Spartans go 2-0 on Day One of Springfest Classic

By Gary Larsen
CLICK HERE FOR ST. FRANCIS' TEAM PAGE

St. Francis went from a losing record to a winning record in two games on Monday, a pair of 1-0 wins over Glenbard West and Maine West in opening action of the first annual St. Francis Springfest Classic.

The Spartans are 2-0 in the tournament heading into Tuesday’s games against Fenwick and Cary-Grove, thanks to goals from Kaity Bucaro and Hallie Woods.

Bucaro helped the Spartans avoid a tie against Glenbard West in a morning game at Olympic Park in Schaumburg, breaking a scoreless tie with roughly three minutes left in regulation on a feed from Woods.

“The big difference was that we got the one opportunity and we buried it,” Spartans coach Jim Winslow said. “Kaity hit a great shot. But we were fortunate to win against Glenbard West. I think they had the better of play.

“We didn’t have our best game but give them credit. They’re solid. The first half was kind of even but in the second half they outplayed us.”

St. Francis entered Monday’s action with a record of 1-2-1 and left Schaumburg at 3-2-1. The Spartans dominated play against Maine West but didn’t close the deal until late in the second half, when Woods hustled after a ball in the final third.

“I don’t know. There was just an open ball, I went for it, and got it,” Woods said. “That was pretty much it. No one touched it and I just went as fast as I could to get to it.”

Woods’ goal stood up and afterwards Winslow applauded the senior’s effort.

“She’s one of those ‘glue’ kids. She always plays hard,” Winslow said of Woods. “She goes out and she’s in the right place because she listens to where she’s supposed to be. She picks off a mistake they make, takes a touch, and buries it. Good for her.”

The Spartans spent the majority of their day on Maine West’s half of midfield, and the vast majority of their first half deep on West’s defensive third.

With Andi Matichak and Sydney Fox in the attack, Winslow has a pair of versatile players that have been primary attacking forces this year and they helped key the Spartans’ pressure during Monday’s games.

“I thought Andie and Sydney played well. Syndey did a nice job in the first game of being a playmaker and she and Andie have been very consistent,” Winslow said. “Those two play very well off of each other and it’s just a matter of getting them more opportunities in front of the goal.”

Matichak is a proven scorer and Winslow likes the flexibility that Fox allows him.

“Sydney normally plays up top but I really like her in the midfield because she’s such a good playmaker,” Winslow said. “She’ll distribute and play balls through for us.”

St. Francis graduated six key seniors from last year’s team, including defenders Diana Matusiak and Yasmeen Mahmud. Jenna Ditusa played a vital role as a central defender on last year’s team, but this year the junior is in net, where she played for her State Cup-winning Fire Jrs. U15 club team last summer.
 
“We’re lucky because Jenna is a very good goalkeeper,” Winslow said. “She’s a nice luxury to have.”

“The kids in back have adapted very well, especially the kids in the middle, Dana Dubois and Meg Wagner. And Anna Vonderhaar has played well back there. Taylor Bucaro has been playing out wide and she’s normally a midfielder so she’s adjusting for us. She has a tendency to want to stay forward because she’s used to being an outside mid.”

Woods applauded Ditusa and her backline teammates as they recorded their third shutout in six games on Monday.
 
“We lost six seniors so that’s kind of a big deal, but we work well together and just have to get used to each other,” Woods said. “We have a whole new defense but they’re doing well. Now it’s just our last touch that needs to get better.”

Soccer teams generally lack an early-season finishing touch and the Spartans are no different.

“We’re going to keep working and hopefully more goals will come, because we haven’t had many,” Woods said. “We usually control the midfield and it’s just that one last touch that we need to get.

“It was getting a little frustrating and I think we should have had more goals (vs. Maine West), but we’re pretty much a new team, with a new coach, and we’re learning to work together.”