Chicagoland Soccer

Unable to finish, Vikings settle for a tie vs. St. Charles East

By Darryl Mellema

When you look back on it, Geneva didn’t do many things wrong in Wednesday’s 0-0 match with St. Charles East. The Vikings just didn’t score a goal, and that was a matter that caused frustration more than it did outright anger.

“We were fighting for it most of the game and it was in their end for most of the game,” Geneva’s Caitrin Griffin said. “It's really frustrating not to put one in. But we get to play them next Tuesday and hopefully we'll come out of that with a win.”

The match was the first in the round-robin St. Charles East Invitational, which also involves Schaumburg and Naperville Central. Schaumburg won Wednesday’s other match, 2-1, and took an early lead in the race to see which team will win this year’s title.

But the Vikings (3-1-2) are in the thick of the competition, though the lack of goals will have to sort itself out. Wednesday’s match was the second in six matches this year in which the team failed to score. Still, the team has scored 17 goals this season, including seven in matches against Westmont and Larkin.

“I'm just frustrated for them,” Geneva coach Megan Owens said. “They're a very good team and they played very, very well today. I believe that we controlled most of the game. It's just frustrating that the final score didn't show that.”

Geneva dominated much of the first half, creating a number of opportunities while St. Charles East managed only a pair of efforts on the Vikings goal. And although St. Charles East had some early efforts in the second half, the overall balance of the match fell in Geneva’s favor.

“They played their hearts out today but they just couldn’t finish,” Owens said. “We’re still looking for that combination up top. We’ve switched it around and we’ve tweaked it up top. We just need somebody who’s going to get hungry and get after it. We’ve had glimpses of it. We’re just lacking consistency a little bit.”

Sophomore Amanda Lulek had the majority of the chances for the Vikings, coming closest after 17 minutes when she chipped Saints goalie Bailey Stengler and saw the ball float over the crossbar.

One minute later, Catherine Allon shot over the crossbar for Geneva and shortly after, Lulek and Kailey Rote combined before Rote shot wide.

Even in the last minute of the half, Geneva continued to attack with Michaela Loebel sending a through ball to Lulek, who just failed to collect with the pass.

St. Charles East's best opportunity on goal came within the opening 10 minutes of the half when Ellie Sterner bounced a shot on Victoria Fortney in the Vikings goal.
Schaumburg won Wednesday's first match 2-1 and claimed the first day lead in the tournament.

But St. Charles East opened the half energized and Geneva senior sweeper Demi Miller had to clear a sharp right wing cross by Lauren Rohrmeier in the five minutes into the half.

Eight minutes into the half. Morgan Ketterling sent a left wing cross that Rohrmeier met on the full volley but sent against the right post.

“I think we took care of it well,” Miller said. “We all cleared it well and played well the whole time.”

Geneva’s defense has been reshaped this year in front of senior goalkeeper Victoria Fortney with freshmen such as Tory Herbst, Hope Goodman and Annie Waldoch figuring heavily in the team’s rotation.

“There’s three new people back there and we’re switching back to a sweeper-stopper formation,” Miller said. “I think it’s working well back there. I think we’re solid. I like how we’re connecting.”

Miller is a strong all-around player in any position on the field, and has played forward in the past for the Vikings. The way she plays as a sweeper, you’d think she’d done that her whole life.

“Demi does a great job for us back there,” Owens said. “The other three players she’s working with are freshmen. (Miller) does a great job up top too, but I can’t sacrifice her leadership in the back because she helps keep everybody calm and focused and we had a very strong game defensively.”

But Geneva continued to press for a goal as well. Eleven minutes into the half, Hope Goodman, Kristin Rodriguez and Allon combined in the midfield, before Allon passed to Caitrin Griffin, who shot over the crossbar.

A quarter-hour into the half, Geneva continued to reassert itself, with Lulek passing to Allon, whose shot was saved.

Griffin had a strong chance with 15 minutes to play when the Vikings refused to give up on a ball that ultimately stayed in bounds. Griffin took her shot from the top right portion of the penalty area, but sent the ball over the crossbar.

“I was just leaning back so it’s something I’m going to have to practice,” Griffin said. “It’s something I’m going to have to practice and drill myself on before we match up again.”

Griffin strongly won a tackle from a Saints defender shortly after, but saw the ball run out of play. Still, the Vikings were once again dominating possession. A junior, Griffin is one of the Vikings whose role has changed this year.

“I came from being a bench player to being a starting player this year, playing most of the game,” Griffin said. “It’s nice to have that leadership role.”

With all that domination, St. Charles nearly scored when Cat Camic danced into the penalty area, forcing the Vikings defense to scramble and clear. Victoria Fortney collected that corner kick comfortably.

But the Vikings survived and the match ended 0-0. The St. Charles East Invitational continues Thursday, when the Vikings play Schaumburg at 5 p.m., and concludes on Saturday with a Geneva-Naperville Central match at 5 p.m. Then Geneva has two days to prepare for a rematch with St. Charles East. That match, next Tuesday at Burgess Field, is the team’s Upstate Eight Conference River matchup.

“I think it’s good that we played them in the tournament first,” Griffin said. “Now we have a feel for what they’re going to be like when we play them in conference. I have a feeling we’ll be able to put some in then so it’s good to know how to handle the ball around them now.”

For being this early in the season, Geneva has played some difficult matches. In addition to the St. Charles East Invitational, the Vikings had a pair of matches in the St. Louis area last weekend.

“We’ve had a long stretch of game-after-game,” Griffin said. “We’re hoping to come out of it without any injuries and to play some close ones.”

What the early flurry of matches has provided is for the Vikings to be able to take a good look at how they are performing as a team.

“I think we’re doing pretty well,” Griffin said. “The only places we’re looking for improvement is melding the team together. There are a lot of new faces this year. So we’re looking to mesh a little better.”

Miller said she felt everyone on the team has been “pulling their own weight. I think we’re working well and will get better as the season goes along.”