GAME PREVIEWS (Friday, May 23)
QUARTERFINAL #1
4:30pm - New Trier vs Stevenson
The Trevians and Patriots both make triumphant returns to the state
tournament after a one-year hiatus in 2013. Both teams are also loaded with
depth and playmakers, making whoever emerges from the first quarterfinal of
the night a strong contender to claim a state title.
New Trier outlasted Loyola last weekend at the GBS Sectional after
Jacqueline Glattard scored a late goal and Keelin Frank blocked a penalty
shot in the second half of a 7-6 victory. Stevenson earned double-digit wins
over Lake Forest and Mundelein to win the Mundelein Sectional and enter the
event on a roll and with a significant home-pool advantage.
The Trevians have a wide variety of options on the offensive end, making
them a tough team to defend against. Lauren Barrett and Stephanie Jodloman
combine to lead the scoring attack, while the Trevians will also look to
Glattard, Kaleigh Dolan, Maria Breen, Natalie Goldman, and Shannon Kent to
make major contributions. Team defense could also help New Trier advance to
the semifinal round, as it did when they made consecutive stops in the
closing stages of their sectional final win over the Ramblers. The goalie
duo of Keelin Frank and Zoe Gottleib could also be called upon if the team
if the team is looking to hold on to a late lead.
The Patriots have no shortage of options as well, with Allison Travetto and
Melissa Gartenberg leading the way for the offense. Autumn Hoang, Alexa
Kotlyar, Annika Hotchkiss, Ashley Oliver, Joanie Newland, and Sara Ploch
also lead a long list of options at the disposal of veteran head coach Jeff
Wimer. Stevenson is also boosted by goaltender Becky Callen, who could play
a key role in getting the team beyond the first round of the event to
challenge for their first-ever IHSA state title.
QUARTERFINAL #2
5:45pm - LWE vs St Ignatius
St Ignatius enters the state tournament looking to defend their first-ever
title, but they will have to be at their best when they face Lincoln-Way
East for the first time all season in Friday's state quarterfinals. The
Griffins hope to make some waves of their own as they make their state
tournament debut against the 2013 title-winners.
The Wolfpack returned to their winning ways by claiming the UIC Sectional
just one week after losing a close contest to Fenwick in the MCAC
Tournament's title game. Their defense proved to be the key as they earned a
9-3 victory over Evanston to advance to state. The Griffins handled their
business at the LWC Sectional by beating LWN and LWW in the first two rounds
before getting past Andrew 9-5 in the sectional final game.
St Ignatius returns plenty of talent and experience from last year's
title-winning squad. Their game plan revolves around Tammy Stelnicki, who
leads the team on both ends of the pool. Beca Martinez, Diana Fernandez,
Karen Juarez, and Maggie Maloney will likely play significant roles on the
offensive end, while Stephania Lopez, Nikol Lagodzinska, and Liv Evangelides
give head coach Mike Cashman plenty of depth to call on in a tight contest.
Sophomore goaltender won a title in her first year between the pipes, so she
will be ready to make a difference if the game stays close entering the
final period.
The Griffins are a balanced unit that will look to Aimee Schaaf, Haley
McCabe, and Lauren VanderVelde to lead a team that won 25 games in 2014.
There is no shortage of scoring options throughout the lineup, so expect
players like Erica Mangia, Taryn Linke, and Zoe Spada to come up big for
East if they hope to get past the Wolfpack on Friday. Veteran goaltender
Jill Connolly could prove to be the Griffins' most valuable weapon, so
Ignatius will have to be at the top of their game if they hope to get any
shots past the reliable keeper.
QUARTERFINAL #3
7:00pm - Fenwick vs Naperville North
Fenwick enters the state tournament with a perfect record in Illinois in
2014. Naperville North has only lost once this season. Something's got to
give when two of the top three teams in the state meet in the third
quarterfinal contest of the night at Stevenson, as both teams have their
sights set on winning a state title over the weekend.
The Friars' two regular season losses came against Florida's Gulliver Prep
and Michigan's Okemos, so they enter the event as the favorites to hoist the
championship trophy. They are a battle-tested team that beat St Ignatius to
win the MCAC Tournament two weeks ago and claimed the Lyons Sectional after
beating the hosts 11-1 last weekend. Meanwhile, the Huskies advanced to the
state tourney in dramatic fashion, as goalie Kate MacDuff scored the
game-winning goal at the end of regulation to beat Naperville Central 9-8
last Saturday at the Metea Valley Sectional.
The Friars will look to Catie Wallace and Colleen Barron to supply the bulk
of their offensive production, while all-around talent Alexa Ovalle makes
things happen on both ends of the pool. Bridget Carey, Janette Angelini,
Maggie Sheean, and goaltender Lexi Buglio are amongst a strong contingent of
Friars who should also make significant contributions on Friday night. The
Huskies will look to a trio of scorers that includes Dani DiMatteo, Jilian
Eiken, and Katie Horn to help them attempt to reach the semifinal round.
North also has a tremendous amount of depth, as players like Caitlin Holzer,
Helen Wei, and Taylor Stoner should play vital roles in this contest.
MacDuff could also be the key on the defensive end if North hopes to make it
to Saturday's semifinal round.
QUARTERFINAL #4
8:15pm - Mother McAuley vs Palatine
Mother McAuley returns to the state tournament looking to improve upon last
year's third-place finish. To do so, they will have to deal with a surging
Palatine team making their state tournament debut on Friday night.
The Mighty Macs survived a scare last weekend in the sectional finals of the
Stagg Sectional, battling back from a 6-3 deficit entering the fourth
quarter against Bremen to emerge with a 9-7 overtime win. On the other side,
the Pirates outlasted Fremd in overtime in the sectional semifinals and
finally got past Conant after two regular season losses to reach their
first-ever state tournament.
McAuley boasts two potent offensive stars with Clare Bryar and Fran
Williamson filling up the scoresheet in most games. They also have several
key components that make them one of the most dangerous teams at the event,
as Claire Mueller, Julie Olivares, Maggie Hennigan, and MaryJune O'Connell
will be relied upon by head coach Vanessa Carroll. The team received a major
boost early in the season when sophomore goalie Geena Peyton emerged as the
starter; she could prove difficult to score on for Palatine.
The Pirates will rely on the fearsome duo of Caroline Wojtas and Rachel
Chumbook to supply the scoring, while veteran goalie Kim Butler can be tough
to score upon in front of the Palatine defense. Lauren Rasor, Caitlin
McHugh, and Maryana Dvorska also played important roles for a team that won
27 games in 2014, while sophomore Kristen Anderson could be a
difference-maker, as she proved when she connected on the game-winning goal
in sudden-death overtime to beat Fremd in last week's Palatine Sectional.
