Convincing Opener
By Bill Kindt
Beacon News Sports Editor
May 18, 2001

Convincing Opener

Strohmaier, Zmijewski
net hat tricks in sectional romp
By Bill Kindt
Beacon News Sports Editor

When your coach resigns in the first week of the season, disaster could be peeking its ugly head around the corner.

Yet when longtime Waubonsie Valley girls soccer coach Judy Keller resigned the first week of April, the Warriors rallied together.

"It was definitely tough, especially for me because I'm a senior," midfielder Louie Strohmaier said. "It was hard. She was more than a coach. She was a role model and a second mother to me."

Keller would have been beaming with pride Thursday night after the Warriors dismantled Plainfield 8-0 in the opening round of the Waubonsie Valley Sectional.

And Mom No. 2 might have been all gushy watching Strohmaier score three goals, including two in the first seven minutes. Strohmaier started the rout when she beat a Plainfield defender to score with just less than four minutes off the clock.

It took barely three minutes for Strohmaier to add a second goal, this time after taking a perfect pass from sophomore Brittany Bach. The quick start was just what the Warriors wanted.

"We just came out and used good passing," Strohmaier said. "We were using each other and working together."

Assistant Jenny Hyngstrom said: "It's always nice to get out there (in front) early, come out strong in the first game of a tournament."

Kristen Zmijewski kept the pressure on by scoring the first of her three goals with 18:24 remaining before halftime.

Then it was time for Strohmaier again. This time she was awarded a penalty kick when she was taken down in the goal box, and she had no trouble scoring.

"We've been practicing those because if we go into a tie it will be penalty kicks," Strohmaier said. "So, I knew what to do. I just had to know what corner to go to and place it there. It's an easy shot. You're supposed to make it."

That made the score 4-0, and the Warriors (11-11) used their quickness to complete the rout.

"We have a lot of quick forwards, a lot of speed on our team pretty much all over," Hyngstrom said. "We tried to use that right away."

Zmijewski scored her second goal with 17:29 remaining, and goals by Lauren Kahlenbeck and Jan Herdrich upped the count to 7-0. Zmijewski ended it all with a final goal with 15 seconds remaining.

It could have been worse. Waubonsie Valley had two goals voided by offside calls.

It all made things easy for Warriors goalie Lana Bannerman and coach Julie Bergstrom, who left at halftime to attend an all-sectional meeting.

Bergstrom took over when Keller left, facing what was often an impossible situation.

"Learning how to click together took a little time, but I think it's going good now," Strohmaier said. "Julie has stepped in and has done a great job. It wasn't a hard transition at all."

Added Hyngstrom: "Julie has been with some of these girls since their freshman year, and I think the transition to head coach went really well. The girls really like her."

Waubonsie Valley advanced to the regional championship game Tuesday against Downers Grove South.

Reprinted with permission

This article also appeared in the Naperville Sun on 5-20-01.