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St. Edward settles for 4th at state

Quality scoring chances were at a premium at the Class 1A girls soccer tournament this weekend.

Unfortunately for St. Edward, its second trip to state proved to be a fruitless experience. Playing Willows Academy for the third time this year, in the third-place match, St. Edward failed to score in a 2-0 loss to the Eagles Saturday night at Naperville Central High School.

St. Edward finished its trophy-winning season at 14-9-3. The Green Wave became the first soccer team from a city of Elgin high school to bring home state hardware.

“Honestly, I think we were a little gun shy,” St. Edward forward Mallory Malone said. “We let our nerves get the best of us.”

Malone, who played in the Class A quarterfinals three years ago — the only other time the Green Wave have made it to the state finals — said adjusting to artificial turf after playing all season on grass was difficult.

“We’re not used to playing on turf,” Malone said. “The girls weren’t used to how fast the ball was moving. We normally move the ball much better than that.”

Thirteen-plus minutes into the game, St. Edward freshman striker Alison Kruk, the leading scorer for the squad, had the best of the early chances. But her low drive from 15 yards out barely missed the left post.

Willows’ Kate Dunaway would make the most of the Eagles’ limited scoring chances less than five minutes later. The senior midfielder one-timed a shot that eluded the outstretched hands of Wave keeper Paige Gannon. By the time the first half came to a close, St. Edward had failed to place any shots on goal.

“We put so much into (Friday) night,” St. Edward coach Tim Brieger said. “We were a little flat in the first half.”

The task for the Green Wave became infinitely more difficult when Willows’ Stephanie Prince, who assisted the Eagles’ opening goal, scored off a Justine Burgraff corner kick less than two minutes into the second half.

Gannon refused to rest any blame on a pinched nerve in her neck from the night before in allowing the Eagles’ twin goals.

“Even if it did affect me, I’m not going to blame it on that,” Gannon said. “They were both well-shot balls, and I couldn’t get a grip on them.”

With 18 minutes to play, St. Edward mustered its finest scoring opportunity of the evening. But Jordyn Madden had her header from point-blank range strike the post and bounce harmlessly away.

With just under 12 minutes to play, lightning in the area forced a mandatory 30-minute delay. With nothing to lose, St. Edward rolled the dice. Gannon was switched to offense, and some of most offensively cohesive moments for St. Edward soon followed.

“Our coach made an executive decision to pull me from net and let me have fun on the field,” Gannon said.

But Willows withstood every St. Edward chance.

  Bridget Paschall, left and Mo Brown, right and the rest of Willows Academy team get their third place trophy for Class 1A state soccer in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  St. Edward pose with their fourth place trophy for Class 1A state soccer in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Stephanie Prince, left, of Willows Academy takes control of the ball from Shelby Shepherd, right, of St. Edward in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Paige Gannon of St. Edward reaches up, but the ball gets past her as Willows Academy scores in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Vincenza Ranallo of St. Edward, right, takes control of the ball asIna Jonathas, left of Willows Academy defends in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Vincenza Ranallo of St. Edward, left, moves in as Keelin McNally of Willows Academy kicks the ball back during Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Willows Academy pose with their third place trophy for Class 1A state soccer in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Justine Burgraff, left of Willows Academy and Kimmy Smith, right, of St. Edward in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Willows Academy celebrate a goal over St. Edward in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Callie Johnson, left of St. Edward and Becca Krupowicz of Willows Academy in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Monica Ramirez, left of St. Edward and Megan Brinckerhoff, right, of Willows Academy in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
  Teammates celebrate the first-half goal of Kate Dunaway, center, of Willows Academy in the Class 1A state soccer third place match in Naperville on Saturday. Willows Academy beat St. Edward 2-0. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com