Hilltoppers take another step forward vs. Benet

 

By Gary Larsen
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Where defensive philosophy is concerned, Glenbard West coach Maciek Kusmierz probably put it as well as it can be put.

“Avoid unnecessary mistakes that lead to chaos,” Kusmierz said, after his side’s 1-1 tie with Benet on Thursday.

For most soccer coaches early-season focus is pointed like a laser on making sure their back line can handle the challenges that lie ahead, and in their second game of the season on Thursday the girls in back for Glenbard West took a step forward.

“Our defense definitely played tough today. They were pressuring the ball, all game,” Hilltoppers senior Katie Watt said of Lauren Henkel, Haverly Snyder, Alyssa Cantore, and the outside tandem of Carla Loury and McKinzie Powers.

Kusmierz agreed. “Defensively we improved a little bit tonight,” he said. “We overcommitted against Wheaton North (in a 2-1 loss on Monday) on a few plays but we did not give Benet that room to exploit and punish us tonight.”

The Hilltoppers came out with cohesion on Monday, passing the ball around on Benet’s half of midfield and sending a few chances on frame. Watt fired from point-blank range near the post but Benet keeper Claire Munaretto was on the spot.

At roughly the 20-minute mark, the game at Benedictine University in Lisle saw Benet take control to halftime.

Benet’s Jamei Borges sent in a shot from distance that West keeper Anna Soane handled up high in the 22nd minute, and Soane fielded a similar shot soon thereafter as Benet’s attack began to mount.

The Redwings hit a crossbar before finding paydirt when Meaghan O’Hara fought for a ball near the goalmouth and touched it into net in the 36th minute, capping the Redwings’ most sustained attacking play of the game.

The halftime message for Glenbard West was a simple one.

“I just emphasized that we have to play to our strengths,” Kusmierz said. “We have to try to combine and the chances we get are because of our technical abilities. I told the girls that we need to play to our strengths, which is to keep the ball on the ground. We’re not a tall team so it’s difficult for us to challenge the high balls.

“We didn’t show that as much as we did against Wheaton North but it was enough for us to get a goal tonight.”

That goal was the result of a foul called inside the penalty area on Benet in the game’s 53rd minute. Hilltoppers sophomore Kaitlin Moore was fouled on the play and she stepped forward and buried a penalty kick that knotted the game.

Moore was busy throughout the second half, racing up the left side on the dribble and into Benet’s defensive third a handful of times, and centering passes that resulted in shots on net for the Hilltoppers, who had the better of play for long spurts of the second half.

“Kaitlin is one of the players you always like to coach because when you say one thing, she does it,” Kusmierz said. “She listens and she leaves everything on the field, every time she steps out there. It’s very nice to have players like that on any team.”

Munaretto stopped shots from Watt and Molly Abromitis with the score tied down the stretch, and the Glenbard West back line handled every Benet rush up the field to the final buzzer.

Watt was relatively pleased with the effort her side put forth after Monday’s loss to Wheaton North.

“We definitely wanted to connect more, especially on defense. We talked more in this game and knew where each other was at, more than we did against Wheaton North,” Watt said. “Up top, we also started to look more to the outside and play to each other a lot more, instead of just going right at the goal.

“We really wanted this win, especially after that loss. We wanted more goals but unfortunately we only got one, and the tie is definitely better than a loss.”

Kusmierz was satisfied with the game’s final score.

“In all, I think a tie was probably a fair result for both teams,” Kusmierz said. “There are still things we need to work on defensively but we have players adjusting to new positions.

“Last year, Larken Henkel played an outside position on defense and this year she’s sweeping for me. Haverly Snyder is coming off a torn ACL so she didn’t play with us last year, and we have a freshman, Alyssa Cantore, playing right-side defense and I think that’s a new position for her and she’s doing very well.”

Kusmierz also applauded the play of Powers, Lauren Davis, Maddie Nelson on the day, and also tipped his hat to the unsung heroes on any soccer team.
 
“I wanted to give some of our players on the bench a few minutes to experience what the high level of high school soccer is,” Kusmierz said.

“The kids on the field get all the glory but the kids on the bench really make up the team. If you don’t have them, then you don’t have the team on the field so I give those girls a lot of credit for accepting their responsibilities and roles on the team. When they get on the field they go in and do their best and deserve a lot of credit.”