Kaneland's record-setting season ends in supersectional

Kaneland's slow start in Tuesday's Class 2A DeKalb supersectional with Peoria Notre Dame wasn't tremendously surprising.

The Knights had, after all, taken time to get settled into both their Rockford Boylan sectional matches a week ago.

What made Tuesday's match different was the opponent's response. Peoria Notre Dame tore into the Knights from the opening whistle - scored from its first shot inside the first 2 minutes, then added a second goal four minutes later.

While the match was far from over with 75 minutes left at that point, the pattern for the match was set, and the Knights never overcame that deficit, and saw their season end with a 4-1 defeat.

"It's tough coming up against teams that are really good and competitive," Kaneland senior Taylor Opperman said. "We should have picked up on it quicker and gotten used to it."

Peoria Notre Dame's first goal came through Elizabeth Shealy, who took an Elizabeth Mills pass before scoring 65 seconds into the match. Macy Martin added the second from a goalmouth scramble to double the Irish lead.

"I think nerves caught up to us," Kaneland coach Scott Parillo said. "It was a heck of a season though and I can't complain. Obviously, I wish I was playing Friday and Saturday. But the girls worked hard and had a heck of a season."

Kaneland's season ended one level short from earning the school's first girls soccer trophy. Peoria Notre Dame moves to Friday's semifinals at North Central College, where they face Chatham Glenwood at 11 a.m.

"It was imperative for us to get on top of them early," Peoria Notre Dame coach Matt Blackford said. "We felt like when they stayed in games, they were real confident and they wanted to play their style and disrupt your style. We said that if we could get a goal in the first 5 minutes, we felt the game would go our way, and that's what we did."

Kaneland (19-4) was sparked into action following those early goals, though Peoria Notre Dame limited attacks until after the midpoint of the half.

"Right at the beginning, it was rough," Opperman said. "We gave it our all though. We got this far and no one ever expected us to come this far. I'm proud of my team."

Kaneland never quit trying and halved the Irish lead when Ashley Crotteau knocked in a loose ball in the penalty area 16 minutes before halftime.

Both teams made halftime adjustments and the Knights went in search of a tying goal. Peoria Notre Dame had other ideas, and scored a critical third goal in the eighth minute when Macy Martin went on a mazy run from the left wing to the center of the pitch before hitting a low goal to put her team ahead 3-1.

"We were coming back and we had a chance," Opperman said. "We wanted it but it just wasn't in the cards this year."

Faced with a two-goal deficit for the second time, Kaneland was unable to force the issue. The Irish dropped players into defensive roles to protect the lead and added a fourth goal from Bridget Schuler with just under 9 minutes to play.

"We worked real hard and at halftime, I told the girls we were right back in it," Parillo said. "On this same field (vs. DeKalb), we had the same thing happen, down by 1 and we came back and won. It just wasn't meant to be today."

This year's team won the school's first regional and sectional titles in girls soccer and the seniors leave that legacy as they move toward college. Including Opperman, other Kaneland seniors this year were Heather Ortiz, Courtney Diddell, Madison Jurcenko, Emily Grams and Courtney Landers.

"I'm so proud of these girls." Parillo said. "We're going to miss these seniors and going to miss their leadership. They were dynamite."

There is hope for a substantial future for the program in 15 returning players, many of whom made critical contributions through the campaign.

"Maybe it'll happen, maybe we'll be back next year," Parillo said. "I don't think anyone expected us to be here. Finally, we crashed the party, and they finally kicked us out. I wish we could have crashed it a little bit more. But it was a fun ride, fun for them and for me."