Girls soccer: Stanciak scores twice in Warren's win over Carmel
The 2022 Warren soccer team had plenty of talent and quality all throughout its roster with five of those players having since gone on to play collegiate soccer this past fall.
The loss of this talent - coupled with so many young players now playing full-time minutes - has led to a period of adjustment for the Blue Devils and coach Ryan McCabe.
However, in its home debut on Tuesday night at the O'Plaine Campus Stadium, the Blue Devils (2-2-1) used Addison Stanciak's first half double - and some hearty defense - to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Carmel Catholic in a nonconference contest in Gurnee.
"It was our home opener, we were coming off a 5-2 loss to Glenbrook South, so our energy and work rate really helped carry us through tonight," said Stanciak, whose herculean effort proved to be the difference in her game-winner that came just moments before the intermission.
"We have a lot of new and young players this season, but we've been working hard, and I think it is slowly coming together for us right now," added Maya Martinek, who turned in a strong performance in front of the Blue Devils backline which had their hands full all night with the Corsairs (5-2-1) scoring stars Emily Fix and Anna Hartman.
"We were not as sharp and clean as we needed to be. However, we created so many quality chances, especially in the first half, but Warren played very well when they needed to and we just did not have any scoring luck tonight," said Corsairs coach Stephanie Kile, whose club was coming off a 9-0 victory in league play on Monday night.
Stanciak's opener came in the 14th minute when Reese Mertens sent her teammate through with a superb ball which split the Corsairs open in its own end allowing Stanciak to steer in her low drive past keeper Abby Tekampe, who had no chance.
Hartman and Fix each had a pair of terrific looks on frame leading to when the visitors would draw back even - with the best chance of the four coming in the 22nd minute when Hartman broke free to collect a marvelous helper from Fix.
Just before the half-hour, Madison Konen ran onto a lovely ball from Norah Belmonte from the end line to the back post - and smashed in the equalizer.
It was the pace, desire and drive by Stanciak which led to the eventual game-winner when she won the ball, carried to the end line, before delivering a blistering low attempt through the box and off a Corsairs player.
"It feels good to get this win, and I feel like we worked hard enough as a team to win a game like this," said Stanciak.
The Blue Devils are away on Wednesday at Glenbrook North, while the Corsairs have their Under Armour Tournament opener this Saturday in Schaumburg against Hinsdale Central.