Lions look sharp in 4-1 victory over rival Red Devils

By Matt Le Cren

Lyons Township midfielder Katie Nasenbenny says her school's rivalry with Hinsdale Central is one of the most intense in the state and few people will argue with her.

But that doesn't mean sportsmanship has to take a back seat to winning. Such was the case when the two teams met Tuesday in LaGrange for their annual grudge match.

Lyons midfielder Lauren Grissim, one of six Lions being honored in a senior day celebration, is currently sidelined with a sprained ankle.

But she was in the starting lineup, thanks to an agreement between Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary and Hinsdale Central boss Skip Begley.

After Hinsdale Central kicked off, the visiting Red Devils deliberately sent the ball out of bounds so Mackie Furlong could sub in for Grissim.

"I mentioned something to Skip before the game and he said, 'Oh, we'll just kick it out for you,'" Lanspeary said. "We want to rest [Grissim] as much as we can because we know we'll need her later."

But once the teams got down to business, the Lions took control and played their best game of the season en route to a 4-1 victory that moved them into a first-place tie with York in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division.

The win also allowed the hosts to avenge last year's playoff loss to the Red Devils, who beat them 3-2 in the sectional semifinals and went on to win the Class 3A state championship.

"I thought we played good soccer, which was important for us," Lyons junior forward Kelsey Holbert said. "It's always a tough game when it's this big of a rivalry, but I think we played good soccer. We did it for the seniors and it was fun."

Holbert was a big reason why it was fun. Despite playing with a sore ankle, Holbert had a goal and two assists to support another big effort from Nasenbenny, who scored two more goals to go with an assist.

The Iowa-bound Nasenbenny now has 12 goals, including four in her last two matches.

"We didn't defend Holbert very well," Begley said. "We talked about her one-on-one abilities. The first two goals were all over her shoulder. We got exposed too many times 1 v 1."

Holbert got around a defender into the right side of the Hinsdale penalty area and slid a pass in front to Nasenbenny, who one-touched it past Red Devils goalie Katie Tarman for a 1-0 lead with 26:08 left in the first half.

Tarman, who finished with 11 saves, later stopped Nasenbenny twice from point-blank range and kept the Red Devils (7-7, 1-2) in it for a half, but the Lions (10-3, 3-0) simply overwhelmed the Hinsdale defense in the second half.

Holbert made it 2-0 at the 37:26 mark of the second half when she took a pass in the midfield from Lauren Moberg and sprinted 50 yards up the left wing, got in behind the defense and beat Tarman with a shot inside the right post.

"She was just kind of determined, I think," Lanspeary said. "She had an extra little burst and she just got through."

"Once you're playing, you don't think about it," Holbert said of the pain. "But it's a little sore."

Holbert caused more trouble 21 minutes later when she worked a give-and-go with Nasenbenny at midfield and raced up the right wing before crossing to a wide-open Hope Spangler.

Spangler, a senior midfielder, had trouble receiving the ball but turned and scored from close range to increase the lead to 3-0.

"Kelsey played a great ball," said Spangler, a Western Michigan-signee. "There wasn't anyone near me and I was yelling, 'Kelsey!'

"She dribbled it [what seemed like] the length of the field and got the ball to me. I kind of tripped over it. I'm not really sure what I did with it but it ended up in the back of the net. I love beating them."

The Red Devils have struggled at finding the back of the net consistently, but it hasn't been for lack of trying. They played their part in an action-packed match that saw 40 shots, 21 by Lyons.

The visitors actually outshot the Lions 13-9 in the second half and got on the board when sophomore Lauren Shroyer scored her first goal of the season and second of her career with 5:49 left.

Shroyer nearly had a hat trick. She just missed a shot over the left post with 4:17 remaining, and in the first half she hit the crossbar while the game was still scoreless.

"I think we would have had more determination to keep scoring [had the first shot gone in]," Shroyer said.

"But I think the goal that we got definitely helped because at least it wasn't a shutout. I think we need to work harder as a team and get to every ball and score more.”

The Red Devils had other opportunities. Molly Gaffney sent a cross from deep in the left corner with 12:15 left in the first half that looked like it would lead to the tying goal, but Eryka Hawkins' header just missed the right post.

Lyons goalies were solid. Starter Renata Butikas made seven saves and her replacement, fellow senior Kelsey Sopron, made two while playing the final 10:33.

Senior Steph Condon, junior Elise Gordon, sophomore Sarah Mazur and freshman Ari Kowalski shined again on the back line.

"Our [lack of] team speed kind of shows at times and we just struggle finishing," Begley said. "When you struggle and you don't convert the couple quality opportunities that you get, it makes it tough.

"But we played hard. We tried to get back in it. We'll try to keep improving and make a couple switches here and there and see if we can put a little more pressure on up front."

That hasn't been a problem for the Lions, who are getting better as the season goes on.

"Because this season is going so well, [this win] is just another thing that adds to the chemistry," Spangler said.

"It's not only about the seniors today. It's about everyone and how well we've been doing so far. Everyone works together as a team really well."

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