Athletics Women's Soccer--Archive

The Cyclones are looking for players to join the 2010 women's soccer squad. All practices are held on the fields parallel to 111th Street on the south side of campus. Anyone who is interested should call head coach Jim Knawa at (708) 974-5237 or e-mail him at knawaj@morainevalley.edu with any questions.

All-Region first team: Nicole Mazor (Shepard)
All-Region second team: Nadia Equihua (Argo) and Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest)
All-Conference first team: Equihua and Barrera
All-Conference honorable mentions: Mazor, Courtney Juby (Oak Forest), Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park), and Dalia Mustafa (Richards)

Day	Date	Opponent	Location	Time	W/L
Sat.	8/29	Daley College	Home	1 p.m.	W 3-2
Mon.	8/31	Truman College	Home	4 p.m.	W 9-0
Wed.	9/2	Prairie State College*	Home	4 p.m.	W 6-0
Fri.	9/4	South Suburban College	Home	4 p.m.	W 6-1
Wed.	9/9	Morton College	Away	7 p.m.	W 5-4
Sat.	9/12	Springfield College	Away	2 p.m.	T 1-1
Sun.	9/13	Lincoln College	Away	Noon	L 0-3
Wed.	9/16	Oakton Community College*	Away	4 p.m.	L 0-1
Fri.	9/18	College of DuPage	Away	4 p.m.	L 1-6
Mon.	9/21	Waubonsee CC*	Home	4 p.m.	T 1-1
Fri.	9/25	Joliet Junior College	Home	4 p.m.	W 2-1
Sun.	9/27	St. Louis Forest Park	Home	1 p.m.	L 2-3
Wed.	9/30	Elgin Community College*	Away	3 p.m.	L 1-4
Sat.	10/3	Triton College	Home	1 p.m.	T 2-2
Sun.	10/4	Carl Sandburg College	Away	2 p.m.	W 5-1
Sat.	10/10	Heartland Community College	Home	1 p.m.	L 1-8
Mon.	10/12	College of Lake County*	Home	4 p.m.	L 0-1
Wed.	10/14	RAIN DATE	TBA	TBA	N/A
Sat.	10/17	South Suburban College	Away	Noon	W 5-0
Sat.	10/24	Region IV Quarter Finals vs. College of Lake County	Home	2:30 p.m.	L 1-2
Tues.	10/27	Region IV Semi-Finals	TBA	TBA	N/A
Sat.	10/31	Region IV Finals	TBA	TBA	N/A
Fri.-Sat.	11/6-7	Districts	TBA	TBA	N/A
Thurs.-Sun.	11/19-22	Nationals	Away	TBA	N/A

*Denotes Conference Game

October 29, 2009
Cyclones kick hard to the end

Giving it their all until the very end, the women’s soccer team culminated their season Oct. 24 in the NJCAA Region IV quarter finals.

The Cyclones began the season with a five-game winning streak, shutting down opponents with tough defense and unstoppable offense. Then the team hit roadblocks, played a slew of strong teams and the offense could not finish, losing several games by only a goal or two. The team's season record was 8-8-3.

“The final season results are not because a lack of effort. Regardless of the score or position of the team, the athletes played hard. This was a great group to work with, a great cohesive team,” said coach Jim Knawa. “Our defense was consistent the whole season and really held us in a lot of games. My sweeper Nadia Equihua (Argo) was solid this year. She’s one of the best defensive players I’ve had as a coach.”

Even in their final match against College of Lake County the Cyclones clung to a tie until the 75th minute of the game, which ended in a 2-1 loss.

“They played very well. I was proud of their 110 percent effort through the entire game. The athletes came together. There were just a couple of mistakes that hurt us. We had opportunities, but we couldn’t pull off the win,” Knawa said.

Several players received athletic honors including Nicole Mazor (Shepard) named to the All-Region IV first team; Equihua and Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) selected for the All-Region second team; Equihua and Barrera also got nods for the All-Conference first team. All-Conference honorable mentions went to Mazor, Courtney Juby (Oak Forest), Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park), and Dalia Mustafa (Richards).

The Cyclones were defeated 2-1 in the quarter-final round of the NJCAA Region IV playoffs by College of Lake County Oct. 24. Danielle Savant (Oak Forest) tied the game at one in the 27th minute off an assist from Nicole Mazor (Shepard). The game remained tied until the 75th minute when the Lancers scored off a corner kick.

The Cyclones finished their regular season with a 5-0 win over South Suburban on Oct. 17. Nicole Mazor (Shepard) scored her team-leading 17th and 18th goals of the season while Oak Forest alums Katie McGrath, Danielle Savant and Courtney Juby each contributed goals. Mazor added two assists (making it 12 this season). Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) and Christina Foster (Oak Lawn) also added assists. NJCAA Region IV Division II playoffs begin this week.

October 13, 2009
Dual loss at home for Cyclones

In a close game with College of Lake County Oct. 12 the Cyclones lost 1-0 after the Lancers scored on a penalty kick with 15 minutes left in the game. Barbara Lesnicka (Kennedy) was superb in the net turning away 15 shots on goal.

The Cyclones suffered a tough 8-1 loss Oct. 10 to Heartland Community College. Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) scored the lone goal with an assist from Sara Fullarton (Evergreen Park).

October 5, 2009
A Cyclone split

The Cyclones played Triton College to a 2-2 draw on Oct. 3. Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) scored for Moraine Valley with an assist from Dalia Mustafa (Richards). Christina Foster (Oak Lawn) scored the second goal of the game.

Moraine Valley was back in form Oct. 4 with a 5-1 win over Carl Sandburg College. The Cyclone offense came alive as the team led 2-1 at halftime. Danielle Savant (Oak Forest) scored the first two points and was followed in the second half with goals by Barrera, Nicole Mazor (Shepard) and Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard). Mazor also had three assists while Barrera had one of her own. Nadia Equihua (Argo) continues to be stellar on defense while goalkeeper Lesnicka had two saves to record the victory.

October 1, 2009
Cyclones struggling

The Cyclones continued to struggle on the road, dropping a 4-1 decision to Elgin Community College on Sept. 30. The time of possession was fairly even, but the Spartans capitalized on three dead-ball kicks to break open a 1-1 tie midway through the second half. Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard) scored the lone goal with an assist by Katie McGrath (Oak Forest).

The Cyclones scored early in the first and then second half of a home game against Joliet Junior College to hold on to a 2-1 win Sept. 25. Keeper Barbara Lesnicka continues to be solid on goal, turning back seven shots, including two breakaways for the match. Defenders Nadia Equihua (Argo) and Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park) were busy all afternoon and turned in great performances. Danielle Savant (Oak Forest) and Nicole Mazor (Shepard) each scored while Kelly Pecka (Shepard), Dalia Mustafa (Richards) and Mazor had assists. The Cyclones are an impressive 5-0-1 at home.

Moraine Valley fought back from a 2-0 halftime deficit by scoring two in the second half, but came up short in a 3-2 loss to St. Louis Community College-Forest Park on Sept. 27. Mazor and Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard) scored and Mustafa recorded an assist.

A charging defense and a tough goalkeeper kept the Cyclones shin guard to shin guard with the 2008 Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference and Region IV championship Waubonsee Community College team leading to a 1-1 tie in double overtime Sept. 21.

Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) scored three minutes into the game, and the Cyclones held on to the lead until the end. With five minutes remaining, the Chiefs scored to tie it up. Maintaining the tie through two overtimes was the defense led by Nadia Equihua (Argo), Dalia Mustafa (Richards), Courtney Juby (Oak Forest), and Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park) and especially Barbara Lesnicka (Kennedy) who was superb in goal. “This is probably the best game I’ve seen from a Moraine Valley goalkeeper in five years as a head coach,” said coach Jim Knawa. “Her decisions and ability prevented this game from becoming a loss.”

The Cyclones knew they were going to be in for a tough match when they travelled to Glen Ellyn to play top ranked College of DuPage on Sept. 18. The team played hard, but fell 6-1 to the Chaparrals. Moraine Valley was first to get on the board in the first 20 minutes of play from Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) with an assist by Kelly Pecka (Shepard). After their first goal, the Cyclones were hard pressed to get past a fast-scoring DuPage.

The Cyclones hit a scoring slump for the second consecutive game, this time against Oakton Community College. Moraine Valley was shut out 1-0 on Sept. 16 coming back from a rough weekend. Opportunities were present for scoring, but the ball failed to find the net this time.

In their first weekend series of the season, the Cyclones had their perfect record upset in Springfield, Illinois. In the first game on Sept. 12 the Cyclones tied 1-1 with Springfield College. Springfield’s defense limited Moraine Valley to a handful of shots on goal. Nicole Mazor (Shepard) was finally able to find the net with 13 minutes remaining to secure the tie.

The Cyclones undefeated streak came to an end with a 3-0 loss against Lincoln College on Sept. 13. “We had a significant number of scoring opportunities, but could not find the net. The shots were there, but not on target,” said head coach Jim Knawa.

It came down to the wire on September 9 for the Cyclones in their quest for a fifth straight win. With 40 seconds remaining in a 4-4 game with Morton College, Cyclone Nicole Mazor (Shepard) stole a pass at midfield before slipping a shot past the goalkeeper for the win. Mazor scored four goals for the night, making it 11 for the season. Kelly Pecka (Shepard) scored the other goal. Pecka and Oak Forest grads Nicole Barrera and Katie McGrath each had assists. Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park) was impressive at defense as was Nadia Equihua (Argo).

“Even though Morton had the advantage with speed and time of possession, the Cyclones took advantage of nearly every scoring opportunity against a very tough and physical opponent,” said head coach Jim Knawa.

Several Cyclones ranked in NJCAA

Congratulations to six members of the women’s soccer team for being ranked by the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I for their performances early on this season.

As of September 10 four players were ranked based on scoring. Nicole Mazor comes in at 4th for having seven goals and seven assists this season. Katie McGrath is 39th with four goals and two assists, followed by Nicole Barrera in 40th with two goals and six assists, and Rebecca Follenweider at 44th with five goals.

Both Cyclone goalkeepers also reached the ranks for their goals against average. Barbara Lesnicka has 11 saves with just one goal allowed for a 32nd ranking, while Natasha McLaughlin is ranked 49th for her two saves and two goals allowed.

These stats are based on more than 100 colleges in NJCAA Division I.

September 8, 2009
Four in a row for Cyclones

The Cyclones continued their winning streak with a 6-1 victory on Sept. 4 at home over South Suburban to bring their record to 4-0.

Nicole Mazor had an outstanding game with four goals and two assists, while her fellow Shepard graduate Kelly Pecka was superb in the middle on both sides of the ball. Keeper Barbara Lesnicka (Kennedy) was solid and turned back 10 shots from the Bulldogs. Dalia Mustafa (Richards), Nadia Equihua (Argo), Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park), Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard), and Courtney Juby (Oak Forest) continue to be steady on defense, allowing only three goals in the first four games this season.

The Cyclones came out charging again on Sept. 2 when they earned another shutout win, this time a 6-0 finish over Prairie State. For the second consecutive game the defense, led by Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard), Nadia Equihua (Argo), Dalia Mustafa (Richards), and Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park), did not allow a single shot on goal. Kelly Pecka (Shepard) led the scorers with two goals, while Katie McGrath (Oak Forest), Nicole Mazor (Shepard), Rebecca Follenweider (Mt. Assisi), and Danielle Savant (Oak Forest) each tallied one. Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) had four assists for the game.

The Cyclones came to play Aug. 31 when they crushed Truman College 9-0. Eight different players contributed to the scoring effort. Rebecca Follenweider (Mt. Assisi) led the way with three goals, Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) scored twice and Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) had two assists. Moraine Valley's defense did not allow one shot on goal the entire game.

August 31, 2009
Home opener yields a win over Bulldogs

The Moraine Valley women’s soccer team opened its 2009 season at home Aug. 29 with a 3-2 win over the Daley College Bulldogs. Trailing 2-1 at halftime, the Cyclones netted two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half to hold on for the victory. Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest), Nicole Mazor (Shepard) and Danielle Savant (Oak Forest) each scored a goal. Sara Fullarton (Evergreen Park) had one assist and Mazor had two. The defense was solid with Nadia Equihua (Argo), Dalia Mustafa (Richards), Courtney Juby (Oak Forest), and Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park) allowing only three shots on goal for keeper Natasha McLaughlin (Oak Lawn).

August 24, 2009
Cyclones aiming for a championship in 2009

Coming off a winning season in 2008, the Moraine Valley women’s soccer team is setting their sights on a conference championship in 2009.

The talented 15-player team has been working hard in pre-season and is ready for their season opener at home Aug. 29. Fifth-year head coach Jim Knawa is looking to improve on last year's 9-7-2 record, which ended with the Cyclones in the Region IV semi-finals.

This season’s squad is a balanced mix of eight veterans and seven first-year Cyclones. Knawa is looking for a productive season from returning forwards Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) and Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest), midfielders Dalia Mustafa (Richards), Kelly Pecka (Shepard), Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard), and Danielle Savant (Oak Forest), and defenders Courtney Juby (Oak Forest) and Nadia Equihua (Argo). McGrath was the team's leading scorer last year with 12 goals, followed by Barrera with six and Pecka shooting five.

First year players Nicole Mazor (Shepard) and Sara Fullarton (Evergreen Park) have the potential to be offensive threats, while Rebecca Follenweider (Mt. Assisi) and Christina Foster (Oak Lawn) will add to the midfield depth. Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park) looks to have a productive year on defense. Natasha McLaughlin (Oak Lawn) and Barbara Lesnicka (Kennedy) will share roles as the team goal keepers.

“Although we are only a couple of weeks into the preseason, I like the progress we are making as a team. Each practice we seem to improve on our mechanics, and team cohesion seems to keep getting stronger,” Knawa said. “Several of our players have significant speed, and this should add to our offensive potential.”

The Cyclones are holding open tryouts on Sat. August 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for any incoming or returning student soccer players. Athletes of all skill levels are encouraged to attend.

Tryouts will be held on the soccer practice fields, which are just northwest of the game field on the west side of campus.

Anyone who is interested should just show up to tryouts. Direct any questions to head coach Jim Knawa at (708) 974-5237 or e-mail him at knawaj@morainevalley.edu.

Before heading to team tryouts for the 2009 season, get some conditioning from pre-tryout practice. Three practices are scheduled on Thursday, June 25; Wednesday, July 8; and Monday, July 20. All practices start at noon and are held on the fields parallel to 111th Street on the south side of campus.

Anyone who is interested should just show up. Call head coach Jim Knawa at (708) 974-5237 or e-mail him at knawaj@morainevalley.edu with any questions.

All-Region IV first team: Nadia Equihua (Argo), Shannon O'Shea (Mt. Assisi) and Katie McGrath (Oak Forest)
All-Region IV second team: Kelly Pecka (Shepard)

All-Conference first team: Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest), Melissa Hernandez (Argo), Equihua, O'Shea, Pecka and McGrath

Day	Date	Opponent	Location	Time	W/L
Wed.	8/27	Prairie State College*	Home	4 p.m.	Canceled
Fri.	8/29	South Suburban College	Home	4 p.m.	W 3-1
Sat.	8/30	Carl Sandburg College	Home	2 p.m.	W 7-0
Wed.	9/3	College of Lake County*	Away	4 p.m.	L 1-2
Fri.	9/5	Joliet Junior College	Away	4 p.m.	T 0-0
Wed.	9/10	Elgin Community College*	Home	4 p.m.	W 1-0
Sat.	9/13	Triton College	Away	noon	Canceled
Mon.	9/15	Oakton Community College*	Away	4 p.m.	Canceled
Wed.	9/17	Waubonsee CC*	Away	4 p.m.	L 0-1
Fri.	9/19	College of DuPage	Home	4 p.m.	L 2-3
Fri.	9/26	Joliet Junior College	Home	4 p.m.	W 1-0
Mon.	9/29	College of Lake County*	Home	4 p.m.	L 0-1
Wed.	10/1	Elgin Community College*	Away	3:30 p.m.	L 1-2
Thurs.	10/2	South Suburban College	Away	4 p.m.	W 1-0
Sat.	10/4	Triton College	Away	11 a.m.	W 3-1
Mon.	10/6	Oakton Community College*	Home	3:30 p.m.	T 1-1
Wed.	10/8	Waubonsee CC*	Home	3:30 p.m.	L 1-4
Sat.	10/11	Morton College (club)	Home	1 p.m.	W 11-0
Wed.	10/15	Oakton Community College*	Away	3:30 p.m.	W 3-0
Sat.	10/25	Region IV Quarter Finals	Home	noon	W 3-0 vs. Oakton CC
Tues.	10/28	Region IV Semi-Finals	Away	3 p.m.	L 0-4 vs. Waubonsee
Sat.	11/1	Region IV Finals	TBA	TBA	N/A
Fri.-Sat.	11/7-11/8	Districts	TBA	TBA	N/A
Thurs.-Sun.	11/20-11/23	Nationals	TBA	TBA	N/A

Nov. 3, 2008
Cyclones end a winning season

It’s not how you start, but how you finish. That theory by the Moraine Valley women’s soccer head coach was true for the team which ended its winning season in the semi-finals Oct. 28.

A true team effort gave the Cyclones a 9-7-2 overall season record, which includes seven shut-out games. The athletes were well prepared and had high expectations going into the playoffs, but mistakes and lack of rhythm led to a 4-0 loss to a tough Waubonsee team.

“We prepared well and gave it our best shot and came up short,” said head coach Jim Knawa. “Overall it was a great season.”

Having 16 healthy players helped make this season successful. Because of such team cohesion, Knawa said all the athletes accepted their roles and contributed to each game. Team captain Shannon O’Shea (Mt. Assisi) played well this year and was a positive motivating force on and off the field.

“This is my fourth year as coach, and this is the best season we’ve had, especially with few injuries and the number of athletes on the team. They really improved every game,” Knawa said. “We have 10 freshmen who say they are returning next year. Hopefully they will because it’s something to look forward to.”

To top off the season O’Shea, Nadia Equihua (Argo) and Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) received NJCAA All-Region IV first team honors. Kelly Pecka (Shepard) was chosen for the All-Region second team. All-Conference first team honors went to Equihua, O’Shea, Pecka, McGrath, Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest), and Melissa Hernandez (Argo).

October 16, 2008
Cyclones head into playoffs after shut out win

Moraine ended its regular season October 15 with a 3-0 victory over Oakton Community College. Kelly Pecka (Shepard), Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) and Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) each scored a goal while Melissa Hernandez (Argo) added three assists to her season.

The Cyclones will enter the playoffs with strong momentum, losing just one game in the last six contests. This latest victory was the team’s second shutout in a row and seventh for the season.

Nadia Equihua (Argo), Shannon O’Shea (Mt. Assisi), and Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) were all named to the All-Region First Team while Kelly Pecka (Shepard) was named to the All-Region Second Team.

Moraine is hosting the first round of playoffs which begins October 25.

Sept. 29, 2008
Cyclones shut out Joliet

The Cyclones brought their record to 4-3-1 after a 1-0 win September 26 over Joliet Junior College.

A goal by Shannon O’Shea (Mt. Assisi Academy) with four minutes remaining in the first half was all that the Cyclones needed to defeat Joliet at Moraine Valley. Kelly Pecka (Shepard) and Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest) each had an assist.

The defense, led by keeper Melissa Hernandez (Argo), posted its fourth shutout of the season.

Sept. 24, 2008
Games Recap
The Cyclones have played some close games this season, and the past couple of games were no exception.

Moraine Valley played a valiant game against conference-leading Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove on Sept. 17, but came up short on a 1-0 decision.

The Cyclones home game on Sept. 19 also proved to be an intense match as they lost 2-3 to College of DuPage. Cyclones Shannon O'Shea (Mt. Assisi Academy) scored in the 34th minute with an assist from Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest). Katie McGrath (Oak Forest) scored the second goal as a result of a penalty kick.

August 29, 2008
New and returning players show promise for 2008 women’s soccer

Moraine Valley women’s soccer team has been gearing up for the upcoming season, ready to rebuild after a lackluster performance last year.

The 2008 team consists of six returning players and 11 newcomers. Second year athletes include team captain Shannon O’Shea (Mt. Assisi), Jen Galvan (Richards), Meg Gierut (Sandburg), Melissa Hernandez (Argo), Ryan Quintos (Richards), and Naomii Rios (Oak Forest).

The 11 new players, many with soccer experience, should add to the team’s depth, said head coach Jim Knawa. Those players are Nicole Barrera (Oak Forest), Nadia Equihua (Argo), Lauren Hauptman (Sandburg), Courtney Juby (Oak Forest), Tricia Jurcak (Sandburg), Brittni Martinez (St. Benedict), Katie McGrath (Oak Forest), Dalia Mustafa (Richards), Danielle Savant (Oak Forest), Kelly Pecka (Shepard), and Xochilt Rojas (Hubbard).

Knawa is optimistic and looking forward to the season, especially with the number of incoming experienced players. “We play in a very tough conference where I have seen the quality of competition increase significantly over the past several seasons. We have a variety of quality incoming individual talent and a nice blend of experienced returning players,” Knawa said. “Our biggest challenges this season are to become comfortable as a team and work together in a limited amount of practice time. We are fortunate to have many freshmen with experience playing in high school, which should be helpful as our season progresses.”

All-Conference Team: Amy Johnson (Shepard)
All-Region 2nd Team: Johnson and Beatriz Parra (Argo)

Date	Opponent	Location	Time	W/L
Aug. 27	Oakton CC*	Home	4 p.m.	rescheduled (rain)
Aug. 29	Elgin Community College*	Home	4 p.m.	L 0-2
Aug. 31	South Suburban College	Away	4 p.m.	W 7-0
Sept. 5	Trinity Christian College	Home	4 p.m.	L 1-3
Sept. 10	College of Lake County*	Home	4 p.m.	L 0-4
Sept. 12	Waubonsee CC*	Home	4 p.m.	T 2-2
Sept. 17	Oakton CC*	Home	4 p.m.	L 1-3
Sept. 19	Elgin Community College*	Away	4 p.m.	L 0-2
Sept. 22	Springfield College	Home	1 p.m.	W 4-0
Sept. 24	Harper College	Away	4 p.m.	L 1-3
Sept. 26	Trinity Christian College	Away	4 p.m.	L 0-1
Sept. 29	Triton College	Home	Noon	W 2-0
Oct. 1	College of Lake County*	Away	3:30 p.m.	L 0-6
Oct. 3	Waubonsee CC*	Away	3:30 p.m.	L 1-6
Oct. 8	College of DuPage	Away	3:30 p.m.	L 0-6
Oct. 10	Rain Date -- Oakton C.C.*			W 2-0f
Oct. 11	South Suburban College	Home	3:30 p.m.	L 1-2
Oct. 20	Region IV Tournament 1st Round MVCC @ Waubonsee	Away	1 p.m.	L 0-4
Oct. 23	Region IV Tournament Semi-Finals	TBA	TBA
Oct. 27	Region IV Tournament Finals	TBA	TBA
Nov. 2-3	District Championships	TBA	TBA
Nov. 15-18	Nationals	Away	TBA

June 2, 2008
Women's Soccer Team Looking for New Players

The women's soccer team is holding open tryouts on Sat. July 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for any incoming student soccer players. Athletes of all skill levels are encouraged to tryout for a number of open roster spots.

Tryouts will be held on the soccer practice fields, which are just northwest of the game field on the west side of campus.

Anyone who is interested should just show up to tryouts. Direct any questions to head coach Jim Knawa at (708) 974-5237 or e-mail him at knawaj@morainevalley.edu.