The two “SOG” designations on the Fenwick scoreboard are abbreviations for “shots on goal.” They could have stood as descriptions for the soggy field conditions Saturday after heavy overnight rain. But all that mattered to the fourth-ranked Friars (1-0-1) was the final score. They splashed to a 1-0 victory of third-ranked St. Joseph.
The waterlogged field yielded many slips and slides but little else. Fenwick junior Andre Seckler grounded a corner kick into the box, and classmate Nick Harvalis put it away in the 10th minute.
The match was otherwise even until the second half, when St. Joseph ratcheted up the pressure in search of the equalizer. Fenwick goalkeeper Matt Pyzdrowski was tested several times before earning his first varsity shutout.
“We survived,” said Fenwick coach Matthew Scharpf. “He had a couple nice stops. He’s so big. He takes up a lot of space.”
St. Joseph (1-1) had a number of premium chances. After a corner from Eric Herrera, Dino Giamalis put one off the crossbar in the 30th minute. Pyzdrowski punched the ball away to end that scoring threat.
Charger Nick Berndt had a breakaway in the 38th minute, but a touch too many allowed for a sliding save from the Fenwick goalkeeper.
“You’re always supposed to go near post as a goalkeeper,” said Pyzdrowski, who didn’t play last year due to IHSA transfer rules after leaving Hinsdale Central as a sophomore. “I stayed up to cut off the angle so he couldn’t chip over me. As soon as I saw him make that touch, I went for that near post and just swung my left foot around him.”
St. Joseph coach Ray Fligel was upbeat despite the setback.
“I felt we dominated the second half,” he said of a squad that includes five junior and one sophomore starter. “We just couldn’t push one in. They’re learning still. They’ve come a long way in a few years.”
Berndt lamented the breakaway that got away.
“The defender was coming behind me, so I tried to split him,” said the junior, who registered three goals and an assist in an 8-0 win over Northridge Prep on Friday. “I’ve got to score on those.”
