Glenbrook South girls lacrosse seeking an offensive rhythm
The offensive rhythm Glenbrook South girls lacrosse coach Devin McCue seeks did not arrive until the second half of the Titans' April 14 game against Montini.
The Broncos by then had the upper hand.
Montini, whose sophomore midfielder Annika Bartell scored her 100th goal in less than two seasons, won the nonconference game 11-3 at John Davis Stadium last Friday in Glenview. Montini led 8-1 at halftime.
"I think we're just trying to figure out a flow and a rhythm to our offense," said McCue, whose 2022 squad gelled to reach a sectional semifinal, losing to eventual state champion New Trier.
"When you have teams that have a couple of players that score a lot of goals and are kind of go-to type of players, you look to those players. But we are looking for a little bit of a different identity this year in terms of other people needing to step up and into that role, and we're still trying to figure that rhythm out," McCue said.
Glenbrook South played without starting goalkeeper Kate Kim, who attended an orientation at the University of Chicago where she will be playing lacrosse.
The Titans rhythm emerged after halftime when Glenbrook South started winning its draws and coming up with some take-aways.
The Titans camped in Montini turf about the first eight minutes of the second half. After a patient offensive set, Glenbrook South scored the first goal of the second half, at 19 minutes, 2 seconds, when senior midfielder Caroline Weasler bounced the ball past the feet of Montini goalie Sophia Fountain, who stopped 12 of Glenbrook South's 15 shots on goal.
"Honestly, I think the scoreboard was just motivation in itself," said Weasler, a Titans captain. "Once our coaches are talking with us at halftime I think we just get more hyped up and it's like a restart, a refresh."
Montini responded with three straight goals, 2 by Ava Sebben following fouls on Glenbrook South. Most of Montini's goals followed penalties, the Broncos able to rush into the crease and shoot.
Glenbrook South senior attack Katie McGurn capped the scoring from about 10 yards out with 5:34 left to play after a minor foul.
McGurn also scored the Titans' first-half goal, wheeling in from behind the net after midfielder Mary Katherine Nestos ran the ball all the way downfield to set up the offense.
McGurn rejoined the lacrosse team April 5 after her club hockey team, the Chicago Bruins, placed fifth in the 19-under AA Nationals in Irvine, California.
She felt she was back up to speed.
"I've played with a lot of these girls before, these are all my best friends, so it doesn't take much," McGurn said.
"I think it just takes a day or two to get back into the groove of things and register that I'm playing lacrosse and not hockey, and I'm good to go."
The trio of Bartell, Sebben and Miley Brunski, who each scored at least 3 goals, paced Montini.
Bartell, strong on draw control to give Montini the edge in first-half possession, stole the ball and scored with 11:06 left in the first half for her 100th goal. The team celebrated the landmark with postgame sheet cake.
"Obviously we have a lot of talent and speed on our team," said Montini coach Jacqueline Ruf. "We were beating the ball to the transitions, we were doubling the ball, so we got most of the turnovers and gained possession back. Our girls were fast, they know where to be and where that ball is going to be, and they were placing themselves there.
"They were pumped for this game in the first place, and that 100th goal was the icing on the cake," she said, no pun intended.
Glenbrook South not only lacked Kim, but Friday's intended starting goalkeeper, junior Molly Weasler, was hurt during warmups and sophomore defender Ella Ward stepped into the cage. Weasler received treatment and played in the second half.
"I think they were psyched to have her in the second half," Titans coach McCue said. "I think we came up with a couple draw controls, that tends to put a little bit of wind in our sails."
Despite the loss senior attack Annalise Pappas saw some good things.
"I think positives were the defense did a really good job hedging, sliding," she said. "I think the communicating on defense was pretty good from what I heard when I was on the field and I was on attack. I think defense had some good rhythms going and I think team members stepped up when they needed to step up."