Sobieszczyk's strike lifts Cary-Grove past Buffalo Grove
Genna Sobieszczyk's 76th-minute strike proved to be the difference as Cary-Grove's girls soccer team emerged with a 2-1 victory over Buffalo Grove in a second-round match at the Chris Frizzelle Memorial Tournament at Lake Park's West campus Tuesday.
Next up for Ray Krystal's club will be host Lake Park this Thursday afternoon in the tourney finale for both.
"Not a bad effort in our second game of the year, and with us missing most of our back line and a couple of others in the midfield," said the Trojans head coach, who was without several starters due to spring break travel. "When you consider it took us five games last year before we found the back of the net, it was nice to see us put two in tonight and to create a few other chances, in addition to playing some good soccer from time to time."
The Trojans, who lost their opener last weekend to Batavia (5-0-0, and 2-0 in the tournament), looked sharp during the first quarter-hour as they targeted Carli Petersen, Kelly Stayart and Sobieszcyk on a regular basis, testing a Bison (0-2-1) back line which is still going through the type of growing pains associated with having all the new faces coach Pat Dudle has installed in front of returning keeper Cassie Berman.
"During the early stages of the season," said Dudle, "we're going to struggle at times as we continue to sort things out and move some people around as we try to see where the best place will be for our returning players, as well as so many of the new players we have on our roster this season."
Although Cary-Grove (1-1-0) had the better of it during the first quarter-hour, the Bison got the first goal of the match when sophomore Alyssa Floro finished a nicely played ball from Georgette Topalis at 20 minutes.
Despite conceding the opening goal, the Trojans fired back with plenty of determination, and with some good work on the outside from Natalie Bethers. In tandem with more energy and a higher work rate from his midfield, Krystal soon saw his team draw back level when Carlson steered in the equalizer in the 27th minute.
"We had a lot of effort and heart out there tonight, and there were players who really stepped up when we needed them to with us missing so many players," said Carlson, who was dangerous in the final third during the last half of the first period.
Dudle moved his top defender, Shannon Guercio, up top after intermission, and stationed Gina Bolis just in front of his back four to help tighten things defensively while looking to jump-start an attack that was up and down throughout the contest.
"Shannon is a terrific player," said Dudle. "Wherever we put her, it's going to make us that much better at that spot. But again, right now we're just trying to figure some things out, and I know we'll be a much better club at the end of April than we are now."
When it appeared this match was destined to end in a draw, up stepped Sobieszczyk, who thumped the game-winner high into the back of the net with her well-paced, right-footed blast from in close.
"This is a team with terrific chemistry away from the game," said Krystal, "but needs some time to develop that same chemistry out on the field. That's something that will not only be good for the program this year, but in the coming years, which is what it's all about here at Cary-Grove."