Crystal Lake South blanks Dundee-Crown
The postseason couldn’t have started out any better for the Crystal Lake South girls soccer team.
The Gators dominated possession and kept Dundee-Crown from getting any good scoring opportunity Tuesday as CL South defeated the Chargers, 5-0, in the semifinals of the Class 3A Crystal Lake South regional.
“It’s good motivation to help us get through,” said Gators senior Mackenzie Taldone, who scored the final 2 goals. “We’ve definitely been put as underdogs during the conference so we’re definitely going to push through regionals and show people who we actually are.”
Crystal Lake South (12-7-2), the top seed in the regional, will play the winner of today’s match between No. 2 Cary-Grove and No. 3 Jacobs at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the regional championship. The Gators beat both teams during the regular season.
Bianca Miceli got the Gators going with 12:42 remaining in the first half. Alexander Romano found Miceli down the right side. The junior then hit a shot to the far post, beating Chargers goalkeeper Isabel Miranda for a 1-0 lead.
Bree Marshall made it 2-0 as she blocked a D-C clearing attempt off a corner kick and scored with 6:42 remaining in the first half.
“The key today for us, and has been for the last three games, is reminding the team that as long as we play together as a unit and support each other on and off the field, then we’ll be successful,” CL South coach Anne Santucci said. “It’s been more mental than it has been our ability on the field. That mental block, we beat it finally.”
A good passing combination gave the Gators a 3-0 lead with 29:45 remaining in the second half. Taldone found Romano on the right side. Romano crossed the ball to a wide open Erin Woeste, who put home the cross.
Taldone scored her first goal 33 seconds later and then added another with 13:22 remaining.
“We worked way too hard all season not to show up for an important game like this,” D-C coach Sebastian Falinski said. “I think that was the biggest issue. It seemed like we were just going through the motions. It’s kind of disappointing to see that in such an important game.”
CL South’s Jacluyn Przybylski made 2 saves for the shutout. Miranda had 10 saves for the Chargers (5-17).