Welcome to Bishop McNamara 2009 Girls Soccer

Welcome to the Girls 2009 soccer page.  We will be updating the page as the season approaches with helpful information on highlights schedules, and results.  Please check back here for more information.

GO IRISH!

Irish Top Reed-Custer

The Irish played their last home game of the season in the Regional Quarterfinals against Reed Custer. The Irish dictated much of the game, maintaining possession for the majority of the time. The Irish had many chances in the first half, but were unable to score. The second half, the Irish were able to net a single goal. Mis-hits, bad bounces, and good saves kept the Irish from adding to the total. Reed Custer never gave up, pushed forward, and had several dangerous possessions late. The defense held its ground and kept Reed Custer from scoring.

Mac moves on to a rematch with very good Herscher team in the semifinal of the Regional on Friday at Herscher (4:30pm). If the Irish can bring their focus, intensity, and execution to this game, they will be able to move on to the regional final.

Goal
Liz Ostrowski

Saves
Kaleigh Wheeler - 3

Record 4-11-3 (1-9 conference)

Irish Shut Out St. Joe

The Irish bounced back to defeat St. Joe 2-0. The Irish played with a much improved attitude and approach to the game. While they played far from perfect, the Irish kept their heads in the game and took the play to St. Joe. Passing and communication were improved. While the mental mistakes were cut down, the Irish still allowed far too many attacks on their goal. On the offensive end, the Irish still need to cut down on their physical mistakes (mis-hits on the ball, dribbling, and trapping), but they did show good combination play and could have scored many more goals than they did. The Irish still let the physical play of the other team and the referees get to them.

The coaching staff believe that if the Irish can make this effort their baseline play, they can go deep into the playoffs.

Goals:
Jen Ostrowski
Nicole Adamson

Saves:
Kaleigh Wheeler - 12

Record is 3-10-3 (1-8 in conference)

Mac Takes On Marian

McNamara travelled to Marian on an overcast, windy but warm day. The play was very physical with Marian getting an early whistle for physical play and a Marian player was cautioned by the referee. Unfortunately, that was the only talking to the refs gave Marian. With the wind at their backs, the Irish pushed the play into Marian's half for much of the 1st half. Unfortunately, the Irish were only able to hit the post and not the back of the net. Marian was able to take advantage of their speed on counterattacks. They were either able to muscle past the defense if not just outrun them to score. In the second half, the Irish were able to convert on a free kick to score on Marian. The Irish never gave up during the game as Marian kept many of its starters on the field for the duration of the contest.

The Irish take on Crete in a JV game Monday, play the cross town rival - Bradley - on Tuesday at BBCHS' field, and then travel to Providence on Thursday. If the Irish keep up their spirits and continue to learn from each game, they will be in good shape when the playoffs arrive.

Goals:
Moira Martin (UA)

Carmel Tops Irish

A ranked Carmel team took the field against the Irish on Wednesday. It was quickly apparent why Carmel is a state ranked 3A team. They had team speed, especially up front, touch and poise. The Irish battled against them and kept Carmel to a single goal for the first 20 minutes. The Irish played hard, but the speed and size of Carmel kept the number of serious threats to a minimum. The Irish were able to string together passes and move the ball down the field, but one down near the goal, the Carmel defense shut the door. The team kept their heads up the entire game and challenged Carmel for the duration. Jen Ostrowski made several spectacular saves in goal to keep the scoring down.

Mac next plays away at Marian Catholic on Saturday at 10:00.

The schedule eases up a bit for the remainder of the season. There are quality teams still to be played, but Mac is past 3 of the 4 of last year's top conference teams. If the Irish can come to the games with a positive attitude and play aggressively, they can win several of the remaining games on their schedule.

Jen Ostrowski - 12 saves

Wilmington at Mac

Wilmington and McNamara squared off on a sloppy field after a full day of rain. McNamara dictated the play for much of the first half, but had no luck in getting on the board. Unfortunately, Wilmington made the most of its chances, converting 3 out of 4 good chances into goals to take a 3-0 lead at half.

In the second half, Mac continued to press, but lost its aggressiveness on the ball and did not win many 50/50 balls. Communication breakdowns and too much spectating were the main culprits hindering the Irish. Wilmington got two more goals to bring the final score to 5-0.

The Irish have a touch game against Carmel on Wednesday. We invite everyone to come out and cheer on the Irish against the top team in the conference.

Mac at Herscher

Bishop McNamara travelled to Herscher in a game with no subs for the Irish. Due to injuries and illnesses, Mac could only suit 11 players. Even with a no bench, Mac played a tough game against Herscher. Also several players had to play at different positions. Herscher was able to take advantage of its speed to take a 3-0 lead at halftime.

The second half went similar to the first. The Irish were not able to capitalize on the chances that they had and Herscher's attack was able to slip another 3 goal in. The Irish had to play the last part of the game with only 10 players due to an injury and no subs. The Irish's weary legs were evident late in the second half. If the team sees that as an opportunity to get in better game shape, this game could be a blessing. How this team reacts to the loss could be the defining moment of the season.

Benet at Mac

Benet came to town expecting an easy victory over McNamara. What they found was a tough determined opponent. The Irish played a spirited game that knocked Benet out of its game plan and hustling to keep up with Mac. The Irish had multiple chance early, but were unable to net a goal. The Irish defense kept Benet off guard and with limited chances. Benet was able to net two goals in the first half.

The second half was not as kind to Mac as Benet's speed, size, and depth wore down the Irish as Benet pushed the tempo of the game and was able to dictate the game. Benet found its shooting touch and placed 3 shots just under the crossbar in a span of 10 minutes. The Irish never gave up and continued to make good counter-attacks that kept Benet on edge the entire game. In the end, Benet was just too deep for the Irish to crack with the final score of 8-0.

The score does not hint at how well the Irish played. Even Benet's coaching staff talked about how well the Irish played and that Benet was lucky not to find itself down after the first half of play. Benet is one of the top teams in our conference, so this is high praise indeed. If Mac is able to keep up this level of play, they are a team to worry about in the playoffs.

Joliet Downs Mac

The Irish ran into a determined and skilled Joliet Catholic team. On hopefully the last cold, cloudy and windy day, Joliet took control early and never let up. Joliet took advantage of the Irish missing several starters and kept pressure on the defense. Joliet took shots early and often. The Irish never quit and had several chances to score of their own, but were not able to put anything in. With the short bench, Mac put up a good effort, but lost 8-0.

The coaches are sure that if the team can hang through these tough games, learn, and get better, that the Irish will be successful during the playoffs. Team defense is still an area to be improved upon. A special thanks to Wheels in goal during this game. She took a kick that should have resulted in a card for the offending player but was not called. She continued to hang in there through the tough match.

Amanda O'Brien is in our thoughts and prayers as she undergoes knee surgery on Wednesday.

Mac continues its conference schedule at home against Benet on Thursday, April 16th at 4:30. We encourage everyone to come out and support the team.

Saves:
Kaliegh Wheeler - 10

Practice Cancelled for Monday

Practice is cancelled for Monday, April 13. We need to meet at the school Tuesday at 2:30pm for our game at Joliet Catholic.

Irish Lose to Marist

The Irish took on Marist on Wednesday. The Irish started the game very sluggish and could not get a flow established to their game. Marist took advantage by keeping pressure on through out the half. The Irish did ok on attacking the 50/50 ball, but were slow to react in defending the pass or providing support for their teammates when we were in possession. Marist took advantage to garner a 3-0 lead at halftime.

At the half, the coaching staff pointed out the lack of marking and support on the field. Spacing on the field was another area that hurt the Irish. As a whole, the team seemed to lack the hustle and desire needed to win the game. In the second half, the team responded in spurts, but again could not develop any substained attack. The team was able to keep Marist from scoring any more in the game to keep the final score at 3-0. Kaleigh Wheeler did a good job in goal and had several great saves to keep the game from getting out of hand.

The team took a step back today, but hopefully will learn from this game and get better from it. They have the talent to play with Marist and beat them, but when the energy level and effort is not there, it is a long afternoon.

The Irish's JV&V record drops to 2-3-2 (0-3 in conference). Mac next takes on Joliet Catholic on Tuesday in Joliet.

Saves:
Kaleigh Wheeler - 15

Mac Loses A Close One

Mac lost a close game to Nazareth Academy on Tuesday. It was a cold but sunny day with a crisp breeze. It took a little bit of time for the team to adjust to the smooth turf field at Nazareth. After Nazareth pushed the attack in the early going, Mac settled down and applied some pressure of their own. Nazareth was able to push a goal in after a questionable non-call for offsides to take a 1-0 lead at the half.

The coaches emphasized the need for the Irish to keep up the pressure and maintain spacing and the intensity up at the start of the half. The Irish had Nazareth on their heels for the first 15 minutes of the half, but was unable to get the equalizer. The game settled into back and forth play, with each side getting its chances. The last 10 minutes varied between a soccer game and an ugly game of kickball. Neither team was able to score in the second half, ending the game at 1-0 in favor of Nazareth.

The coaching staff was happy with the effort the team gave. The mental mistakes are getting fewer, but the team still has to improve on marking and ball handling skills. This team has the potential to play some incredible soccer if it continues to improve as the season moves along. The team ended the game without any new injuries, but before the game had found out that Amanda O'Brien is out for the season with a knee injury requiring surgery. We will miss her presence on the field, but she will be with her team and help lead and guide from the sideline.

The team's combined record is 2-2-2 (0-2 in conference).

Saves - Kaliegh Wheeler - 7

Mac and Peotone Battle To a Tie

On a cold windy day (I'm noticing a theme), the Irish took on Peotone. Peotone was able to set the tone of the game and took a 2-0 halftime lead. The Irish had their chances, but was giving up too many possessions at the middle of the field. Defending the pass and marking up were the areas that hurt the Irish the most in the first half.

The Irish regrouped during the half as the coaching staff again emphasized the need for more communication and better use of space on the field. The Irish responded in the second half by defending the pass much better as well as using space to develop their attack. The Irish's Amanda O'Brien got the first tally for the team. As the Irish kept the pressure up, Peotone started to get more frustrated. That frustration led to several free kick. Jen Storer was able to put one in just under the cross bar to tie the game. Peotone's frustration started becoming desperation. Each team had opportunities to take the lead but each time, either a mis-hit or good defense ended the threat.

The coaching is happy to watch as the team continues to improve and serve notice to the area that they are a team to worry about.

Goals:
Amanda O'Brien
Jen Storer

Assist:
Rose Aviles

Saves:
Jen Ostrowski - 9

Overall record - 2-1-2

Next game is Monday at Nazareth. Team members need to bring their gear to school on Monday because we are leaving directly from school to Nazareth.

Irish fall to Fenwick

The Irish fell to a touch Fenwick team. Fenwick came out with a strong organized attack that kept pressure on the entire first half. A mental slip allowed Fenwick to get an easy goal off of a corner kick early. The Irish was not able to developed a sustained attack, but had some threatening runs. Fenwick tallied two more in the half to take the lead 3-0.

The coaching staff emphasized the team's need to eliminate the mental mistakes and to develop the attack using space and communication. The defense was able to step up and reduce the opportunities for Fenwick in the second half. Fenwick was only able to get one more goal from a misplayed ball in the second half.

The coaching staff was pleased with the Irish playing until the final whistle. The team will need to continue improving as they move into their conference schedule against tough competition. To compete, they need to eliminate the mental mistakes and play within themselves.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Elizabeth Ostrowski. She got injured on an aggressive 50/50 ball. We hope that she is ok and is able to play again soon.

Mac/Beecher Contest A Draw

On a cold and windy Saturday, the Irish took the field against Beecher. With a short bench, Mac still was aggressive and played strong in the first half, keeping the ball on the attacking half for much of the first half. The Irish had 13 shots in the half, but was not able to convert on any.

In the second half, the Irish's legs started to give a bit as Beecher pushed the attack much more and had several good shots which the defense and keeper were able to turn away. The Irish were able to get 5 shots off in the second half. The game ended at 0-0.

The coaching staff is happy with the effort, but still sees the potential of the team as they improve on their execution of play, the communication and spacing on the field, and continue to adjust to the physical play they will see the rest of the year. If they make those improvements, the team will be playing deep into the playoffs.

Saves:
Wheeler - 8

Mac's combined record (V&JV)is 2-0-1. Mac plays at Bradley/Bourbonnais Tuesday, March 31.

Mac Handles Rich East

In a very rough, physical game, McNamara came out swinging and took control of the game early. The Irish had a 3-0 halftime lead. After a small letdown and allowing Rich East to get a goal. The Irish responded with 3 more goals while turning away the Rockets for the rest of the game. The coaching staff is proud of the way the team handled themselves during the game. The captains want to remind the team that they will face physical teams in the future and they will have more skill and experience, so the Irish need to learn from this game and prepare themselves for even tougher opponents. Final score was 6-1.

Goals: Rose Aviles, Ellen Rogers (2), Nicole Coglianese (2), and Jen Storer

Assists: Amanada O'Brien, Nicole Coglianese (2), and Jen Storer

Saves: Kaliegh Wheeler - 3

Mac Over Grant Park

Mar 25, 2009- The girls opened the season against Grant Park today. The team started out a little sluggish. The Irish had their chances to take the lead, but were not able to find the back of the net. Meanwhile, Grant Park was able to net the first goal of the game.

At the half, the coaches stressed the importance of winning the 50/50 balls, communicating with teammates, and attacking the goal. The team responded with much more inspired play. They put pressure on almost every loose ball and kept the play on Grant Park's half. The team tallied two goals in the second half while shutting out Grant Park to take the win.

The coaching staff was glad to see the girls get their first win under their belts. As the team learns from its mistakes and becomes accustom to playing together, the coaching staff looks forward to a successful season with many more wins. The next game will be at Rich East at 4:30 on Thursday, March 26th.

Goals:
Amanda O'Brien
Lissette Munoz

Assists:
Rose Aviles

Saves:
Kaliegh Wheeler - 6

2009 Schedule/Results