Chicagoland Soccer

Jacobs cruises past Woodstock to earn 11th win

By Dan Santaromita

Last season Jacobs picked up 10 wins. This year they already have 11 and the season is far from over.

The Golden Eagles picked up win No. 11 at home with a 4-0 thrashing of Woodstock. Jacobs (11-3) dominated the game from the start and moved to 3-1 in the Fox Valley Conference.

So why is Jacobs such an improved team this year?

“A little older, a little more cohesion, a little more used to one another, but they just got that much better,” coach AJ Cappello said. “A lot of girls worked hard in the offseason. They committed to their clubs and everything else they’re doing and the results show.

“Last year we knew we were building in the right direction. Out of the 11 losses last year, I think we had seven or eight that were by a goal. We played a rough schedule so even last year we were 10-11, but we knew we had a big upside.”

They are reaching that upside and with just three seniors, Jacobs could still get better and will have to in order to reach their goals of winning conference and making their own sectional.

Tuesday’s game against Woodstock was never much of a contest with Jacobs rarely letting the Blue Streaks go on the attack, especially in the early part of the match. The match was an opportunity to keep the team in form.

“We just want to sharpen some things up,” Cappello said. “We got a tough game, Libertyville on Thursday, and we play Elk Grove on Saturday so we just kind of used it to tune up, sharpen up, work on connecting.”

From the start of the match Jacobs came at Woodstock with wave after wave on the attack. After several shots, the Golden Eagles got the breakthrough in the 19th minute. Junior Lauren Grady beat her defender on the right side and Grady’s shot on goal resulted in a rebound for sophomore Amy Rigby to clean up.

Catie Sherman set up Rigby with a through ball for her second before the half hour mark.

The early passing from Jacobs set up a number of chances. The score could have been much worse.

“We have to work on our passing and make sure it’s accurate,” Rigby said. “We try to do two touches and just pass everywhere.”

Rigby, a first year varsity player, said some of the additions to the team, like Shannon and Lauren Grady, are a big reason why the team is playing better this year.

“We have new people,” Rigby said. “I’m new this year and the Gradys are new. I think we’re just working really hard this year.”

Lauren Grady added the third goal a few minutes after halftime. Sherman flicked on a Margaret Rivera corner kick to set up the open shot.

After a pair of assists, Sherman earned her goal and got it. Danielle Blanchard went over the top of the defense, giving Sherman an open shot on goal that she didn’t miss.

Jacobs emptied the bench. Megan Minogue made five saves in net, all routine stops.

“It could have been a little bit sharper,” Sherman said. “I guess we did good and kept the shutout.”

FVC foes Huntley and Crystal Lake South are still on the schedule and Jacobs knows top performances will be needed against those two.

“We’re gonna need to pick up the intensity a little bit and keep it a little cleaner against those teams,” Sherman said.