Naperville North opens with win over Barrington
Barrington girls soccer coach Ryan Stengren knew just how to take the sting out of Wednesday’s 1-0 loss at Naperville North.
“Last year we beat them 1-0 and they finished second in state,” Stengren said. “I told them I’m OK if that reverses this year.”
Maybe in June the Broncos (1-1) can look back on this game as a stepping stone, but for mid-March, at least, the Huskies (1-0) have bragging rights thanks to a 14th-minute set-piece goal by junior Christa Szalach.
Szalach beat her defender to the far post to head in a 35-yard free kick from classmate Cora Climo.
“It was a great ball played in by Cora,” rookie coach Steve Goletz said of his first victory. “In terms of restarts, Cora is always someone who’s going to put us in a dangerous position, and she played a great ball. Christa’s phenomenal in the air, made a run, stayed back post, headed it, hit the post and went in.”
“We work on set plays a lot, and we have a designated group of ball-winners,” Climo added. “I just tried to send it in back post and hopefully one of them would get on it.”
Both teams found positives to take from the early-season matchup.
“Defensively, it was good,” Goletz said. “There’s still some things we need to work on. Being Game 1, you know that going in. Everyone who played back there had their moments of doing some great stuff. For (central defender) Kayla Sharples to step in as a freshman and really be a rock back there was huge. She played a phenomenal game. (Central defender) Jen Korn played a great game. But the whole back line in general; (fullback) Angela Widlacki was all over the field.”
Stengren also was impressed with his defense.
“We’re not going to see a team that attacks better than that team,” he said after freshman goalkeeper Hannah Luedtke was called on to make just 1 save, “and we pretty much shut them down in the run of play.”
Barrington outshot the Huskies 9-7, but each really had just one clear scoring opportunity. Naperville North made the most of its chance, and the Huskies were up to the task when Barrington pressed forward in the 78th minute.
“I was frustrated that one play was the difference in the game,” Stengren said. “... We didn’t go with the runner down there — she played a great ball, don’t get me wrong, that was a great ball she played in — we didn’t go with. (Barrington’s) Molly Pfeiffer gets a great ball at the end. She heads it, they go with, they block it. I thought that was a goal. That’s the difference, though. That’s how slim a margin. If we can learn that, we’ll be in good shape.”
For Naperville North, it’s a good way to take some of the pressure of a season that begins with the Huskies ranked third in the nation.
“We addressed it,” Goletz said. “You can’t hide that stuff from kids anymore with the Internet out there, obviously. It’s one of those things where I said, hey, it’s something to be proud of. They see the potential that you have from last year, from your results last year. But last year is last year.”
“We’re still getting to know each other better and starting to work as a team, but I think it should be a good season,” Climo added.