Cougars shut out Panthers to advance to regional finals

By Darryl Mellema

By now, everyone is aware Conant's team is chock full of young players, including some who made their first appearance in the IHSA playoffs on Tuesday against Glenbard North.

The Cougars didn't suffer from any stage fright, however, in the semifinal match of the Class 3A St. Charles East Regional.

In fact, one of the team's freshmen, Alyssa Altosino, scored two goals to help her team to a 3-0 victory.

Sophomore Sam Armando scored the Cougars' other goal as they ultimately claimed a comfortable opening-round victory.

"(Altosino) doesn't score too many goals for us," Conant coach Jason Franco said.

"Courtney (Raetzman) and Caitlin (Chiero) scored almost all of our goals this year. We had somebody else step up today, and that was nice.”

Glenbard North (8-14-1) made life difficult for Conant (10-5-3).

Even in the second half, when the Cougars began to run roughshod with possession and chances to score, Panthers goalie Lindsay Taylor stood tall time and again to keep the match close.

"I knew that Glenbard North played in a tough conference," Franco said. "Even though they were the lower seed and all that, there's no easy games in the 3A playoffs.

"Teams will struggle on a day like today, especially on a surface like we played on. We wanted to get to the championship game and see what we can do."

Conant dominated proceedings through the match but came off the field at halftime still tied 0-0 after battling strong winds and St. Charles East's bumpy grass field.

The match was the third on natural grass this season for the Cougars (10-5-3.) They return to Norris Stadium on Saturday for the title match against the host Saints, who won 1-0 over Wheaton North.

"After the first half, we were all pretty frustrated with the wind," Altosino said. "It was tough to control the ball on the grass. But we stepped it up in the second half and got over our frustrations."

The second half was an upward progression as an abundance of possession finally turned into shots and goals for the Cougars.

"I thought in the second half, we did a good job of coming out and being consistent on the ball and finally finishing some chances," Franco said. "It was consistent effort, for sure, by our girls."

Sam Armando broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second half when she latched onto a loose ball eight yards from goal in the center of the penalty area and her curling effort hit the left side netting.

"I actually thought (Kaitlin) Chiero was going to run through and slot it," Franco said. "But (Armando) got her foot on it and poked it in. It was a nice finish. She's scored a couple of those for us this year."

It would be easy to say that Armando's goal relaxed the Cougars, but they seemed confident moving toward goal even before that point.

What did happen was that Conant's movement seemed to acquire a more goal-scoring edge as the final half-hour of play progressed.

"That sort of unlocked it, got the lid off – those sort of phrases," Franco said.

Altosino's first goal came with 11 minutes left, a shot from the top of the penalty area high toward the net.

It was the sort of shot that often troubles goalkeepers, especially with the wind whipping around Norris Stadium, and the shot soared to the back of the net.

"Especially with the wind at your back, you want to get the ball up in the air and see if the keeper can handle something like that," Franco said. "Most can't, so it was definitely well-placed."

The third goal came from a free kick just outside the penalty area with four minutes left.

With most on the field thinking Kelsey Foss would shoot on goal, the Conant sophomore passed on the ground, around Glenbard North's wall, to Altosino, who knocked in from close range.

"I tell the kids to be soccer brains," Franco said. "I don't want them to be just robots that run plays. If it's 'on,' I want them to try things. (Foss) said she saw (Altosino) open so she slotted it through."

The two-goal effort was Altosino's best of the season.

"It feels good to come through on a night where we needed to win," Altosino said. "I thought it was good to contribute to the team to help them to keep moving on."

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