MARKO GEORGIEV/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Park Ridge players celebrating after the Owls scored their second goal Tuesday on their way to win over Emerson.

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PARK RIDGE – Park Ridge’s short and clever passing style highlighted its 2-0 victory over Emerson on Tuesday in girls soccer.

“This is a very cohesive team,” said coach Dave Schneider, whose Owls improved to 10-0. “We have gotten great leadership from our captains.”

From the kickoff, Park Ridge’s attack exuded calm. Its midfield passing, primarily orchestrated by Madeline Clancy, was tight, smart and purposeful. Almost every pass seemed to have just the right amount of height or weight, and the Owls rarely took a bad touch.

“We’re able to play this style because of our conditioning, and we looked good passing to open spots today,” Schneider said.

Nicole Thomas provided constant danger and creativity when Park Ridge moved forward, and her distribution to forwards Mikaela Heyboer and Shayna Bohus was excellent.

“[Clancy] played the pivot midfield role. She had a nice game passing the ball and is getting better every game,” Schneider said. “Thomas is just a freshman with a ton of talent. Our young players have high soccer intelligence, so they have been able to get involved quickly.”