Lions even their record against visiting Jacobs
By Mike Garofola

 

Two-goal provider Chloe Luthringshausen helped lift Saint Viator into the win column Friday afternoon, a 3-1 victory over visiting Jacobs that helped give the Lions its first victory of the season.

The Lions (1-1-0) bounced back from a less than sparkling effort on Monday against Buffalo Grove on their home pitch at Celtic Park in Palatine. The Lions struck twice after intermission, the first coming when the junior Luthershausen used a magnificent touch to go under Eagles (0-1-0) keeper Alyssa Koeppler, who came off her line to challenge the talented striker at 45 minutes.

"We didn't play very well in our first match of the season, but today you saw how dangerous Chloe can be when she takes people on, and how much better we can play when Katelyn (Hammerlund) runs the show in the middle, and our defense marks and helps build out of the back the way KG (Katie Gavin) did all day," said Lions assistant coach Bryan Dahlquist, filling in for absent head coach Mike Taylor.

Jacobs coach A.J. Cappello was happy with his side's intensity despite the loss.

"Even though we just got outside (with) our training on Tuesday, I thought our effort was very good," Cappello said. "There were a lot of good things to build off of and now we know what to work on and where to make some changes and moves to help sort things out."

The Eagles posted a 20-7-0 record last spring, which included a season-ending 3-0 defeat to Barrington in a regional final.

"We got a little careless with the ball today, more than we should, and it actually cost us on a couple of goals today," Cappello said. "But we also put together some quality possession and moved the ball and created some chances, so again, there were a lot of positive things to take from our first game."

The visitors nearly shocked the home side just moments into this afternoon affair when newcomer Kylie Dennison put Kelly Grady through - whose zig-zag run and carry set her free inside the box - where her resulting strike went wide after a Saint Viator blocked her on-frame attempt.

The Eagels enjoyed the run of play for the most of the opening quarter hour, with Cassidy Sherman, Dennison and Erin Flores, who moved freely from her spot just in front of the Jacobs backline, getting plenty of touches to help keep the Lions defending more than they would have liked.

"I feel like we did some good things today, and I really thought we connected with our passes at times really well, but we'll have to finish our chances much better if we want to win games like this," offered Flores, who along with mates Lauren Grady and Sherman wore the captain's armbands for Cappello.

Whether it was the continued unexpected warm temperatures, or some energy burn-off from its strong opening effort in the first 15 minutes, the visitors began to show a lack of sharpness after their bright start, and that's when the Lions took control.

Hammerlund, Molly McMahon and Erin Renee Murphy became more of a force in the middle, and Luthershausen was the recipient of their combined work.

"When Chloe is aggressive on the ball, and runs at people, she's going to create a lot of opportunities for herself, as well as her teammates," said Dahlquist, himself all-state striker for Tony Kees while prepping at Conant High School, and later at Marquette University.

The junior showed a remarkable touch when she chipped Koeppler to go up and over and into the back of the net at 27 minutes to give the home side its first goal -- and first lead -- of the young season.

Cappello had to enjoy the way his club responded after it conceded the opening goal, as Margaret Rivera -- the owner of a dangeous and deadly right foot used in all of the Eagles set-pieces -- unloaded a 35-yard missile off the glove of Lions keeper Morgan Hess, who turned the near-goal up and over the bar at 29 minutes.

Moments later, Catie Sherman roared up the right side before finding Lauren Grady, who fired at the near post to force another save from Hess that helped keep the Lions in the lead.

Just as the first half came to an end, Hess elevated at the spot to beat Catie Sherman from collecting a well-aimed serve from Kellly Grady. "Morgan had a very strong day for us today," began Dahlquist.

"She used her length to pull balls out of the air, and made a couple of very good saves on quality chances by Jacobs."

The visitors had trouble keeping the ball after the break, and on several occasions, after suffering giveaways in their own end, the Eagles' Rivera-led backline was called upon to tackle or clear their opponents who were buzzing around like hungry bees.

"We'll have to get better with the ball in our own end," admitted Cappello afterwards.

It came as no surprise that more trouble on the ball would cost the Eagles soon, which it did when Murphy gobbled up a loose ball before finding Luthershausen, who again touched under the onrushing Koeppler to give the Lions a 2-goal advantage at 45 minutes.

Protecting a 2-goal lead is always the most difficult task in this sport and Rivera proved why when she drew her club within one goal at 53 minutes.

The junior stepped up and cooly hammered in 22-yard freekick thunderbolt into the upper right corner to electrify the Jacobs fans and her mates, especially Flores.

"Margaret is so dangerous on her kicks. She's going to score a lot of goals like that this year for us," Flores said.

Despite the sensational goal, that would be it for the Eagles.

"We had some trouble sorting things out, and that led to their goal," Dahlquist said. "But after that (Gavin) really got us organized in the back, and in turn, we found (Hammerlund) much more in the middle, and for the rest of the way we played with a purpose and with a lot of confidence."

Gavin doubled the Lions lead at 73 minutes at the end of a patient, well-played build-up which saw Hammerlund, McMahon and Luthershausen all have a touch before watching their teammate finish with a marvelous touch.

"We didn't play very well in our first game, and I think everyone kind of knew it," admitted Hammarlund, who will move on to St. Louis University in the fall to play.

"But this team is so different from last year. We all get along, and there's a real sense of commitment in our training and desire to improve. I really feel in time this team can be very good when we need to be later on."