Panthers open up hectic week with loss to Phoenix

By Eddie Burns

For Oswego coach Jamie Bartkowiak, this was hardly the start she had envisioned to a potentially big week.

The Panthers, who are in the midst of playing four matches in five days, including three straight, kicked things off against Lincoln-Way North on Tuesday.

Although host Oswego played well at times, it got off to a slow start and that proved to be costly as it dropped a 2-0 decision in a Pepsi Showdown match.

"I've never had that as a coach or as a player – to play three games in three days during the regular season," Bartkowiak said.

The Panthers (1-3) entered the week having played three matches, but by Saturday they will have played seven.

"It is rough when our opponents have played twice as many games as we have," Bartkowiak said. "You can see it because we are a step behind in our tactics compared to everyone else and it is rough. We were the better team today, but we just didn't get it done."

Bartkowiak admitted the Panthers did not play that well in the opening half.

"My girls were slow today," she said. "We were caught standing a lot in the first half. It was not good. We started to pick it up in the second half.

"In the last 10 minutes, we started to play like we’re more capable of, but it can't take 70 minutes to get going. That is something we're going to have to work on mentally."

Oswego midfielder Austin Wilson said the Panthers will find out a lot about their team this week, but they won't be overwhelmed.

"We have to find that drive," Wilson said. "We're all about taking one game at a time because we have such a full schedule this week. We have go focus on each day.

"It is always hard in the beginning of the season because we're still trying to figure things out, but once we find what we need to figure out – we'll get it."

North coach Michael Murphy pulled Jessica Bean and Rita Craven aside for a quick moment in the early stages of the match. Murphy reminded his players about how to successfully beat a flat back.

The tip worked as the duo connected on the first of two goals that North (6-1) would score against the Panthers.

Craven set up the goal when she played a pass through the Oswego defense, and Bean ran down the ball and did the rest.

"It was a beautiful through pass," Murphy said. "We talked about that when teams play a flat back the way to exploit that is to play balls through or play them over the top.

"I just took (the players) off the field and talked about that and not even two minutes later, they got that goal. It is always a nice thing when you see something like that happen."

It was Bean's second goal as she found herself in a one-on-one situation with Oswego goalie Laura Gallardo.

"I was just trying to juke the goalie to one side so that I could get a better shot on goal," Bean said. "I saw (Gallardo) leaning toward the other side and I shot it the opposite direction."

Bean's goal came in the ninth minute and then Craven gave the Phoenix a two-goal advantage when she accepted a pass from teammate Leigh Larocco and proceeded to dribble past two Panther defenders before placing a shot on net, which beat Gallardo in the 25th minute.

"I did a nice job dribbling, but my shot was pretty weak," said Craven, who leads the squad with eight goals. "Sometimes you just have to shoot the ball and when you do that, you get lucky and they go in."

Murphy said it's been a challenge of the coaching staff throughout the season to get the players to put shots on net.

"One thing Rita does do a good job on is taking shots on goal," Murphy said. "We'd like to see more of that. Today she did take more shots and good things usually happen when you put the ball on the net."

Murphy said he felt really good about his team's play through the first 40 minutes, considering it scored twice going into the wind, but the second half had a much different tone.

The Phoenix did not play as well and they allowed Oswego the better of the play. The Panthers outshot the Phoenix 16-6 in the second half.

"We didn't play our best, but good teams find a way to win when they are playing poorly and that is what we did today," said Murphy, whose squad advancedto a 4:30 pm match at St. Ignatius on Thursday.

North goalie Michelle Balcerzak made several nice saves, including one off a restart midway through the second half.

The match also became very physical by virtue of the two yellow cards that were delivered throughout the match.

"It was a good thing we scored right away because that second half featured a lot of dirty soccer," Craven said. "Both teams were getting on each others' nerves."

The Panthers play a 6:30 pm nonconference match at Waubonsie Valley today before resuming Pepsi Showdown competition on Thursday and Saturday.