Carmel opens 2013 (finally) with a win over Warren
By Gary Larsen

Players can only practice indoors and play three-on-three for so long before it drives them up a wall.

“For three weeks we were inside,” Carmel junior Katie Sandecki said. “And it got really boring.”

After seeing their first four games canceled due to the weather, the Corsairs finally got to stretch out their legs in a home and season opener against Warren on Friday. The resulting 5-1 win for Carmel featured a Meegan Johnston hat-trick and goals from Katie Sandecki and Sarah Bowles.

The only goal scored on Carmel keeper Jenna Bauer came on a penalty kick by Warren’s Paige Jespersen, late in the second half after Carmel had built a 5-0 lead.

“I thought we played really well for our first time out. Our first touch was good and I think that’s because of the time we spent inside,” Johnston said. “But I think we were kicking it a little too much and I think we had too much first-game adrenaline.

“People were getting the ball and panicking, so they’d just kick it. But we definitely have the ability to play possession. It will just take some time.”

Carmel coach John Halloran saw things the same way.

“We’re happy to win and we took our chances, which was nice, and Meegan had a dynamite game,” Halloran said. “But I definitely thought we could have connected a little better – a lot of kickball, a lot of shin passes. A lot of that is the turf and it’s a tight game, but we need to be a little more patient in the attack.”

Carmel (1-0) struck first when Sandecki sent in a corner kick that Elizabeth Bream flicked toward the goalmouth. Bowles was there to tap in the Corsairs’ first goal of the season. Carmel led 2-0 at halftime on a Johnston shot from 18 yards out, off a feed from Claire Ogrinc at 17 minutes.

Warren (0-2-1) had its best stint of sustained attacking play during a 10-minute span in the first half. Bauer cleanly handled a hard-hit shot at 15 minutes off the foot of Warren’s Abby Vrabel, and Warren served a ball in at 18 minutes that Carmel’s Emily Helle headed out. Bauer raced well off her line after a long cross and sent it over the touchline, and at 23 minutes she hit the turf to smother a well-struck, low-flying serve from the endline on the right side.

With last year’s starting keeper Katie Larson sidelined due to injury, Carmel will rely on Bauer between the pipes this season.

“Jenna is going to be great for us. She started a few games at the end of last season and we’re completely confident in her,” Halloran said.

Sandecki figured into the scoring again at 42 minutes after taking a corner kick that teammate Emily Helle hustled after and sent back to Sandecki. Sandecki ripped a shot from distance and it found the back netting when a Warren defender stuck out her leg and redirected it into the goal.

Sandecki and Leah Lach held down the middle of the backline all day, and Sandecki’s leg on dead balls was prominent throughout the contest.

“Our seniors took all of those kicks last year so I have to step up because the pressure’s on,” Sandecki said. “If I get it where I’m supposed to I’ve done my job, and hopefully somebody will be there. We’ll keep working on it.”

The University of Illinois-bound Johnston’s next two goals came from long-range – one placed perfectly near the upper ninety from 22 yards out, and another sent peacefully under the crossbar from 25 yards out.

Johnston once had a mighty leg that tried to blister every shot through the back netting but the senior has grown to control it.

“I used to power every shot and they’d be up and skyrocket,” Johnston said. “There’s a time for power and there’s a time for finesse, and you’ve just got to pick which one it is. When you’re that far out, you’re not going to score with power.”

Carmel was missing three players gone on spring break in Bri Carlson, Colleen Foley, and Kayla Handel, and had another three players playing limited minutes due to illness in Maggie Avampato, Annie DiVenere, and Jen Capparelli.

Bowles, Helle, and Erin Johnston joined Sandecki and Lach in Carmel’s backline rotation, and their coach liked what he got from them.

“I thought Leah and Katie did a great job in the center and I thought all three – Emily, Sarah, and Erin – were outstanding for us. I was really happy about that, especially with Kayla (Handel) and Colleen (Foley) not here, and Jen (Capparelli) sick. Those are three players that are really solid for us and we were able to get things done without them. It’s nice to have some depth back there.”

Carmel next host Bishop McNamara on April 1, Prairie Ridge on April 2 before facing East Suburban Conference rival Benet at home on April 6.