Huskies post fourth straight win
By Dave Owen

After a 2-0 season-opening loss to Naperville Central, Oak Park has taken offense.

The Huskies (4-1) have outscored their four subsequent opponents 20-1 (including 17-0 in the last three contests), and used a huge second half to break open their 5-0 win over visiting Niles West on Saturday.

“(Naperville Central) was a little bit of a wakeup call, seeing the really good competition out there,” said Oak Park junior midfielder Tess Trinka, who scored two goals Saturday and made a shutout-saving play defensively. “It’s given us a lot of motivation to do well. That’s been our only loss so far, so coming off of that we’ve been practicing harder and wanting to keep winning.”

Assistant coach Rob Fox ran the club Saturday in head coach Ignacio Ponce’s absence, and the Huskies didn’t skip a beat.

“We made a couple adjustments from the Naperville Central game and figured a few things out there,” Fox said.

“The girls are moving the ball well. That’s really the key. We’re being patient stringing some passes together, and that’s opening some things up for us.”

On the attack from the start, Oak Park opened the scoring with 8:14 left in the first half when Ruby Gonzalez lofted a 20-yard shot from right of the goal over the reach of Niles West’s goalkeeper.

“I just saw an option to either cross it or shoot it,” Gonzalez said, “and luckily it went right over their goalie. Tess and I think Alicia (Gerin) were there too (at the goal line behind the keeper) so I think it would have gone in anyway.”

Gerin was twice denied on great saves earlier in the game. Off Meredith Blatner’s great dribble into the box and pass, Niles West’s goalkeeper made a point blank save of a Gerin shot in the 9th minute.

Later, Gerin’s header off a Chloe Boensch cross was denied on a one-handed deflection in the 21st minute.

The final 30 seconds of the half featured scoring threats by Lauren Wilkes and Trinka (header over the net off a Gonzalez corner kick), and the Huskies returned from the ensuing break energized to finish their chances.

“I feel we’ve always been a second half team,” Gonzalez said. “After it being 1-0 you have to kind of kick it in, raise the intensity and focus. We really brought more energy in the second half and did what we had to do.”

Just 1:16 into the second half, the Huskies upped their lead to 2-0. Gerin raced ahead to beat the Niles West goalkeeper and a defender to Wilkes’ pass down the middle into the box, sending a low shot into the vacant net. 

“Stepping up the intensity was a big factor,” Trinka said. “Like Ruby said, at 1-0 it’s really tight and anything can happen. One little slip up in the back could really hurt us. So everyone went out with the mentality to get a couple goals.”

Trinka provided the next spark with 19:55 left, taking a Gonzalez cross and powering a low 15-yard line drive into the net to make the lead 3-0.

“We really got that momentum up,” Trinka said, “and once we got the two they kind of dropped off a little bit and we were able to play the ball around more and create more chances for ourselves.”

With 13:49 to go, Wilkes intercepted a short goal kick from the top of the box by Niles West and lofted a 30-yard shot into the net for a 4-0 score. Then Trinka impressed both offensively and defensively to wrap up the win.

Trinka’s high 35-yard shot with 11:56 left made the lead 5-0, then the midfielder turned defensive standout two minutes later. With a loose ball in the crease off a nice cross to the front, Trinka shielded off a Niles West would-be scorer from reaching the ball to prevent a point blank shot attempt.

“It does really come down to midfielders helping out the defense,” Trinka said, “because the defenders can’t do it alone. It is really important as midfielders to get back and make sure we’re establishing that communication with the defenders.”

That play epitomized the Huskies’ approach during a three-game shutout streak.
“I could list from forward all the way back because it truly is a team defense that we’re playing,” Fox said. “That’s what is keying us.

“Wren (Osler) really controls everything in the back there, but Erin (McCormack) next to her is doing a great job as well,” Fox added. “So it’s hard to pick out one player. But I would say Wren really controls things and keeps things organized for us.”

Osler is the one defensive constant, making three standout plays Saturday (including a steal with 12:10 left). Goalkeeper Elise Delligrazie’s shutout was also aided by starting defenders Boensch and Emily Verticchio.

“Our defense has done a really great job,” Trinka said. “We’ve made some adjustments with the four-flat back and trying to involve the outside defenders more in the attacking play. It’s been an adjustment, but I think the defense has done a really good job working together with the midfield more and communicating well.”

But it is offense that is seizing the spotlight. The Huskies’ tear of 17 goals in three games featured a two-goal game by Erin Schrobilgen in a 5-0 win over Riverside-Brookfield, then Meredith Blatner netted two as Oak Park blanked Whitney Young 7-0 in the prelude to Saturday’s win.

Wilkes, Schrobilgen, Gonzalez and Trinka all have three goals apiece over the last three games, while Gerin and Blatner have each scored twice and Mystie Lewellyan once.

“We’ve been working on shooting in practice, doing shooting drills and working on accuracy and taking more chances,” Gonzalez said. But I think it really comes from keeping possession, passing the ball and looking for when we have chances. We scored really great goals today and when we played Whitney Young, so it’s been getting a lot better.”

A continuing change in approach since the season opener has also helped.

“We’ve been playing through the back more,” Trinka said. “Ponce and all the coaches are really trying to establish  possession and keeping  the ball on the ground. That all starts with our defenders and getting those passes back and resetting.

“Lauren Wilkes, Meredith Blatner and I play the three in the center, which is also a change. We tried that a little last year and it wasn’t really working, but this year it seems to be working a lot better. With those three center mids we can get a lot of touches on the ball and create a lot of options for our forwards and for each other. And we all work really well together.”

Four straight wins by impressive margins has been the Huskies’ reward.

“We have good unity and good chemistry here,” Fox said. “We’re building on that and the girls are having fun. We know it’s going to get tougher as we go, but so far so good.”