Wolves take first step in 2011 learning process

By Paul La Tour

Starting the season with a 4-0 loss to Downers Grove South may not have been ideal for Oswego East.
 
But Wolves coach Lauren Anderson thinks it was a heck of a lot better than ending the season with a loss to the Mustangs, which is what the Wolves did in 2007 and 2009 during the IHSA Regional.

 “I’d rather have this because now it’s pretty obvious what we need to work on,” Anderson said.

“Downers South is an excellent program and this shows us where we’re at with the competition in the area. It’s a good wake-up call, too, because eventually our goal is to get to this level as a program.”

The Mustangs (2-0) controlled play throughout the match Saturday at Doerhoefer Park in Downers Grove. Four Mustangs scored – two in each half – and Amanda Meyers only needed one save to earn her second shutout of the season, and 11th in the past two years.

Midway through the first half Sarrah Ludwig got the scoring started from a scramble in front of the cage following the Mustangs’ ninth corner kick.

Less than five minutes later the Mustangs capitalized on another corner when Jessica Bronke headed in the kick from Flo Beshiri.

“We finally got some in,” Bronke said of the Mustangs’ inability to score off their first eight corners. “It was getting frustrating, but we have three set plays off a corner, so after a while you think you’d get one in. Then we got two in, so that was good.”

Downers South took the 2-0 lead into the break and appeared to take a 3-0 lead early in the second half. Stephanie Zurales ended up in the net just after redirecting a pass from Keri Kujawa, but the play was ruled offside.

Both players found redemption later in the half.

Kujawa scored her second goal of the season to officially make it 3-0. Zurales followed a short time later when she scored to give the Mustangs their final goal.

Bronke and Kujawa each have two goals for the Mustangs, who opened the season with a 3-1 victory at Lincoln-Way East on March 17.

“We’re getting better,” Mustangs coach Barry Jacobson said of his team’s performance. “We’re getting a lot of people involved. It’s just a process early in the year. Our possession was better (Saturday). We’re trying to get into a flow and to work on a few things tactically. But we got better this game than last game, and that’s what we’re working on.”

The Mustangs held a decided edge in shots attempted (14-2) and shots on goal (7-1). Wolves freshman Hannah Gargrave finished with three saves, including a point-blank stop on Tracy Smith from 10 yards out.

“We knew coming in we’d be on the defensive end,” Anderson said of the Wolves. “There’s only so much you can do when you’ve got all 10 players attacking at that speed. For the most part, they did what was in their power.”

The Wolves didn’t give up a second-half corner kick after surrendering the 10 in the opening 40 minutes.

Anderson pointed to the play of defenders Victoria Pecci and Anida Phetchanpheng, and midfielder Megan Ross as bright spots for the Wolves.

“We’re looking into cloning Anida,” Anderson joked. The sophomore central defender had a whale of a freshman season in back and will key the back line again this season.

The Mustangs had a clear size advantage over the Wolves on Saturday, but Wolves’ sophomore Brittany Brewer wasn’t making excuses.

“They are a big team but height shouldn’t bother us. We’re a strong team. Our shortest player is Anida and she’s one of our best players,” Brewer said. “This was just a learning experience. It’s our first game.”

“Last year we got second but we want first in the (Southwest Prairie) conference this year,” Brewer said. “We lost six starters but we’ve got good young players. We have five freshmen and I think they all got the butterflies out today. We all played better in the second half.

 “I think we have a good team as a whole and we just need to step it up in the midfield. But this was our first game. We have a great defense this year and we just need to move the ball more.”

OSWEGO EAST 2011 OUTLOOK

Last year's overall/conference record: 10-6-2, 5-2 (2nd in SPC)

Top returning players: Anida Phetchanpheng (So., D), All-Conference/MVP(defense); Katie Ross (Sr., F), All-Conference/MVP(offense); Carli Schlaker (Jr., M), All-Conference/Top-Newcomer

Outlook: Coach Lauren Anderson: " We have high expectations for our girls this season as a coaching staff and I know the girls have high expectations for themselves as well. We will be looking for several girls to step up this season to help compensate for some top newcomers that will be out due to injuries. We have a lot of key returners that are healthy and ready to win, along with a lot of newcomers that will make an immediate impact on the team this season."