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Girls soccer: Stevenson hands New Trier its first loss

Stevenson was after just a slice of what was offered in the competitive Deep Dish Classic girls soccer tournament hosted by New Trier over the last week. The Patriots wanted more than that slice after making the top four Saturday and beating Naperville North on penalty kicks in the semifinals.

In the final, Stevenson showed that it can compete with the best teams in the state, after the Patriots shutout host New Trier (8-1-5) 2-0 on Monday night in Northfield.

Notre Dame-bound Kalyssa Vanzanten scored her 12th goal of the season and Madison Kim had the other knock for the Pats, while the defense was outstanding behind the sixth clean sheet of the season from keeper Jenny Staten.

"These girls are amazing," said Stevenson coach PepeJon Chavez, whose team is now 8-1-2. "Our back line sustained pressure against an amazing team. (New Trier) was so organized with four state championships and I respect it so much. But the pieridine shifted, Stevenson is here, look out. We deserved the game whether we get the shots or not. It's time that we got their number.

"You have to have some discipline in your system and you have to take on some risks because I have some young kids that are willing to take on some risks and are willing to go after games."

Stevenson, opens its North Suburban Conference schedule at Libertyville on Tuesday but Monday's victory is a step to where the Pats want to see their program go.

"This is a stepping stone, because we got to play for a final," Chavez said. "We know that we have more finals to come. We have a regional final, a sectional final, we have a supersectional final and we're planning to go downstate. Stevenson has never been there and the time is now."

On the back line for the Patriots were Kayla Constabileo, Paige Copeland, Tess Koleno, Lily Mahdavian and Myah Schoolman.

Staten was a big force with her efforts in goal for Stevenson on this night.

"We've put a lot effort this season and came out strong in this game," Staten said. "We really wanted to win it and wanted to show New Trier what we can do. We wanted to compete and beat our bigger sisters. They've been known around Chicago for a long time. We wanted to make ourselves known.

"I just had to make myself big and I used to play club with a lot of these girls. My back line was just so solid, Kayla (Contabileo) listens so well and organized everybody else nice and perfect."

Vanzanten scored the opening goal in the 13th minute, after she took a service on the left side from Gaby Nyc. Vanzanten controlled the ball, made a move and connected a 25-yard shot into the back of the net.

She then almost had the second goal in the 54th minute, which was stopped by New Trier keeper Meghan Dwyer on a breakaway near the top of the box. Kim came in from behind and scored into the open net.

"I just saw the opening after she had kicked it," Kim said. "I was happy to be there after the rebound."

"(Stevenson) swarmed the ball really well and put pressure when they needed to," New Trier coach Jim Burnside said. "They back tackled and had us off a little bit. It wasn't our night and when you start chasing it gets tough. There wasn't a true rhythm to the game."

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