Defenses won't rest
when DGN, LWE battle in cola classic
By Nick Kariuki
Lincoln-Way East (9-1-0) and Downers Grove North (2-2-0) will both go into their Pepsico Showdown first round game Saturday confident in their defensive abilities and chances of advancing, despite contrasting starts to their respective seasons.
The Southwest Suburban Conference Red Division Griffins are off to another blazing start, which included a runner-up finish in the 32-team Windy City Ram Classic. The West Suburban Conference Silver Division Trojans have had to endure two successive match cancellations, promptly followed by two very competitive games against Downers Grove South and Lyons (eighth in the latest Chicagoland Soccer Top 25).
Downers Grove North lost both games 1-0.
“I don’t think the two cancellations influenced our two losses, but it would have been nice to get that additional game-time prior to playing our crosstown rivals and a conference game,” Downers Grove North coach Bob Calder said. “We were not full-strength for either of our two losses, not that it would have necessarily changed the outcome. But I like what we bring to the field when everyone is dressed and ready to play.”
The Trojans have since defeated Oak Park and River Forest, which was forced to play with 10 players down the stretch, 4-3 on penalties and faced Riverside-Brookfield on Friday.
Downers Grove North will rely on the the central midfield pair of sophomore Abby Swanson and junior Simone Gardner to provide junior Delaney Forst, now playing in a forward role, with chances to score Saturday.
But Calder says that where his side excels is in goal prevention.
“Our entire team plays excellent defense as a unit of 11 players, but my backline specifically is exceptionally strong,” Calder said. “I do not see any games really getting away from us all season.”
No. 17 Lincoln-Way East has benefitted from keeping a lot of the experience in its varsity line-up, even with the loss of two goalkeepers, including last season’s starter Kimberly Seper, to ACL tears. The side is currently playing with a defensive excellence that coach Brian Papa said he hasn’t had since the program made it to state in 2006.
“That's how much I believe in the girls,” Papa said. “But it's not just the four in the back, or the goalkeeper. It's the whole team. Everybody's bought into what we were telling them and everybody was doing better with their part."
So what could be the difference between these two immovable objects? Possibly tactics.
Calder said that the Trojans aim to play aggressively and apply ball pressure for the majority of the match.
Papa emphasized being prepared to play on the shorter and narrower fields that the match could be assigned to at Schaumburg’s Olympic Park.
“Tomorrow the weather's not supposed to be good," Papa said. "I think the team that can adjust to the weather, the [field] conditions and stay positive, they're going to be the ones that are going to shine."
when DGN, LWE battle in cola classic
By Nick Kariuki
Lincoln-Way East (9-1-0) and Downers Grove North (2-2-0) will both go into their Pepsico Showdown first round game Saturday confident in their defensive abilities and chances of advancing, despite contrasting starts to their respective seasons.
The Southwest Suburban Conference Red Division Griffins are off to another blazing start, which included a runner-up finish in the 32-team Windy City Ram Classic. The West Suburban Conference Silver Division Trojans have had to endure two successive match cancellations, promptly followed by two very competitive games against Downers Grove South and Lyons (eighth in the latest Chicagoland Soccer Top 25).
Downers Grove North lost both games 1-0.
“I don’t think the two cancellations influenced our two losses, but it would have been nice to get that additional game-time prior to playing our crosstown rivals and a conference game,” Downers Grove North coach Bob Calder said. “We were not full-strength for either of our two losses, not that it would have necessarily changed the outcome. But I like what we bring to the field when everyone is dressed and ready to play.”
The Trojans have since defeated Oak Park and River Forest, which was forced to play with 10 players down the stretch, 4-3 on penalties and faced Riverside-Brookfield on Friday.
Downers Grove North will rely on the the central midfield pair of sophomore Abby Swanson and junior Simone Gardner to provide junior Delaney Forst, now playing in a forward role, with chances to score Saturday.
But Calder says that where his side excels is in goal prevention.
“Our entire team plays excellent defense as a unit of 11 players, but my backline specifically is exceptionally strong,” Calder said. “I do not see any games really getting away from us all season.”
No. 17 Lincoln-Way East has benefitted from keeping a lot of the experience in its varsity line-up, even with the loss of two goalkeepers, including last season’s starter Kimberly Seper, to ACL tears. The side is currently playing with a defensive excellence that coach Brian Papa said he hasn’t had since the program made it to state in 2006.
“That's how much I believe in the girls,” Papa said. “But it's not just the four in the back, or the goalkeeper. It's the whole team. Everybody's bought into what we were telling them and everybody was doing better with their part."
So what could be the difference between these two immovable objects? Possibly tactics.
Calder said that the Trojans aim to play aggressively and apply ball pressure for the majority of the match.
Papa emphasized being prepared to play on the shorter and narrower fields that the match could be assigned to at Schaumburg’s Olympic Park.
“Tomorrow the weather's not supposed to be good," Papa said. "I think the team that can adjust to the weather, the [field] conditions and stay positive, they're going to be the ones that are going to shine."
