ADDIE’S HATTY
Sophomore midfielder scores 3 goals as Tinley Park rolls past Shepard
After transferring from Plainfield Central, sophomore midfielder Addie Weed was not quite sure how much of a difference she would be able to make on her new team going into her first season at Tinley Park.
“I had heard this team was always good, so I was like, ‘Well, we’ll see what I can do,’ ” Weed said. “I was kind of freaking out a little bit at the start. But they’re good players and I’m glad I’m over here playing with them.”
Weed has had no problem fitting in whatsoever. She has already become one of the top players for the Titans.
On a chilly Wednesday, Weed recorded her second hat trick of the season to lead host Tinley Park to a 5-2 victory over Shepard in a South Suburban Conference crossover.
Weed has now scored 12 goals this season.
“It’s like she’s been with us forever,” Tinley Park coach Kelsey Neylon said of Weed. “She’s fit right in. She’s made a huge impact. She’s our game-changer.
“Her stats are great, but I don’t think they even show what she does for the team. She has more value than that. Things happen because of her.”
Kit Gormley and Gabby Siano also scored for Tinley Park (8-4, 6-1 SSC Blue).
Leah Rizzo had both goals for Shepard (4-12-2, 1-4-2 SSC Red), while Ximena Delgado made 14 saves.
Weed, who moved with her mom to Tinley Park before the school year began, said she’s quickly developed chemistry with her teammates. They have helped her get used to life in a new place.
“They were very welcoming when I first came, and I had a couple classes with some girls, so that helped a lot, too,” Weed said. “I just got to know some of the girls and that helped me settle in here — helped with my classes, helped with everything.”
Weed has formed quite a duo in the midfield with fellow sophomore Gormley, who scored her 13th goal of the season.
“She’s one ahead of me,” Weed said. “Me and Kit have a little inside competition going on, so that pushes us a lot. When one of us scores, it motivates the other to score.
“We’re always trying to beat each other but also connecting with each other to help us beat the other team.”
After Gormley scored the game’s first goal in the fourth minute and Rizzo tied it 20 minutes later for Shepard, Weed put Tinley Park ahead for good, tucking a 25-yard shot inside the left post with 8:18 left in the first half.
“That was huge for us to come back after they tied it,” Weed said.
“It was a good feeling, for sure.”
Weed then added a pair of goals in the second half.
Gormley, meanwhile, is building off a big freshman season when she scored 18 goals.
“I’m trying to play the same game I did last year but also find the new connections with all the new girls,” Gormley said. “I’m trying to work harder so I can beat what I did last year.”
Rizzo scored on a header off Megan Kempczynski’s
corner kick in the first half and converted on a penalty kick in the second half for the Astros.
“I’m very proud of our girls for how they played,” Shepard coach Susan Liva said. “They did a good job working together and making passes and they were aggressive, which is something we’ve been looking for.
“This is a building year for our program. As the season is going on, we’ve been doing a lot better.”