Spartans top Montini, prepare for tough week ahead

 

By Matt Le Cren
Photos courtesy of Chris Konchel

St. Francis has been eagerly awaiting next Tuesday’s home game with archrival Wheaton Academy.

But after starting the season with three consecutive losses, Spartans coach Kristin Keigley has been stressing the need to take care of business in winnable games leading up to the Wheaton Academy match.

The Spartans have done just that. St. Francis extended its winning streak to three games and reached the .500 mark for the first time by knocking off Montini 3-0 Thursday in Suburban Christian Conference action in Lombard.

The Spartans (3-3, 2-0) were solid in all phases of the game despite having only 10 minutes to warm up after their bus arrived late.

“We did a great job,” senior midfielder Michael Vale said. “We were afraid since we came late to the game that we wouldn’t be focused, but we were able to get it together.”

Vale had a goal and an assist in the second half as the visitors broke open what had been an evenly played contest in the first half. He bumped the lead to 2-0 with 29:53 left in the game when he intercepted a pass meant for Montini goalie Ryan Casey, shook off a collision with Casey and scored into the empty net.

Six minutes later, Vale sent a pass from the middle of the field to Wes Dorman on the left wing. Dorman made a move to the inside on his defender and appeared set to shoot to the far post, but he pulled it back and rolled a shot inside the left post after he saw Casey commit to cover the other side.

The Spartans continued to pressure the Montini defense, outshooting the Broncos 15-7 after intermission after each side had seven shots in the first half. Andres Pena scored the only goal of the first half for the visitors 5:15 into the contest.

“We were pressing with our defense a lot more,” Vale said. “We just settled down a little bit. We took our time. I think we were rushing a little too much in the first half.”

The defense recorded its first shutout of the season and ironically it was Dorman, one of the team’s best offensive players, who played a crucial role.

Montini (0-5, 0-1) looked as if it would get on the board when it was awarded a penalty kick after St. Francis goalie Ryan Suerte was called for a foul in the box on a big collision with a Montini player.

Suerte was given a yellow card on the play, meaning he was required to come out of the game until the next time the ball went out of bounds. Suerte was replaced by Dorman, who dove to his left to stop Zander Carpanzano’s penalty kick.

Dorman, who plays goalie for his club team but prefers to play the field during the high school season, is now 5-for-5 in stopping penalty kicks during his prep career.

"He hasn’t given up a penalty kick in three years,” Vale said. “That’s his specialty. We actually had no doubt – we knew he’d save it.”

“It was a good thing he was in goal for that situation,” Suerte said. “We got the better draw out of it.”

Suerte, who came back in three minutes later and finished with six saves, said he did not intentionally foul the Montini player after he rushed off his line to get to a loose ball near the top of the box.

“I came out crazy,” Suerte said. “I was trying to protect myself because if I didn’t go in hard enough, I would have gotten hurt. One of us was going to get hurt. I got the ball, but it just so happens that the ref thought it was on purpose that I went out and hit the kid.”

Suerte was especially pleased with getting the shutout. After giving up nine goals in the first three games, the Spartans’ defense has given up just two in its last three starts.

"To me, that’s the main thing,” Suerte said. “Our flat-back four has been getting better, so [that means we’ve had] better communication.

“I’m proud of Matt Bonner and David Kaminky for their hard work in the middle. They’re the two stoppers in the back. And Andy Wood is a playmaker. For his size and his aggressiveness to win that ball, he’s amazing. I know Andy will win the ball when that ball is in the air. On 50-50 balls in the air I think we were excellent today.”

After a trip to Joliet Catholic on Saturday, the Spartans will host Wheaton and Marmion next week. Suerte believes those two games will determine who will win the conference.

“Those are big games and we look forward to those every season and we’re going to be gunning for those teams,” Vale said. “I’m very confident and I think my team is too.”

Keigley, who told her squad she was pleased it kept its intensity level high throughout the match, is optimistic.

“I think we’re ready,” she said. “We’re getting back some of our injured players who will help our bench out, so I think we’ll be good. The boys are pumped for Wheaton Academy.”