Short-handed Corsairs suffer initial setback to Huskies

 

 

By Mike Garofola

Don't let the final result fool you - it won't mislead managers Brad Abel and John Halloran.

Hersey defeated visiting Carmel 3-0 on a bright, but chilly Thursday afternoon in Arlington Heights, in a nonconference match which was originally part of the Corsairs tournament in the opening week, but was moved to the Roland Goins Stadium with field conditions back in Mundelein less than desirable.

"It was a good test, against a very good, and well-coached team, and it's always a positive when you win. But we impressed upon the girls that's all it was - and not to take anyting in the fact that we beat a previously undefeated team," offered Hersey's Abel.

The Huskies manager knew full well that Halloran wouldn't have his best first-11 on the pitch, with minor injuries and an important East Suburban Catholic Conference match with rival Nazareth this coming Saturday.

"John's team plays so hard, and you can see, even with Meegan (Johnston) and (others) that they play the game, are organized, work hard, and really get at you defensively," continued Abel, whose team is 10-3-3 this season.

"But it's still a different team without those 3-4 players sitting, so it's all about keeping (it) in perspective, and again, we got the victory, but we know there's a lot of work still to do, and we saw a few other things Chris (Cassidy, Hersey assistant) and I will get after in training tomorrow."

The Corsairs (9-1-0) have had an interesting couple of days on the road.

On Wednesday, the club made a trip to Joliet Catholic for an ESCC contest - returning at 10:00 p.m. that night, then turning around on Thursday to jump on a bus (albeit a late one) to play Hersey.

"That trip to Joliet from Mundelein is always a grueling one, and today, when the decision was made to move sites, we finally got on our bus at 4:30-4:45 - then try to get here for a 5:00 game," said Halloran, who sounded exhausted just replaying the last 24 hours for his club.

"We were a little flat in the first part of our game with Joliet, but still got the job done, (so) we decided to rest a few players who are a not quite 100 percent (because) with all due respect to Brad and his girls, Nazareth is the focus right now."

The Corsairs can be seen sitting atop the ESCC at 4-0-0, and truly control their own destiny in their search to lift the first outright trophy since 2008. The club shared the title in 2009 with Joliet Catholic.

"Nazareth pretty much ended our chances for a conference title when they beat us 2-1 last year, and I have to say a lot of us are still a little bitter with it all," said senior Maggie Avampato, who was in Halloran's first-11, as always, and played the better part of an hour before being brought off for good.

"We all know what we have to do this Saturday, and we also know a win puts us in very good shape for that title. We've already put Benet and St. Viator down, two of our biggest rivals, so we're all really focused on (Nazareth) and a good result against them."

Avampato, Kayla Handel, Emily Helle and Jen Capparelli have been instrumental in the Corsairs marvelous start, one that has conceded just seven goals on the season.

But they would find themselves under pressure in the early going with the home side aiming to pick up where it left off one day earlier when it overwhelmed MSL rival Rolling Meadows 5-0, winning for the ninth time in its last 12 matches, with a pair of draws.

"We started really well today, but we didn't stay that way all the way through," admitted Sara Magnuson.

Magnuson is part of a wonderful story of success which evolved once Abel installed the then-freshmen, along with another rookie, Kayla Knauss, into the backline, alongside senior Emily Moody, and just behind standout Olivia Stasiuk last season.

The quartet would allow a stingy 18 goals in 24 matches, and would continue this type of play in 2013, despite the loss of Stasiuk and Moody to college.

"We get along, and communicate really well, and once we learned to stay organized, keep our shape and rotate and move like we should, we've done pretty well for ourselves this year," continued Magnuson.

Pretty well?

Magnuson, Knauss, Megan Brant and Anne Korff have conceded just 10 goals since their season opener with state power Buffalo Grove, with nine clean-sheets during that same time.

"That game with Buffalo Grove was ugly," said Magnuson, rolling her eyes. "But we've tightened things up since then."

It was mostly one-way traffic for the Huskies, who enjoyed the run of play during the first 15-20 minutes, to keep an overworked Capparelli, Helle, Claire Ogrinc and Katie Larson on the alert.

Lauren Gierman, Casey Weyhrich, Abby Wendell, Kaitlyn Smetana and Amy Kappelman made themselves pests for most of that initial opening quarter hour, and despite some good ball movement, which stretched the Corsairs in their own end, this group was only able to get a few decent cracks at keeper Jenna Bauer, who stayed on until Halloran brought rookie keeper MacKenzie Burns in at 32 minutes.

On the other end, the visitors had trouble mustering much in their own attack, obviously made more difficult with the absence of the aforementioned Johnston, along with mates Elizabeth Bream and Bri Carlson, who combined have nearly 30 goals between them, while bringing all sorts of all-star pace and energy whenever they step foot onto the pitch.

Burns would save an attempt from Jessica Schmidt at the spot after a long throw from Gierman, then confidently pull down a shot from Gierman moments later to start the second period.

Weyhrich was brought down in the box in the 46th minute, and Gierman would easily convert her spot-kick for her 11th goal of the season.

But the Corsair newcomers brought the club back almost immediately, and if not for a point-blank save near the edge from Huskies keeper Morgan Harris on Jenny Doyle, the visitors could have equalized at 49 minutes.

"It was good for us to get our underclassmen some time against a quality opponent, and to see them play with energy, while doing some good things on both sides of the ball," began Halloran.

"It's kind of like planting trees with these young players. It's all about what we (see) from there as we look to next year, then the year after, and the experience they gained playing a team like Hersey could go a long way in their development, as well as our program."

The hosts looked vulnerable at times in the second period, squandering possession far too easily when pressured - and struggled to test stand-in Burns - instead forced into defending with the likes of Doyle and Quinua Phillips leading the charge.

"We looked and played tired," admitted Abel afterwards.

"Maybe three games in three days caught up to us, but some of that was with the way (Carmel) played. Their new kids played with a lot of energy, and we didn't respond to it as well as we should have."

The Huskies would finally put some distance between them and their guests when Weyhrich fired a shot off the gloves of Burns after Gierman, Wendell and Magnuson all contributed with a patient buildup to help the senior score her 10th of the season.

An error along the back allowed Wendell's 35-yard serve to bound up and over Burns for an own goal at 76 minutes to close out the Corsairs for good.

It was the second time in as many games that Wendell initiated an own goal after a well-aimed serve.

"It was a good tune-up for us, and I hope Brad as well," Halloran would say afterwards."It's always great to play a team like Hersey - who knows, maybe we see them again later."

Halloran was alluding to the fact that his club was named the No. 2 seed in the Mundelein sectional, Hersey No. 3, meaning a potential post-season showdown could happen.

"Carmel is very good - and nobody wants to play a team like them (now) or in the playoffs, but obviously we would like the chance to be playing that late in the season, and against someone like them," added Abel.