Better play an emphasis
for Plainfield North, Naperville Central
By Bill Stone
Plainfield North has played just two matches and Naperville Central already five, but they’re sharing the same focus when they meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (March 23) in Naperville.
Improvement.
“We have a very experienced senior group, so the girls have very high expectations for themselves,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe said.
“We just talk about getting better each day, and the results will take care of themselves.”
The Tigers (2-0-0), ranked no. 4 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, not only are undefeated but unscored upon after shutting out Lane 5-0 March 15 and Metea Valley 3-0 March 17 at home.
The no. 19 Redhawks (2-1-2) tied Metea 1-1 Monday in their DuPage Valley Conference opener in Naperville. DVC games end in ties if neither team scores during two additional 10-minute, sudden death periods.
Senior Ryan Dudycha tied the score roughly midway through the second half when she converted a penalty kick created when senior Kayla Burke pressed a defender and generated a foul inside the box.
“It’s a great opportunity to see where we’re at. When you play good teams, you learn some things about yourself,” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said about Wednesday’s matchup.
“We’re still rounding out the way we need to play. As a coaching staff, we’re starting to figure out who we are and who needs to be where. They’ll certainly give our defense an opportunity to deal with issues, which is good.”
Plainfield North has seven returning starters, led by 2015 All-Southwest
Prairie Conference players and captains Sam Elster, Reyse Stirrett and Emily DeVaux.
Midfielders Elster and Stirrett were all-sectional and all-sectional
honorable mention selections respectively. Also back are senior goalie Emma Veselsky, seniors Abby Gustafson and DeVaux on defense and juniors Megan Breier and Jessica Christmas at forward. Senior Tate Barney, all-conference in 2014, returns after playing club soccer last season.
“I have been very pleased with our first two games. We looked better in the second game so we were happy with the improvement in just that short amount of time,” Crowe said.
The defense has been solid thanks to the midfield work of Elster, Stirrett and Barney and back four of DeVaux, Gustafson, senior Dana O’Boye and sophomore Kaitlyn Mauder. This is O’Boye's first high-school season after exclusively playing club. Veselsky and junior Erin Kuyawa have been splitting time in the net.
Crowe also has been encouraged that there have been six different goal scorers. Freshman Molly Grant and Christmas each have two goals and Breier has four assists.
“We try not to worry about wins and losses at this point in the season. We want to continue to work on the things that we have been focusing on in practice,” Crowe said. “Naperville Central is always a good measuring stick for us early in the season. We always look forward to a great, competitive game with them.”
The less-experienced Redhawks are playing their second Chicagoland Soccer top 20 opponent after a 1-0 loss to no. 18 Oak Park and River Forest in their March 14 opener. They continue to look for overall consistency and increased offensive aggressiveness.
Watson said the team’s biggest “preseason game” was Monday against Metea Valley because it was their only conference game prior to spring break.
The Redhawks more held their own in overall shots, but Metea Valley’s goal by DePaul recruit Jade Eriksen-Russo came just eight seconds before halftime on a half-turn blast.
“We battled. We linked passes together. We had opportunities,” Watson said. “We just don’t generate enough shots for our opportunities to be legitimate goal-scoring chances.
"We get to the defensive third and for some reason we think we’re going to get a better chance, and we don’t take the opportunity we have. We have to make a better point of emphasis of better shots.”
Watson praised the season-long defensive efforts of senior center back Isabel Reedy and junior goalie Kinzly Dressler, who thwarted a semi-breakaway Monday and diffused a couple of other dangerous attacks.
“It was one of those where sometimes the goalkeeper plays real well and doesn’t get the shutout, doesn’t get a win,” Watson said.
The Redhawks outscored Young and Granite City by a combined 11-1 in their victories. They allowed just two goals in their loss and ties. Dudycha’s PK was a high point.
“That, as a coach, to me, is one of those fun moments. Who wants that shot? (Dudycha) stepped up and was willing to do it,” Watson said. “She’s doing exactly what we want out of our forward position.
"She’s holding and getting us out of our end with possession. She’s one that probably needs to be looking for her own shots a little bit more. But in terms of our first week-plus, she’s been everything we’d hoped she could be from the perspective of giving us possession and being a big, strong target.”
for Plainfield North, Naperville Central
By Bill Stone
Plainfield North has played just two matches and Naperville Central already five, but they’re sharing the same focus when they meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (March 23) in Naperville.
Improvement.
“We have a very experienced senior group, so the girls have very high expectations for themselves,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe said.
“We just talk about getting better each day, and the results will take care of themselves.”
The Tigers (2-0-0), ranked no. 4 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, not only are undefeated but unscored upon after shutting out Lane 5-0 March 15 and Metea Valley 3-0 March 17 at home.
The no. 19 Redhawks (2-1-2) tied Metea 1-1 Monday in their DuPage Valley Conference opener in Naperville. DVC games end in ties if neither team scores during two additional 10-minute, sudden death periods.
Senior Ryan Dudycha tied the score roughly midway through the second half when she converted a penalty kick created when senior Kayla Burke pressed a defender and generated a foul inside the box.
“It’s a great opportunity to see where we’re at. When you play good teams, you learn some things about yourself,” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said about Wednesday’s matchup.
“We’re still rounding out the way we need to play. As a coaching staff, we’re starting to figure out who we are and who needs to be where. They’ll certainly give our defense an opportunity to deal with issues, which is good.”
Plainfield North has seven returning starters, led by 2015 All-Southwest
Prairie Conference players and captains Sam Elster, Reyse Stirrett and Emily DeVaux.
Midfielders Elster and Stirrett were all-sectional and all-sectional
honorable mention selections respectively. Also back are senior goalie Emma Veselsky, seniors Abby Gustafson and DeVaux on defense and juniors Megan Breier and Jessica Christmas at forward. Senior Tate Barney, all-conference in 2014, returns after playing club soccer last season.
“I have been very pleased with our first two games. We looked better in the second game so we were happy with the improvement in just that short amount of time,” Crowe said.
The defense has been solid thanks to the midfield work of Elster, Stirrett and Barney and back four of DeVaux, Gustafson, senior Dana O’Boye and sophomore Kaitlyn Mauder. This is O’Boye's first high-school season after exclusively playing club. Veselsky and junior Erin Kuyawa have been splitting time in the net.
Crowe also has been encouraged that there have been six different goal scorers. Freshman Molly Grant and Christmas each have two goals and Breier has four assists.
“We try not to worry about wins and losses at this point in the season. We want to continue to work on the things that we have been focusing on in practice,” Crowe said. “Naperville Central is always a good measuring stick for us early in the season. We always look forward to a great, competitive game with them.”
The less-experienced Redhawks are playing their second Chicagoland Soccer top 20 opponent after a 1-0 loss to no. 18 Oak Park and River Forest in their March 14 opener. They continue to look for overall consistency and increased offensive aggressiveness.
Watson said the team’s biggest “preseason game” was Monday against Metea Valley because it was their only conference game prior to spring break.
The Redhawks more held their own in overall shots, but Metea Valley’s goal by DePaul recruit Jade Eriksen-Russo came just eight seconds before halftime on a half-turn blast.
“We battled. We linked passes together. We had opportunities,” Watson said. “We just don’t generate enough shots for our opportunities to be legitimate goal-scoring chances.
"We get to the defensive third and for some reason we think we’re going to get a better chance, and we don’t take the opportunity we have. We have to make a better point of emphasis of better shots.”
Watson praised the season-long defensive efforts of senior center back Isabel Reedy and junior goalie Kinzly Dressler, who thwarted a semi-breakaway Monday and diffused a couple of other dangerous attacks.
“It was one of those where sometimes the goalkeeper plays real well and doesn’t get the shutout, doesn’t get a win,” Watson said.
The Redhawks outscored Young and Granite City by a combined 11-1 in their victories. They allowed just two goals in their loss and ties. Dudycha’s PK was a high point.
“That, as a coach, to me, is one of those fun moments. Who wants that shot? (Dudycha) stepped up and was willing to do it,” Watson said. “She’s doing exactly what we want out of our forward position.
"She’s holding and getting us out of our end with possession. She’s one that probably needs to be looking for her own shots a little bit more. But in terms of our first week-plus, she’s been everything we’d hoped she could be from the perspective of giving us possession and being a big, strong target.”