Lions top Glenbard East for program's 15th regional title
By Gary Larsen

Lyons Township’s size and athleticism are two qualities that make the Lions a threat to make a deep run into this year’s Class 3A state playoffs.

The Lions’ 3-0 regional title-game win over Glenbard East showcased those qualities on Saturday, in a rematch of LT’s 2-0 regular-season win over the Rams on May 4.

With Rams’ coach Kent Overbey absent from the game due to the birth of a child, Glenbard East assistant coach Jeff Sabol was left to summarize the problematic Lions.

“We were hoping to come out and beat them. We had two of our starters back that we didn’t have the first time we played them,” Sabol said. “But they’re a great team. They’re in the air, they’re physical, and they have a number of very good players.  We fought hard and we’re proud of girls. They battled hard but much respect to LT. They’re a great all-around team and they’re very deep.”

Saturday’s win moves LT into a sectional semifinal match against Wheaton Warrenville South, a 7 PM game to be played Tuesday at Hinsdale Central.

The Lions’ depth will be called upon moving forward, as a pivotal central player in senior Abbie Pasquinelli left the game in the first half with a leg injury and did not return.

“We’ll have to adjust and someone will have to step up, and players will fill that spot,” Lyons Township coach Bill Lanspeary said. “But she’s a big loss. I don’t think she’ll be back for Tuesday but time will tell, with the swelling that occurs over the next 24 to 48 hours.”

Pasquinelli left the game mid-way through the first half, but not before leaving her mark on the program’s 15th regional title and its 10th in the last 11 years.

Junior Emily Lange provided all the scoring that LT (15-4-2) would ultimately need, and she did it before the game was three minutes old, crashing net on a shot sent in by Pasquinelli.

“It was good to get the first goal and I give a lot of credit to Abbie,” Lange said. “She was pushing on the backline and really making her run and she got a shot. It deflected and I was following up. I was just glad to be there at the right time. It came kind of unexpected. I anticipated it and was just able to get a touch and hit it in.”

The fast start set the tone for the remainder of the match, and LT junior Grace Nasenbenny also had a hand in the play.

“You talk about starting out fast but talking about it and getting it done is something else,”  Lanspeary said. “Nasenbenny played a great ball, Abbie made a great run in and didn’t get that finish but Emily was there to clean it up.”

Nasenbenny, CC Holbert, Catherine King, and Liza Gabrek did the rest, staying wary of any Glenbard East counter off of the Lions’ steady pressure and holding the Rams to a single shot on net from Alex Ruffer, in the game’s 17th minute. The 3-0 win marked LT’s 6th consecutive shutout and its 13th of the season.

The Lions’ possession game has also been finding fifth gear with regularity down the season’s stretch – although it was a work-in-progress early in the year.

“I think earlier in the season we weren’t as confident as a team but now it’s the playoffs,” LT junior Emily Lange said. “We really want to turn our game on. It’s a good way to start the playoffs, getting a regional championship, and we’re all really happy about that.”

Junior Erin Fitzgerald gave the Lions a 2-0 lead before halftime when she broke free around the right side and scored from 16 yards out, and freshman Grace Salvino got in on the act in the second half when she broke behind the Rams’ backline and buried a shot from 14 yards out.

“I feel like we’ve gotten stronger as the year has gone on, for sure,” Lanspeary said.” There were times today when I thought we played very well and times when I thought we got sloppy. But that’s bound to happen and I thought overall we played very well.

“Our backs have been solid all year and we’re starting to get going offensively, getting more comfortable with each other and knowing the runs we’re making, we’re definitely getting stronger up there.”
Lanspeary anticipates a battle from No. 6-sectional seed WW South against his No. 2 Lions on Tuesday. The Tigers (13-5-2) won 1-0 in overtime against No. 3 York to win a regional title on Friday.

“I saw (WW South) yesterday and to get here, they’re clearly good,” Lanspeary said. “They’re solid in the back, they have a workhorse up top (in Dana Miller) that makes stuff happen, and they’ll be tough. Anybody that knocks off York has got to be pretty good.”

For Glenbard East (11-6-4) 8 seniors will depart the program, including its all-time shutout leader in Wisconsin-Whitewater-bound goalkeeper Veronica Fairbairn and Jess DeJong, who netted 39 career goals for the Rams.

The Rams will also bid farewell to seniors Gina Rodriguez, Nicole Alfaro, Jourdan Ewoldt, Kelly Ravenscraft, KJ Nelson, and Bethany Wood.