Wheeling's fast finish clinches MSL title game berth

Prospect entered Tuesday's girls water polo game against Wheeling knowing it needed a decisive win in order to jump ahead of the Wildcats down the stretch in the Mid-Suburban East standings.

And early, it was certainly going according to Prospect's plan. The Knights shut out Wheeling in the first quarter, and when Michelle Vuong converted a man-up opportunity with 5:31 to play in the second quarter, Prospect led 4-0.

Soon after, though, Adrienne Rozmus scored on a lob, and Wheeling's Theresa Godlewski scored twice more in the period.

Prospect's lead had dwindled, and Wheeling's confidence had soared.

"You can't think about being behind too much," said Wheeling's Argelia Diaz. "We always look at winning each quarter - we knew after the first quarter, we needed to win the next three."

A decisive edge in the last two of them, anyway, was enough to get the job done.

Godlewski and Jenna Pink scored goals in the fourth quarter, and Diaz scored the last two for Wheeling in a 9-7 victory.

The outcome clinched a share of the MSL East title for Wheeling and cemented their place in the MSL title game. That matchup will be a repeat of last year's as the Wildcats will face Conant.

Prospect certainly made it tough on Wheeling.

Gracie Dix and Vuong finished with 2 goals apiece, and senior Niki Neumann, tasked with defending the high-scoring Godlewski most of the night, was effective in that regard, keeping Godlewski to 4 goals.

"I love playing against her," said Neumann, "because she's the kind of player that makes you better each time. We've played against each other all four years, so we know each other really well.

"Afterward we always hug it out, but while the game's going, we pretend we don't know each other."

Seniors Ellie McGough, Michaela Malone and Danielle McCallister also scored for Prospect. Knights coach Natalie Tucker, who'd introduced each of her seniors before the game, appreciates all they've done for the program.

"It's a great group," Tucker said. "I have seniors that have been excellent leaders - the kind of girls who set the standard, but who also look out for their teammates if somebody was struggling a bit."

Lauren Broz stopped 12 shots for Prospect (11-8, 6-2), and Elizabeth Wargo made 11 saves for Wheeling (13-6, 8-0).

Wheeling senior Shannon Richards, who's having a busy spring as the lead in the school musical, likened the Wildcats' slow start against Prospect to a sluggish start to a typical school year.

"You start up, and the weather's warm and it still seems like summer, and then you get the first set of grades," she explained. "There's usually a moment in there where you, 'Wait a minute - I can do better.' That's what it felt like today."

Hersey 5, Rolling Meadows 2: Katy Lutz scored twice to help the Huskies win despite 16 saves from Meadows goal Besty Zanocco in MSL East play. Hersey improved 5-11 overall and 2-6 in the MSL East, and Meadows dropped to 9-9, 3-5.

Conant 14, Maine South 3: Carmen Rosas scored 6 goals and Maddy Demaret stopped 11 shots to help keep the Cougars unbeaten at 20-0.