DEERFIELD — Notching a goal and assist, and brawling in the same hockey game was coined a “Gordie Howe hat-trick” by a New York sportswriter in the 1950s.

Moments after Deerfield senior midfielder Emily Fox concluded a memorable feat — the Saint Louis commit struck for every goal in the Warriors’ 4-0 defeat of visiting University (Chicago) on Saturday morning — Deerfield coach Rich Grady tried his luck in the field of sports-term coinage after the resplendent hat-trick, plus-one, at Adams Field.

“That,” Grady announced, “was a Fox-trick.”

It was an amazing sight to see.

Fox scored twice in each half. Her goals included a penalty kick in the first half and a free kick in the second. The two-time 
Chicagoland Soccer all-stater used her right foot to tally the first of her two scores in the run of play, and her left foot to net the other.

Had a spectator shouted “Not fair!” after Fox completed her haul in the 45th minute, heads galore would have nodded.

“She’s explosive on the ball, with rocket-like shots,” University (Chicago) junior midfielder Lucy Aronsohn said. “You’re not supposed to be as good with the left foot, but she is.”

“Amazing,” Deerfield freshman back Addy Margulis said.

“Technical,” added Deerfield senior back and Washington (St. Louis) University-bound Addison Soroka.

Deerfield traveled to Chicago to take on the Maroons last spring. The Warriors won 1-0 on a free kick goal by guess who. Yes, Miss Fox.

“She’s a special player,” Grady said after his side — ranked no. 23 in Chicagoland Soccer’s Top 25 poll — improved to 14-5-2. “Emily sees things in games that many other players do not.”

The humble Fox doesn’t just capitalize on opportunities to fray nets. She also likes to seize the chance to praise teammates.

Margulis and Soroka flanked Fox after the matchup in balmy conditions. Fox perked up when she was asked to assess others.

“Addy puts her body on the line for us defensively, and Addison does such a good job getting the ball to her midfielders,” said Fox, the slam-dunk choice for Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match.

“They’re insanely good. I’m so confident in all of our backs (defenders Sam Block and Sophia Peiser also started against the Maroons on Saturday).

“They all stick together,” she added.

Both squads were not at full strength. Warriors senior goalkeeper Lauren Gottlieb, a Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List selectee last summer, was in Ann Arbor attending her brother’s graduation at the University of Michigan.

University senior keeper Olivia Quiles sat out with an injury incurred in the Maroons’ 2-1 defeat of previously undefeated Willows — which was ranked no. 1 in the Chicagoland Soccer Class A Super 7 poll — on Thursday.

Starting University (Chicago) backs Poppy Beiser and Isolde LaCroix-Birdthistle also missed Saturday’s action due to injuries suffered vs. Willows.

“We’d circled this game, because we were fully excited to play a strong (Class AA team) like Deerfield’s,” said Maroons coach Josh Potter, whose Independent School League championship club (9-3-1, 7-0-0) was ranked no. 4 in the Class A Super 7 list. 

“You want to measure yourselves in a game like this. But this was tough, not having everybody available on a warm day and getting called for a handball so early (in the second minute).

“No excuses,” he continued. “We wanted to play this game, and we’re looking forward to seeing the game film and learning something from it.”

Only 78 seconds had elapsed when a Maroon got whistled for violation in the box that led to Fox’s penalty kick.

Sharp passes from Soroka and reserve Cassidy Stormoen, a senior back/midfielder, preceded Fox’s second goal 18 minutes later.

Fox fielded Stormoen’s far-post cross and tapped a right- footed, four-yard shot past junior keeper Juana diSabato (eight saves).

Shortly thereafter, diSabato injured a leg while defending a Fox/Jessie Fisher rush but stayed in goal for the rest of the match. She battled on while limping noticeably.

Fox scored her second half goals less than two minutes apart. Her 32-yard free kick in minute 43 soared over DiSabato’s left hand and just under the crossbar. Fox then controlled a feed from Fisher near the spot of the FK and hammered a 27-yard, left-footed laser over the keeper’s hands.

That upped her goal total in ’24 to 23. The program’s leader in career goals totaled 29 for the Warriors’ Class AA sectional qualifier last spring.

Deerfield freshman keeper Ava Peiser (three saves) started her second game and improved to 2-0-0. Senior team manager Carly Schwartz, who will enroll at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland this fall, was promoted to senior goalkeeper Carly Schwartz for the final eight-plus minutes Saturday.

“We did some good things against a very good, competitive team,” Grady said. “Those second-half goals were big. I was really happy with the play of our players who got more minutes today than they normally do.”

Deerfield wraps up its regular-season with a pair of road games this week, facing Maine East at 7 p.m. Tuesday and no. 22 Warren at 6:45 p.m. Thursday. University, the no. 2 seed in the Herscher Sectional Sub-sectional A hosts Hope in its regular-season finale at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Footnotes

Grady returned to Adams Field after fielding postgame questions Saturday for a workout with his son Ryan, a Deerfield alumnus and recent Middlebury (Vermont) College graduate. The standout NCAA Division III goalkeeper plays for Chicago House AC, a semi-professional team in the Midwest Premier League. Ryan Crane, one of Rich Grady’s varsity assistants and Deerfield’s head boys coach, served as boys keeper coach when Ryan Grady protected the net for the Warriors. … Twelve seconds in Saturday afternoon, play had to be halted for an unusual reason. The seconds on the scoreboard’s clock ascended instead of descended after the kickoff. So instead of the readout showing 39:48, it read 40:12. The reason? The timer hadn’t been taken out of track-meet mode. … Potter, on Aronsohn: “She’s a crafty and intelligent midfielder. Her energy never lacks, whether we’re up by four goals or down by four goals, and she’s always ready to go. I like her consistency.” … Margulis, on how welcoming her teammates have been in her freshman year at Deerfield: “They give me rides. I get to hang out with them. I can’t wait to play in my first playoff game.” … Deerfield earned the no. 2 seed in its AA sectional. The Warriors open their postseason against the winner of Chicago schools Northtown and Northside in a Vernon Hills Regional semifinal at 5 p.m. May 14.

Starting lineups

University (Chicago)
GK Juana diSabato
D Haley Sturgill
D Orly Eggener
D Stella Sturgill
MF Ana Rossi
D Sohana Schneider
MF Devyn Moubayed
MF Lucy Aronsohn
MF Norie Kaufman-Sites
F Leyla Yates
F Elspeth LaCroix-Birdthistle

Deerfield
GK Ava Peiser
D Sophia Peiser
D Addy Margulis
D Addison Soroka
D Sam Block
MF Jessie Fisher
MF Emily Fox
MF Ruby Levy
MF Avery Kingsepp
F Leah Cohen
F Ryane Emory

Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Emily Fox, sr., MF,
Deerfield

Scoring summary

First half
Deerfield — Fox (PK), 2’
Deerfield — Fox (Soroka, Stormoen), 20’

Second half
Deerfield — Fox (FK), 43’
Deerfield — Fox (Fisher), 45’