After the New Trier girls soccer team’s 3-0 win over Loyola in the sectional final on Friday, Trevians forward Nicole Kaspi chatted briefly with FC United-club teammate and Loyola junior defender Riley Burns.
“When did you become a center forward?” asked Burns, a Green Oaks resident who missed the entire season because of an injury.
The answer was about April 20. That’s when Kaspi, a junior who has primarily played midfielder for her club and high school teams, moved up top to replace injured freshman Emma Weaver for a home game against Oak Park-River Forest. Kaspi scored a hat trick in a 6-0 win over the Huskies, and she has been playing in the center of the Trevians’ front three ever since.
In the Class 3A Glenbrook North Sectional final, Kaspi scored her 17th goal of the season off a second-half header that gave the Trevians a 2-0 lead over the Ramblers. Three days earlier, Kaspi scored on a cross from junior Whitney Hoban to open the scoring in a 2-0 sectional semifinal win over Glenbrook South.
“I’ve never really played forward, but I’m really enjoying it, and I hope to play it in the future, in club or college,” said Kaspi, a Glencoe resident, who also has eight assists through 25 games.
While Kaspi has been clinical in front of goal, her hold-up play and distribution also have been key elements for the Trevians, who improved to 22-2-1 with the win over Loyola.
New Trier, which is looking to capture a fourth straight Class 3A state title, advanced to the Bartlett Supersectional to play St. Charles North at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
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At 5-foot-8 and with good technical ability, Kaspi has become the target forward in the Trevians attack, collecting the ball with her back to the defense and then distributing it back to senior central midfielder Avery Schuldt or out wide to the likes of Hoban, Weaver, now healthy and deployed on the wing, or senior Hannah Arment.
Often, crosses from those players find their way back to Kaspi, who then directs the ball on net.
“(Weaver), (Arment) and (Hoban) are really good at making those slashing runs (off the wings),” Kaspi said. “If I do my part and hold it up against the center backs, and drop it back to center mid or to one of my outside forwards, they are smart and play those (crosses) through. It just kind of works. Those are our strengths and we play to those.”
New Trier coach Jim Burnside praised Kaspi’s hold-up play, vision and distribution, and said Kaspi offers the added element of making her own dangerous runs off the ball, finding a route to goal through seams in the defense.
Burnside said Kaspi’s time on the basketball court seems to have helped her on the soccer field. Kaspi was a member of the Trevians varsity basketball team this past winter.
“One thing far above many of the players I’ve coached is that (Kaspi) understands the flow of the game. She knows where to be and when to be there,” Burnside said. “She anticipates — it’s the basketball player in her.”
Burnside also said she is deceptively quick.
“She isn’t the fastest player, but she beats really fast players. Explain that to me? I don’t know,” Burnside said. “It’s her quickness, her movement, her anticipation. It’s her slow-to-fast, she’s talented in that way.”
Burnside and his coaching staff no doubt deserve credit for turning Kaspi into a forward, and with teaching her the position. Kaspi said her father, Ersin, also has been instrumental in her development.
Nicole Kaspi said Ersin Kaspi regularly offers her tips for playing forward, sometimes pointing out strong center-forward play while the pair watches English Premier League soccer together.
“My dad gives me advice. He talks about holding up the ball, playing to my strengths,” Nicole Kaspi said. “He knows me really, really well, knows I’m good with the ball at my feet and distributing. I credit my dad for my success. He helps me all the time and I’m really thankful to have him.”
The Trevians, meanwhile, are thankful to have Nicole Kaspi.
“(Kaspi) is really good, really smart on the ball. She knows where to play it and how to turn (to get away from a defender),” said Hoban, who lives in Winnetka. “She gives us credit for a lot. She’s pretty modest. But she (is involved in) most of the goals, and gets a lot of assists. We’re happy to have her.”
Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press