Sockers top Strikers to take U-14 crown

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By Gary Larsen

Sockers FC coach Ahmed Gad got almost exactly what he wanted from this year’s U-14 girls’ team, and on Saturday it culminated in an IYSA state title, thanks to a 3-1 win over the Fox Valley Strikers.

“I always like watching them step to the field and give a hundred and ten percent, and this team is very competitive,” Gad said. “And when they have the ball, they play good soccer, which is what we want to extend to all the ages – how to play the game – and that’s something we’ve had with this group.”

“I’ve enjoyed seeing them give all they can on the field, fight when they need the ball, and when they got the ball they played beautiful soccer.”

The Sockers got goals from Allison Ingham, Erin Bailey, and Lauren Gierman, and Gina Giancola’s defensive play and long flip-throws stood out throughout the contest.

Amanda Hilton tallied in the second half for the Strikers and coach David Parker.

“I’m proud of the way the girls played,” Parker said. “We lost to a very good team today, as they proved. We played them in MRL Premier Division so we know they’re the best team in Illinois right now, but our team came together. We had two teams come together in August – in Campton and Strikers – and they’ve come a long way in a year.”

The Sockers had already beaten the Strikers once this year but they weren’t about to presume anything heading into Sunday’s title game.

“We’re never overconfident,” Giancola said. “We knew we beat this team 2-0 last time but all the parents were saying ‘that doesn’t matter. Today is your game and you just put your heart on that field and see what happens’. We just try our best. Every time we score we say ‘it’s zero-zero’.”

The Sockers led 1-0 at halftime on Ingham’s goal and went up 2-0 when Bailey buried a shot inside the far post from 18 yards out in the second half.

The most dangerous lead in soccer proved dangerous in a hurry to the Sockers, as the Strikers’ Amanda Hilton quickly answered with a goal that put her squad back within one goal of tying the contest.

“The girls might start thinking the game is over and they can lose the momentum for that one second,” Gad said. “That goal brought them back to understand that the game isn’t over, and get them back to focus and concentrate.”

“That woke us up really fast,” Giancola said of Hilton’s goal. “It was a communication error on my side, pretty much, but those things happen.”

The teams battled until Gierman found the back of the net to effectively put the game away, late in the second half.

Giancola’s long throw-ins were a dangerous weapon throughout.

“Gina played strong and made a huge difference for us in the final third of the field,” Gad said. “She forces teams not to kick it outside because when they do, it’s like a free kick for us.”

The Sockers reached the title game with a trio of shutouts, beginning with a 4-0 win over FC United Premier. A 1-0 win over Windy City Pride followed before a 2-0 win over FC United Select put the Sockers in the title game.

Giving up a single goal in four games is a good indication of how solid the Sockers were defensively this year.

“I think we communicate a lot. We talk before the game about what we need to work on, and if we leave our player that we’re marking we always switch up,” Giancola said. “It’s just a lot of communication back there.”

After Sunday’s win, Gad was happy with the title and even more pleased with the approach his girls have taken all season.

“The final game is always about certain things, and not always just about the result,” Gad said. “They play to win but we want them to also play and perform. Play the game and we’ll be happy with the result no matter what.

Two days ago I told them not to even think about this game – go to the movies, or to dinner. Have fun and enjoy, and then come here ten or fifteen minutes before our warm-up time and joke, and have fun together. But when we start going into the warm-up we wanted them to be ready to go for this game.”

Parker’s Strikers reached the title game with a pair of shutouts, first knocking off the OPRF Strikers 3-0 and next winning 4-0 against FCX North Black, before winning 2-1 over Academy United SC in Saturday’s semifinal round.
 
“We’ve grown and we’ve got some growing to do, still. But they had a good year in the Midwest Regional League and they’ve been very consistent throughout the season,” Parker said.