Sandburg’s Alanna Noone hears the jokes from time to time. The senior goalkeeper’s last name is pronounced like “noon,” but the spelling leads to some obvious cracks.
Who is in goal for Sandburg? No one. Except Alanna Noone is anything but that. She’s happy to laugh along — and throw in her own twist.
“It’s kind of funny,” Noone said. “People do joke about it sometimes, but it’s not too bad. I like it. I’ll turn it into something like, ‘No one gets past Noone.’ Sometimes I’ll say that.”
Indeed, no one got past Noone on Tuesday night.
The Benedictine recruit came up with nine huge saves for the shutout to lift visiting Sandburg to a 1-0 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over district rival Andrew in Tinley Park.
Freshman midfielder Quinn Fahey scored the lone goal for the Eagles (6-5-2, 3-2), who beat Andrew for the first time since 2021. Jessica Chmielewski, Colleen Gartlan and Ella Riordan led a strong defensive effort in front of Noone.
Mia Arguelles, who typically plays midfielder, filled in at goalkeeper due to injuries and made two saves for Andrew (7-6-1, 3-2). Hattie Mendelke contributed three shots on goal.
Noone, meanwhile, consistently frustrated the Thunderbolts with a series of big saves. She denied a pair of good looks from Mendelke in the first half, slapping away one shot and smothering another.
“I think Alanna had a heck of a game,” Fahey said. “She kept us in that game. She did amazing. I’m so proud of her.”
Fahey provided her own source of pride, too. With 15 minutes left in the game, she collected a loose ball in the middle of the field with her back to the goal before quickly turning and firing, burying a high shot for the game-winner.
It was her third goal of the season.
“I don’t even really remember how it happened, but I just kind of took a touch,” Fahey said. “I didn’t even know how to open up, but I just tried to take a shot and it went in.
“We haven’t beaten Andrew in a long time and it’s really good to beat a district rival.”
That was the only offense Noone needed. She felt prepared to handle anything Andrew threw at her.
“I just trust my gut with all the training I’ve had over the years,” Noone said. “I’ve been playing goalie for a very long time. I just try to be aggressive, step up, cut down the angles and stop balls from going in. Just do my job.
“Beating Andrew on their home turf, senior year, honestly it’s one of the greatest feelings.”
Sandburg coach Tom Kubowicz knows he can always count on Noone playing her part.
“She made four or five huge saves in this game,” Kubowicz said. “That senior leadership is huge. She started every game last year, every game so far this year.
“It gives our defense confidence knowing she’s back there and can make the save for us.”
And Noone does it in spite of being shorter than just about any goalkeeper she will play against.
“There’s definitely a chip on my shoulder,” Noone said. “Yeah, sometimes high shots are a struggle, but I know I just have to lock in on everything else that tall goalkeepers can’t get to.”
Noone is thrilled she will get her chance to continue to shine in the net in college at Benedictine.
“Now that I know where I’m going, I know I can enjoy this season because it’s my last with these girls, who 90% of them I’ve been playing with since I could kick the ball,” Noone said.
“Now I know that I’m not done yet after this. I’m excited to keep playing.”
