Glenbrook South sophomore goalkeeper Libbie Vanderveen admitted she may have been in the wrong when her challenge led to a penalty kick, and goal, in the first half against New Trier.
The Titans girls soccer team suffered a 2-0 loss in the Class 3A Glenbrook North Sectional semifinals on May 23.
“I hit her. It was very wet and I had no way of stopping myself. It wasn’t intended,” said Vanderveen, who received a yellow card for going to the ground in the box and making contact with New Trier’s Emma Weaver with 5:28 remaining before halftime.
Although the subsequent penalty kick, against Glenbrook South senior goalkeeper Maude Tarbox, put the Trevians up 2-0, Titans teammates and coaches were not only quick to defend Vanderveen for the incident, but they said it was an example of the aggressive style of play that makes Vanderveen such a talent.
“You don’t want a goal-line goalkeeper,” said Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha, a former high school goalkeeper himself. “You want a dynamic goalkeeper who is willing to come off her line to challenge.”
While the yellow card forced Vanderveen to the sidelines briefly, Ha said he didn’t hesitate to put the Glenview resident right back into the game.
Glenbrook South sophomore forward Makayla Stadler said Vanderveen possesses one of the most important personality traits for a keeper — a short memory.
“Libbie has been scored on before, and she always comes back and makes awesome saves,” said Stadler, a Glenview resident. “(Vanderveen) picks her head right back up and goes and plays her hardest for the team.”
More Top Picks Hampers
For the last two seasons, Vanderveen and Tarbox have split time in the goal for Glenbrook South, which finished 19-5 this spring. In 2016, Vanderveen often played every other game. This spring, each keeper usually played a half, and on a few occasions they even rotated in 20-minute intervals.
Each player got a half in the sectional semifinal, and Vanderveen said she learned of her starting assignment earlier that day in a text from Ha.
Ha said such a two-goalkeeper system had the potential to lead to some awkwardness between Vanderveen and Tarbox, but that hasn’t been the case.
In fact, Vanderveen said she and Tarbox, who were teammates on the Titans basketball squad, have a great working relationship, and are good friends. Vanderveen said Tarbox, has been a mentor.
“We’ve gotten real close,” Vanderveen said. “In goalie training, we’ve pushed each other to get better. We never saw it that we should be enemies, but that it would be better if we worked together. We’ve become really good friends through that.”
Vanderveen added: “(Tarbox) has taught me how to communicate more (on the field). As a freshman, I was scared to talk to everyone. But through her example, she’s taught me how to talk with the team and tell them where I want them to go.”
Next season, the 5-foot-8 Vanderveen appears likely to be the undisputed No. 1 keeper on a Titans team that returns Stadler (20 goals, 12 assists in 2017), sophomore defender Katie Sullivan, sophomore defender Caroline Hensing, sophomore midfielder Grace Evans and freshman forward Katie Weiss.
In all, the Titans have seven juniors and eight sophomores who are expected back to form a solid nucleus alongside some talented newcomers.
Ha is looking forward to next season with Vanderveen in goal.
“I think Libbie can be one of the best goalkeepers we’ve had in Glenbrook South history,” Ha said. “(Tarbox) set a very high bar, and she’s top five all-time probably if I look at goalkeeper stats. But what Libbie learned from Maude, she can really use, and harness that to become one of the best.”
Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press