Redwings, York tie 2-2
By Dave Owen

Benet and York defied bitter cold weather and inexperience to produce a sizzling offensive start to Thursday’s season opener at Benedictine University in Lisle.

But after the host Redwings shot to a 2-1 lead just over 14 minutes into the match, things cooled down into more of a defensive struggle in an eventual 2-2 tie.

“It was a bit of kick and run in the beginning,” said York coach Krzysztof Halupka, whose lineup features five sophomores, “but that’s to be expected at the beginning of the season. Fitness-wise not everyone is there, and we have a lot of new girls coming in that have to get used to playing with each other. So overall 2-2 is a fair result.”

Conditions didn’t make it easy for either side.

“I didn’t think it was going to be this cold,” York senior Ellie Ordonez said. “After warmups (the temperature) dropped so much. It was hard to get your wind back when it’s this cold, but I think we did good for the weather.”

Benet also had to weather inexperience, starting five sophomores and a freshman while missing standout senior Amanda Kaiser (broken toe).

But the Redwings looked anything but rusty. Just 2:17 into the match, Michelle Morefield’s perfectly placed direct kick vaulted Benet to a quick 1-0 lead.

“It was a direct free kick just outside the 18 on an angle, and she hit a pea to the near post,” Benet coach Bob Gros said. “The goalie didn’t have time to move. It was one of those pure shots.

“I thought Morefield did a really good job. She had to push up to take Amanda’s attacking mid role, and she handled things really well. She had a great goal.”

York quickly turned the tide, first with a narrow denial.

Ten minutes in, Benet defender Rachel Pavlinec saved a goal with a blocked shot at the goal line off a corner kick by York’s Ordonez.

But three minutes later, a high 25-yard blast by York defender Jaime Kovatchis deflected off Benet goalkeeper Emma Hlavin’s hands and narrowly across the goal line to tie the score 1-1.

“Jaime has really stepped forward and has done a really good job at right defense,” Halupka said. “She started for us as a freshman, and now as a sophomore is playing like a really mature player.

“We always talk in practice about how she has a real rocket of a shot as a defender. That’s what she did. She put it on goal, and their goalie in that moment wasn’t good enough to keep it out of the net.”

Benet unleashed its own young finisher with 25:37 left in the first half to retake the lead, as freshman Ellie Bumpus lofted a high 25-yard shot over the reach of York keeper Annabelle Lansdowne.

Bumpus’ impressive debut was just part of the good first impression made by Benet’s underclassmen.

“We have a tremendously young back line,” Gros said. “Sophia Elbchiri did an excellent steady job back there, and Rachel Bernicky is a good sweeper. Those two are sophomores. Ellie Bumpus a freshman is back there stopping and playing in the central position, and (sophomore) Jacquie Kaufman at outside mid had some nice runs. So that youth really works.”

Benet’s defense and sophomore goalkeeper Hlavin repelled waves of York chances the rest of the half, with Katie Baumann making two nice plays to break up Dukes’ attacks. York sophomore Kate Leonard also sent a 15-yard shot just wide on a burst in on left wing 22 minutes before halftime.

“In the first half York had the better of it,” Gros said. “They were down in our end most of the time. I give them credit – they’re a very strong team with a lot of power. They have a lot of speed, can advance the ball in a hurry and make strong throw-ins, so they’re jamming it down your throat.”

The Redwings maintained the lead and answered with their own great chances early in the second half, starting with 38:50 left to play when Lansdowne made a great save on a 12-yard point blank blast by Benet’s Meaghan O’Hara.

After two big York chances (a Kovatchis header over the net off an Ordonez corner kick, followed by Pavlinec’s nice block of a Bryce Banuelos shot), Benet regained control of play for a 10-minute span of play beginning with 21:30 left.

Two York defenders were needed to deny a Bumpus attack just outside the crease to begin the flurry, then Morefield (direct kick) and Claire Elenteny (drive in on right wing) each sent powerful 20-yard shots just wide of the net in the ensuing minutes.

But just when Benet appeared in control, one play changed that.

An Ordonez throw-in with 7:43 to go eluded two Benet defenders, and York’s Banuelos corralled the loose ball and lined a low 22-yard shot into the net to even the score 2-2.

“We’re all getting used to each other as a team,” Ordonez said. “We used to have my sister (2012 all-stater Christina) and Courtney (McHugh), both top players, and now we’re trying to figure out everything on our own. We kind of got it towards the end of the game, but in the middle we kind of lost it because this is all new to us.”

“We were a little more energized than York was in the second half for the most part,” Gros said. “It’s a shame we gave up a sloppy goal, but for the most part in the second half we were pretty solid. We just couldn’t finish. We had some wonderful opportunities.”

The Benet threats continued to the final minute, when Lansdowne made a save on a 30-yard Bumpus shot with 35 seconds left and York defender Emily Mueller cleared an O’Hara cross attempt into the box as time expired.

Both teams went deep into their benches on opening night, just one of the long term positives.

“We have a really young squad,” Gros said, “and I was very pleased with what they accomplished tonight. We played with a high level of energy and determination. We made our mistakes, but we hustled to bail out on those mistakes. For the most part it worked out pretty well.”

Lindsy Kendrick and O’Hara were the lone senior starters for Benet, but Gros felt his young lineup quickly came together.

“We’re going to continue to work on our team chemistry, but we’re off to a good start,” he said. “They seem to play together well and play for each other. If we can keep that alive with such a young team, we’ll be in good stead.

“I told them this is a tremendous result because that York team is going to be ranked someplace. This will help build our confidence.”

Another huge confidence boost will come with Kaiser’s return.

“She’s one of our top two (players),” Gros said. “She tried it about a week ago and (the toe) was still painful after she worked out. So we’re just taking our time, especially in this cold weather. We’ll take a look at it again next week.

“She’s a good kid, a tough kid. She’s going to help us tremendously.”

York’s resiliency Thursday against waves of early adversity also bodes well down the road.

“(Benet) had two goals on two shots, which puts you at a disadvantage having to come from behind the whole time,” Halupka said. “But that’s what we did. We played hard and fought our way back.

“Overall we created better chances, and as time goes on more things will start to click.”
Ordonez is equally optimistic about the rest of 2013 for a revamped York lineup.

“We have a new midfielder (Elizabeth) Shockey who’s done a good job adjusting,” Ordonez said, “and we have Bryce (Banuelos) in the middle and Alyssa (Kovatchis) who’s helping us hold it all together. With time I think we’ll be really good.

“We just want to focus on getting the ball out of the back and connecting passes. We would get kind of mixed up in the middle and wouldn’t have anybody to drop the ball to shoot. That’s one thing we need to work on.”