Radecki helps extend Lake Zurich's season

Carolyn Radecki is one of nine Lake Zurich seniors who didn't want to see her girls soccer season come to an end on Tuesday night.

So the senior forward made personally made sure that wouldn't happen, scoring the game-winning goal in the second overtime as second-seeded Lake Zurich edged third-seeded Hersey 1-0 in the Class 3A Glenbrook South sectional semifinal in Glenview.

The Bears (18-3-2) next meet top-seeded Barrington (19-1-4) for the sectional championship at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The game-winner came in the 96th minute, during the second 10-minute overtime after the match was scoreless through 80 minutes of regulation. Radecki hit a volley-kick that was served by Rebecca Kubin and deflected off a Hersey defender - right back to Radecki.

"My coach was always telling us to follow the rebounds," said.Radecki, who got her seventh goal of the season. "Once it popped out, then I was right there to finish it. I really kind of hit it off my shin - and it counts. I do follow rebounds a lot."

Lake Zurich's persistent, hard working was necessary against a team from Hersey (15-6-3) which has made a habit of excelling defensively.

"The girls have a way of sticking with it," Lake Zurich coach Michael Castronova said. "Hersey is a well-coached team and they know how to play defense. We had to be patient and create our chances. We had to stick with what we were doing, and we knew it come at some point. I thought they got rewarded for working hard the whole game. They never gave up."

Bears keeper Elly Daleske made 12 stops and recorded her 16th shutout of the season. Defenders Blair Coughenour, Meagan Bens, Maggie Tuckey and Siena Robertson were among those simplifying things for Daleske.

"Our defense was very strong, and they were on their game," Daleske said. "It was their best that I've seen all season and they were all over the place. They limited every ball in the air and stayed with (Hersey's) attack. They made it so much easier for me."

Hersey had some chances to score, including a breakaway opportunity that was denied by Daleske and her teammates in the second half.

"We missed that breakaway in regulation," Hersey coach Darren Llewellyn said. "We had two chances to get it.

"At the end of the game (Lake Zurich) got hungry and played hard. We were just not able to stop it."

Hersey, the Mid-Suburban East champions, was pleased with another season of high achievement. The Huskies only wish, like Lake Zurich, that they had another game to play.

"We had a great season, and they're a great bunch of girls, Llewellyn said. "Just a tough one to see."