GBS Girls' Soccer: Titans Finish Undefeated in Glenbrook Cup

At first glance ’s failure to advance to the championship bracket in the Glenbrook Cup this weekend might be considered a disappointment compared to their semi-final appearance in the prestigious Pepsi Showdown.

But looking at the box scores and talking to coaches will tell a different story. The Titans went 2-0-2 in the tournament, including wins over Lake Forest and Niles North, and shut out all three opponents on Saturday.

“We’ve learned a lot through this tournament,” Glenbrook South Coach Seong Ha said. “We’re heading in a positive direction going into a tough part of our schedule.”

The Titans played against Buffalo Grove in the second of their three games on Saturday and strong winds wreaked havoc on both team’s offenses. While the Titans created a number of chances, they failed to put one in the back of net, ending in a 0-0 tie.

“You can play in rain, you can play in snow, but wind is tough. It doesn’t make for a very good game,” Ha said. “But when you have two teams that want a chance at getting into the championship bracket semi-finals, they’re going to do what they can.”

The Titans’ first good scoring opportunity came seven minutes in when Kathryn Ficho was the recipient of a through ball for a breakaway. But the senior forward fired a shot over the net from just outside the penalty box.

Senior forward Nina Kodros, who will play at Depaul University next year, almost put Glenbrook South on the board in the 21st minute. Off a pass from Ficho, Kodros’ left-footed shot from the top of the box sailed over the net

“At the beginning of the year I thought we had a tough time playing against the wind, but I think we’re getting better at it,” Kodros said. “I feel like we dominated the whole game basically.”

Kodros had one last scoring chance late in the game with three minutes remaining. After Ally Wojick sent a free kick into the box from midfield, Kodros flicked it on net with a header, but Buffalo Grove’s goalie corralled the shot attempt.

Glenbrook South played the nightcap against Niles North, gaining a 1-0 victory. Ha played a lot of his reserves, allowing some bench players the chance to get valuable minutes on the field. Ha said he was pleased with the energy, even though the Titans only converted one scoring chance.

On Thursday, Glenbrook South played Deerfield to a 1-1 tie in the opening game of the Glenbrook Cup.

The Titans have a big week of games ahead with CSL South matches against New Trier on Tuesday and Maine South on Thursday. Ha hopes his offense will finally be able to convert some of the shots they’ve sent on net.

“What we’ve talked about in the last week or so is the offense really needs to get going,” Ha said. “That starts with me doing my homework as a coach, but that also means in a game we need to take care of our opportunities and create chances.”