Gators fall to another MSL West club on the road

By Mike Garofola
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All throughout his brilliant prep career, culiminating in his all-state year in 2000, Crystal Lake South head coach Brian Allen faced his share of outstanding players and clubs while playing between the sticks.

Enough of them to remember how high of a level of talent many of those former opponents would bring on each and every night during his four years of play.

Allen has already seen two of the best in the MSL in this young 2011 season in both Conant and Schaumburg, two of the favorites in the MSL West this season.

Although his club has dropped both matches, he know's brighter days are ahead for his side as the begin a busy week of soccer, beginning with the South Elgin Tournament, which begins on Monday at Millenium Field in Streamwood.

"In both of our matches against Conant and Schaumburg, we didn't respond as well as I would have liked when we got down a goal," said Allen, after his Gators lost 4-0 to Schaumburg on a bone-chilling Saturday afternoon.

The match was played in temperatures and conditions that would have been perfect if you were hoping to break the ice sailing speed record.

"It was cold and really windy, but I thought (we) had a pretty good start in this match with the strong wind at our backs, but once (Schaumburg) scored that first goal, we had a few break-downs (here and there) and credit Schaumburg, because they took full advantage of their opportunities," Allen said.

The Saxons, off to a perfect start at 4-0-0 so far this new season, looked vulnerable in the first quarter hour of action, conceeding a trio of corners, all three initiated by Kali Loescher, with the help of Karli Schumaker.

But the visiting Gators (1-2-0) were unable to be dangerous on any of the serves into the area - and it wouldn't be soon before the home side struck for what would eventually be the game-winner at 20 minutes, when junior Kelsey Steenstrup would score the first of her two goals on the day.

"Crystal Lake (South) had the better run of play at the start, and we had a little trouble with (their) three forwards that they started with, as well with our own new formation, right up until we scored our first goal," offered Steenstrup, who was an all-area midfielder last season for the Saxons, who went a sparkling 15-3-3 overall in 2010.

The Saxons' 3-5-2 appeared to be a too much for the Gators to handle, especially in the middle of the park, where University of Illinois-bound Stephanie Pouse, a two-time all-sectional defender, now resides in the middle, along with Steenstrup and a trio of speedy midfielders, to give Allen's brand new first-11 more than it could handle on this day.

"We're really young and inexperienced in some spots and we still have to sort some things out during our first 6 to 7 games before we get to see the likes of Huntley and Cary-Grove in our conference," said Allen, whose club earlier in the week blasted an experienced Grayslake North side 6-1 in its FVC opener.

Allen's first-11 on this day featured two sophomores (MacKenzie Taldone and Emily Schoenfeldt) and a freshmen (Audrey Collard), in a rebuilt backline in front of captain Elizabeth Quinn (7 shutouts in 2010), who's back for her senior year in goal for the Gators.

"We're a little young and inexperienced in the back and it's going to take some time for us to get it figured out, but I thought in the second half we did better, and one of our sophomore players, Faith Brunner, came in and showed well at the stopper position for us, so that was one of our bright spots on the day," offered Allen.

The Gator coach said goodbye to a half dozen players who are playing soccer on the collegiate level this year, including defensive stars Kelsey Taldone, starting at Upper Iowa, and Karley Mecko, who's at UW-Parkside.

After the Steenstrup goal, the Gators found it difficult to get their possession game going, although the senior (Loescher) - likely South's best player in the first 40 minutes - ran hard and showed plenty of pace and energy.

However, the Saxons' ability to win balls, tackle and counter-attack from the middle of the park made it nearly impossible for Loescher, and her mates up top, to get many touches after the first goal of the game.

Then with seven minutes left before the break, the Saxons' made it 2-0 when sophomore Jenna Eaker touched past Quinn from in close.

The Gators' backline of Ellen Brunner, Emily Hamrickm, Collard and Schoenfeldt responded well to the daunting second-half task of a strong wind in its face, and a now confident Saxons' club with a two-goal lead.

Collectively, the unit did well to keep the hosts off the scoreboard until 53 minutes when Steenstrup finished from 10 yards a well-placed ball from the left side by Ariel Larocco.

Quinn would stop Steenstrup and Teagan Eberle, who each had a go from 12 yards, but the talented Gators' keeper had little chance at 61 minutes to stop the fourth and final goal of the day when Becky Sneddon hit a low blast just inside the near post.

Credit the Gators for not giving in despite the deficit, as players such as Christina Szocka ran hard at the Saxons' backline for the final 15 minutes with the hope of causing problems in their opponents end, as did Taldone, Loescher and Brunner, according to Allen.

"There were still a lot of positive things to take out of this match, but we have to remember that Schaumburg is a very good team, maybe one of the top 3-4 in a really good soccer conference.

"And that we still are learning and getting to know each other with each day of training and/or match. We're going to be just fine."