowler, who earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor, crushed that hope with a diving save to preserve a 0–0 tie in the teams’ final Central Suburban League South Division match of the season.

“When a PK happens, I try to get excited about it. It’s kind of a 60-40 ball where the goalkeeper doesn’t have the leg up,” she said. “I try not to have any expectations.

“A lot of time what I look for is their hips. If they have their hips open, I know they’re going across their body. That’s what I look for. I saw her do that, so I knew she was going to go cross.”

First-year Glenbrook South manager Cassidy Price was encouraged with the way her team faced off against the perennially strong Trevians.

“We came to their house where they’re dominant; we let them run their corner plays, which they’re phenomenal at. They’re a strong, athletic team, and we didn’t let that phase us,” she said. “I had a lot of girls that played 80 minutes today and asked them to give me everything. And they did.

“We had a PK and didn’t convert, so what? It’s not something I’m going to hang my head on, because they did everything I asked. They moved the ball, they caused havoc. I thought they moved the ball so, so well. And New Trier’s a great, great team: their keeper is fantastic; their defense locks things up.

“But I told them, I don’t care what the score is at the end of the game. I want you to play your brand of soccer, and we did.”

This week has been a demanding one for Glenbrook South, the 10th-ranked team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The Titans fell to no. 5 and newly crowned South Division champion Evanston earlier in the week, before facing fourth-ranked New Trier.

But Price and goalkeeper Lyndsey Mack know these are the types of games that help prepare a squad for a deep run into the state tournament.

“We played Lockport, they’re a phenomenal team, and when we played Evanston, they’re really good too. I’ve known this from the beginning, but we can play with the big dogs,” Price said. “We are a big dog in my opinion. And I think there’s been a long time since this program has had that distinction. So, what we learned is if we play our game, we can play with anybody.

“And in fact, I think people have to play with us.”

“We’ve learned that no matter what’s thrown at us, win, loss, tie, it makes us stronger,” Mack said. “After the loss to Evanston it gave us a lot of fuel, a lot of fire, and that’s what helped today.”

The match marked the third game in four days for New Trier. 

The Trevians took down no. 7 Benet in the Naperville Invitational title game Monday before defeating Maine South on Tuesday. 

Something that Burnside mentioned after Monday’s game was that this year’s squad has a lot of fun.

“This team loves to come out and play. This team loves to come out and compete. They love to come out and just be together, and that’s why it’s fun” the New Trier manager said. “If a group of kids buy-in to what we’re asking them to do, we can’t ask for anything more. And that’s fun.”

"That was a great game,” New Trier’s Annie Paden said. “They’re probably one of the best teams we’ve played. Yeah, we want to win, but we’re going to use this as a learning opportunity. 

“The wins count in the postseason. At the end of the day, we try to build that mentality. Ties are annoying, but that was really good competition.

“This year we’ve had a collective goal to kick some butt, go out there and work hard not only in the game but in practice. As we’re getting better and improving, the serious fun is there.”

Fowler wasn’t the only one who had a good game in net. 

Glenbrook South, which has been rotating between Mack and Mikayla Morse, has allowed more than one goal in only three of its 18 games, while compiling nine clean-sheets.

A lot of that is due to the play of the Titans’ backline, as well as experience. Mack is in her third year in the varsity squad.

“It comes down to practice,” Price said. “When great players get tired, what do they fall back on? Their routines, their habits, their practices. These girls come out and they practice hard, pay attention to film and the game plans and they do it.”
 
“Communication in the back was really key today, especially when they were coming at us hard,” Mack said. “We watched a lot of their film, studied up.”

Both teams had their opportunities and controlled play for stretches throughout the match but neither was able to take advantage of those. 

The Trevians earned four free kicks and three corners in the second half, but each time the Glenbrook South defense stood tall. 

“We saw that they have a common play they run, and we set up the backline in a way where when they run onto us, we’re ready for it,” Mack said. “I trust my backline and the people guarding people that they’ll clear it or I’ll save it.”

New Trier had a quality chance in the closing six minutes when Annie Paden served up a corner into the box, but Charlotte Dellin’s header sailed just high. It was the Trevians’ second-best chance at a goal in the half after an earlier shot hit the crossbar and sailed out of bounds.

“That was a great game to prep us for the postseason, put pressure on us and know that we’re ok,” Burnside said. 

Both teams now prepare for the stretch run of the regular-season and the postseason. Each earned a the top seed in their respective sectionals, the Titans at Hersey and the Trevians in the sectional they host.

Game notes

Burnside won his 600th-career match Monday in the win over Benet. That made him only the second girls soccer coach in Illinois history to reach the mark, joining retired Notre Dame (Quincy) mentor Mark Longo (608 wins). Included among Burnside’s 600 wins are six state titles, three state runnerup finishes and three third place finishes.

“You’ve got to have a really good family, really good players, really good parents, administrators, pick the right assistant coaches,” Burnside said. “And you’re just around a long time and have fun doing it.”

Players like Paden have had a big influence on the program. The senior, who has been on the varsity squad for all four years, has been a part of 70 of those wins through Thursday’s game.

Like many of the players before her, she knows that it’s her manager that has not only elevated the program to where it’s at now, but also built a culture around the program that makes players to be proud a part of it.

“He’s built this program for 20-plus years and deserves the 600 wins,” she said. “To be a part of it … we’re along for the ride. Since my freshman year it’s been go, go, go, get the win. If you can’t get the win, what can we do next time to get closer. 

“It’s the hunger, it’s his hunger. The coaches pushing us. Honestly, winning is talent, but it’s also heart. And he puts the heart in all of us.”

Starting lineups

Glenbrook South
GK: Mikayla Morse
D: Lindsey Ciss
D: Adyson Clemen
D: Emily Schultz
D: Avery Splear
MF: Katie Condon
MF: Claire Baim
MF: Olivia Ollmert
MF: Sophie Piekarski
F: Sofia Sommer
F: Megan Murray

New Trier
GK: Annie Fowler
D: Kennedy Colegrove
D: Clara Deliduka
D: Honor Dold
D: Basie Shannon
MF: Josie Noble
MF: Annie Paden
MF: Addy Randall
MF: Sybil Evans
F: Charlotte Dellin
F: Jamie Elias

Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Annie Fowler, fr., GK, New Trier
 

Scoring summary

First half
No scoring

Second half
No scoring