Bela Kreidich, Andrew's senior, has long been coached by her father, Alex, who still plays soccer in the men's league.
Kreidich has followed in his father's footsteps, even down to his choice to play as a defender.
“Honestly, everything I do is because of my father,” Kreidich said. “He has had a big influence on my game. We play in the same position and we connect there.
“I was born to play defense.”
And Kreidich is now the leader of the defensively stingy Thunderbolts.
She helped the nation shut out host Lincoln-Way Central for 100 minutes on Friday night, winning 4-2 in the shootout and giving the Southwest Suburban Reds a 1-0 victory in New Lenox. did.
Cadence Jones made two saves in the shootout, matching Andrew's two saves in regulation (10-4-1, 1-0). Kreidich, Emily Crotty, Leila Martino and Kaitlyn Gudica converted penalties, and the Thunderbolts went 4-for-4 in the shootout.
Maddie Watt and Ruby Hillegas scored in the shootout for Lincoln-Way Central (5-5-1, 0-1), and Flynn Meyer made two saves within regulation.
The win capped off a big week for Kreidig. On Wednesday, she signed to play soccer at St. Mary's, Indiana. The game was sandwiched between shutout games between the area's top teams, Lincoln-Way East and Central.
“It was very exciting,” Kreidich said. “I’ve signed with St Mary’s so I’m looking forward to next season there. But now I’m locked in here and making sure I get through all the tough competition.
“East and Central are both good teams, so I’m glad we were able to compete and win in the end.”
Kreidig considers himself a “well-spoken person.” She feels that's why defense is the best place for her.
“Communication is always important to me,” Kreidich said. “Even if you watch me play, I never shut up. I always talk, make sure the mids are marking, see if people are coming back, see where the open play is. We're making sure everyone knows what's there.”
Andrew coach Lauren Zorc knows how important it is for a player like Kreidig to control the defense.
“She commands the rear,” Zorc said. “She has a very good understanding of where people should be and where the threats are. She's aggressive and I love that.
“She's making demands, and sometimes they sound harsh, but at the end of the day, it's up to her to make sure things are organized behind the scenes and neutralize the threat. She is a great leader.”
Kreidich, Gudica, Grace Gerhardstein and Annie Lloyd led Andrew's dominant defense on Friday. Sophia Ryan also stepped up in a big way after Gerhardstein was sidelined with an injury.
“Bella and Kaitlyn do a great job of bringing everyone together there,” Jones said. “They're both really good partners. I have full confidence in my defense because they support me in everything.”
Jones was active when needed and made two big saves in the penalty shootout.
After Gudica scored to give Andrew a 4-2 lead in the fourth, Jones made a save on the Knights' fourth shooter to seal the victory and the Thunderbolts had a big celebration. The Thunderbolts avenge their 1-0 loss to Lincoln-Way Central. Windy City Rum Classic Quarterfinals on March 16th.
“I was thinking calmly in my head,” Jones said. “If you're a goalie, you know that goals happen in shootouts. You just have to let it go, move on to the next one, learn from the first one and change it. Do it twice. , I was able to stop it twice.”
Kreidig helped out with the rest of the work, doing what he loved best.
“I found my place at the back,” Kreidich said. “A place where I can take command and take responsibility.”
