Huskies win 4-1 over DG North
By Dave Owen

Oak Park-River Forest gave new meaning to “rise and shine” on Saturday.

Erin Schrobilgen’s goal just 2:37 into the 10 a.m. match at Downers Grove North was just part of a powerful start to the day for the Huskies (9-4-1, 2-1 in conference), who led 3-0 at halftime en route to a 4-1 win.

“We were awake this early in the morning, and we just came to play,” OPRF coach Ignacio Ponce said. “Once we organized the field and started playing on the ground to through balls, that opened up the gaps that they were providing for us. And our outside mids were great following it up."

Coming off a 2-0 loss to York on Tuesday and three days of being idled by weather, OPRF was motivated to have a very good morning on Saturday.

“We watched film the two days we were off, and talked about keeping up our strategies,” Huskies’ midfielder Meredith Blatner said. “And yesterday we had a good two-hour practice outside on our turf, so just getting back on the field and into the feel of things helped us.”

That was evident 90 seconds in when Schrobilgen sent a 15-yard shot just wide of the left post. Then less than a minute later, Ruby Gonzalez sped in on right wing and sent a shot off the left post, which Schrobilgen rebounded home for a quick 1-0 lead.

The early hole was déjà vu for Downers North (4-6), which fell behind Lyons Township in the opening minute of a 2-0 loss on Tuesday.

“We came out a little bit flat again and gave up a goal in the first three minutes,” Trojans’ coach Bob Calder said. “They had a quick girl (Gonzalez) that just got by us, played a really good ball and they had a really good finish.”

Gonzalez was just warming up.

With 20:03 left in the first half, the junior again raced in on right wing and sent a cross to Kristen Laible up top. Tess Trinka then took a short touch pass from Laible and lined a 10-yard blast into the net.

“It’s a narrower field than we’re used to playing on, so I stayed more wide,” Gonzalez said. “Whenever Meredith got the ball I just tried to have her see that seam, then run through and get my crosses off to Tess or Erin. That was pretty much my strategy, staying wide and looking for the ball through that seam in the defense.”

Gonzalez’s talents helped that strategy produce results.

“She’s the one that creates everything on the outside,” Ponce said. “Her speed, her footwork, and her vision of the field really helps us out. She does all that work on the right side, and the person on the opposite side just has to do the job of getting there, cleaning up and kicking the ball in.

“Our first two goals had the same buildup,” Ponce added, “coming from the outside right side. And we had the opposite side midfielders running in to clean up the goal, which was a good thing. We were being positive, confident and attacking the goal.”

The Huskies stuck to the middle of the field to produce last-second heroics in the first half.

A short touch pass from Alicia Gerin at the top of the box connected with an open Blatner just 17 seconds before halftime. With Trojans’ goalkeeper Cristina Siddu racing out to challenge the free look, Blatner lined a low 15-yard shot into the net to produce a 3-0 halftime lead.

“I was in the center, I got it on my feet and I always like the ball on my feet more preferably,” Blatner said. “I saw the goalie coming out, I went around her and just passed it into the goal.”

That goal in the waning seconds was the culmination of a miserable early morning for Downers North.

“It just felt like in the first half that it wasn’t going to be our day, because on their first few good opportunities they put them all away,” Calder said. “There wasn’t a warning shot to kind of jump start us. They all went, and it was very deflating.”

The second half would be much better for the Trojans, but not before another big play by Gonzalez.

After early Downers North pressure (including a save by OPRF goalkeeper Ellie Delligrazie on Emma Krick’s 23-yard direct kick 1:10 into the half), the Huskies built their lead to 4-0.

With 34:28 left, Blatner began a counterattack that ended with Gonzalez’s latest sprint in on right wing. This time, Gonzalez finished herself with a high 12-yard blast into the net.

“It felt like a lot of their goals were transition goals,” Calder said. “We were playing in their half of the field a lot, and then they would leak out and get a goal. It’s frustrating to play solid possession for four or five minutes, and then they score in 20 seconds.”

The Huskies substituted extensively up 4-0, and their reinforcements had to contend with a revived Downers North offense.

Delligrazie made a nice stop on Heather Muno’s high 20-yard shot with 33:30 left. Then with just under 20 minutes left, a nice pass from Paula Blaszkowska sprung Lexi Cittandine up the middle, whose shot in the box was blocked by Oak Park defender Erin McCormack.

OPRF has endured injuries earlier this month to key defender Wren Osler and Lauren Wilkes to remain on the winning track.

“Wren Osler’s out, so we’ve been able to bring in some of the bench players and try to mix it up a little bit to get other players some playing time,” Ponce said.

“Once Wren comes back we’ll be able to reinforce that back, and (starting forward) Lauren Wilkes is still out. We also have a few players just back from the flu, but we’ve been able to hold our own as a team and still come out with pretty positive results. Once we’re all healthy I think we’ll be able to make an impact in the conference and postseason.”

The revamped lineup has put Blatner’s versatility to the test.

“I’ve been thrown back and forth between center defender and center midfield, so it’s been an adjustment for me,” Blatner said.

“But in the back Erin and Chloe (Boensch) have helped me adjust. They’ve been really supportive and helpful, so I’ve really gotten the hang of things back there. But now that Chloe’s back from the flu I’m playing up in the center again. I try to be versatile and offer myself wherever we need support on the field.”

Blatner was a strong midfield presence on Saturday.

“Obviously Meredith controls the midfield with the support of Olivia (O’Sullivan) and Tess Trinka,” Ponce said. “I think that’s a nice little combination in the middle with distributing the ball and winning possession in the air as well.”

OPRF had a nice offensive chance with 9:30 left (a diving save by Sinnu on Mystie Lewellyan’s low 20-yard shot), but the Trojans’ Muno was the biggest factor late.

The senior forward scored with 6:50 left to bring Downers North within 4-1, and Muno was narrowly denied a second goal. At the 2:10 mark, her 12-yard laser shot towards an open corner of the net was blocked at the goal line by OPRF defender Tessa Saraceno.

“Heather played very well,” Calder said. “That was her best looking finish of the season, a great run and a great finish. I look forward to seeing more of that type of stuff from her.

“And Mary Doro and Emma Krick stepped up big in the middle. They won a lot of 50/50 balls and played physical against a very physical team. I don’t think they (OPRF) looked overly big and aggressive to us, which is good. But in the first half we just couldn’t get anything going.”

Gonzalez was going full speed throughout the first half, but was hardly OPRF’s only threat.

“Offensively we’ve gotten much better this year,” Gonzalez said. “Last year it was a lot of the same people scoring, but this year we have a lot more people scoring goals. It’s nice having more variety, and it means we’re all working together.”

With two more big conference tests left (starting Tuesday at Hinsdale Central, then May 7 at Lyons Township), the Huskies hope Saturday was the dawn of a new day in their WSC Silver title hopes.
“I think this is just another step forward,” Blatner said. “It shows that if we play our best, we have a lot of strength to move forward with.”