Red Devils attack well but fall in OT at OPRF
By Gary Larsen

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It’s a cruel sport, that soccer.

Late in the second overtime of a scoreless game between host Oak Park and River Forest and Hinsdale Central, an entire 97 minutes of hard-nosed defensive play and spurts of attacking cohesion culminated in a 50-yard freekick taken by OPRF defender Wren Osler.

An attempted head shot clear by a Red Devils’ player resulted in an own-goal, giving Osler the game-winner. It may not have been an ending suitable for the rugged West Suburban Silver rivalry game, but the Huskies will take it.

"I was just trying to get it as close as I can to the keeper so one of my players can hopefully tip it in," Osler said. "Luckily, one of theirs hit it in. That’s my second goal from almost the same spot, but the first one went right in."

Hinsdale Central coach Michael Smith watched his side attack hard for much of the second half and through the overtime periods. OPRF goalkeeper Katy Oldach was outstanding in handling every freekick and corner kick that Central earned, she made a few outstanding saves, and the Huskies’ Meredith Blatner headed a shot off the goal line in overtime on a shot taken by Central’s Meghan Schick.

"It was a cruel way to lose but we had chances," Smith said. "We just need to be a little more clinical in our finishing. But three or four weeks ago, we weren't even creating those chances so now it's just taking that next step. In the last seven games we've won four, so we're moving forward, and I've told the girls that now it's just the little things.”

In the face of the Red Devils’ pressure down the stretch, OPRF coach Ignacio Ponce got a strong performance from his backline of Osler, Renata Voci, Joy Dennis, and Sanya Ivonovic in the team’s fifth shutout of the season.

 The first-year varsity coach was glad to see the game decided on the field.

"It was back and forth and in the overtime they dominated us," Ponce said. "We had twenty or thirty percent possession and we told the girls we needed to finish the game on the field, and not go to penalty kicks. Because once you go to penalties, it's a fifty-fifty chance and it's anybody's game.

“This was an important game for us in the conference. It keeps us in contention for the conference title."

OPRF improved to 8-6 overall and 3-1 in WSS play, with Proviso West and Lyons Township left to play. LT is 3-0 and York is 3-1 in conference play, while Hinsdale Central is now 4-7-2 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Each team flirted with a few chances through 40 minutes but neither pulled the trigger on a truly dangerous shot. OPRF’s Lauren Wilkes sent a low, hard-hit drive in on Central keeper Riley Glenn at 32 minutes, and both Blatner and Ana Agboola raced into the area after through-balls, only to collide with a charging Glenn.

Glenn had to be carted off the field after colliding with Agboola at 37 minutes, and backup keeper Jenna Blodgett took over in net. Blodgett had not seen much action in net this year, but the sophomore was up for the challenge. "In a difficult situation she put a smile on her face and went on the field and said 'okay, it's me',” Smith said.

After icing her shin and knee through halftime, Glenn returned to the field at the 57-minute mark.

"She iced for a bit, walked around, came up to me and said she was ready to go back in," Smith said. "That's the fighting mentality we need, and that was great, to show her teammates 'you're fighting, so I'm going to come back and fight, too'."

Glenn’s return seemed to lift the Red Devils, who had most of the ball the rest of the way, while the Huskies struggled to find the cohesion in the attack they’d shown in the first half.

"When we had the ball on the ground and we played a little ping-pong, we looked good,” Ponce said. “The second we started playing kickball and playing it in the air, the ball came right back into their attack and we're playing defense again."

Osler pointed to the primary factor at play during the Huskies’ best attacking play on Tuesday. “Movement off the ball. Everyone's got to be moving, playing it on the ground, and looking for the ball," Osler said.

Oldach beat Central’s Alison Cerny to a ball near the post at 58 minutes and Cerny sent a chance wide a minute later. Cerny went wide again from 16 yards out with Oldach sliding out to alter the shot and the Huskies’ senior keeper handled a long but hard-hit shot from Schick at 65 minutes.

The Red Devils earned a pair of corner kicks at 67 minutes, with Oldach stopping a point-blank shot by Central’s Maeve McLaughlin on the first and then punching out the second.

“I grabbed a few today,” Oldach said. "We've definitely gone back and forth this year, in sometimes we'll get locked in our half and not be able to get it out, but once we find that (attacking) rhythm we've been able to keep it going for a little bit.”

Oldach left her line to punch away a corner kick attempt early in the first overtime, leading to Schick’s shot that Blatner headed off the line. The Red Devils continued to pressure into the second overtime, and Oldach saved a nice shot off of Cerny’s foot at the post just before Osler’s game-winner.

"I love making saves. That's my job. But the less, the better, and I have a solid defense this year so I don't have to make as many as I would if they weren't playing as well as they are."

Smith tipped his hat to the game Oldach played on Tuesday.

"I thought their goalie played really well to make sure some of our opportunities didn't result in goals, like the save she made at the post," Smith said. "On some other goalkeepers, that shot might slip in because she doesn't get down fast enough."

The first-year Red Devils coach has seen his side take huge strides this season, with a team that will only graduate two rostered seniors in starting center back Lauren Shroyer and Hadley Harrison. Central’s nine juniors, six sophomores, and six freshmen now have nearly an entire season of seasoning under their belts.

"It's catching them doing the right thing, praising them, and making sure they hear that 'yes, I saw you do that. Now do it again'," Smith said. "It's that consistency and repetition. What I like in the last few games is that -- against Fremd we lost on PKs after double overtime, and here we're in overtime, and these experiences are going to prepare us.

“Alison Cerny is being a player we can count on in the final third, with her movement and pressure, and ability to combine with players. Megan Schick had that great in-swinger and it looked like the game was over, but kudos to them for being disciplined and being where they should have been. I thought Caitlin Smith as a holding mid did a great job by herself, holding down that position, and I thought Maeve McLaughlin did a great job defensively and looking for those wingers today.”

Ponce applauded the play of the steady Oldach and a few other key figures from Tuesday’s win.

"I thought Lauren Wilkes really stepped up today," Ponce said. "She played up front and at midfield and really stepped up for the team and I thought Ruby (Gonzalez) created havoc up top with her speed. I thought the entire back line played well and Sonya Ivonovic probably played sixty-five percent of the game in back and has really played well lately."