Girls soccer: Wauconda earns spot in NSC title game
All season long, Wauconda's girls soccer team has been showing it is playing some pretty good soccer with an experience team that features 15 players with varsity experience.
The Bulldogs started their season by going unbeaten through its first 12 games before dropping a 2-1 to decision to Grayslake North 2-1.
Wauconda returned to the pitch with a North Suburban Prairie division title on the line on Tuesday night, and the Bullodgs returned to their winning ways, too, with a hard-fought 3-0 victory over host Vernon Hills.
The Bulldogs (11-1-2) earned a share of the Prairie title at 4-0-1, with a game remaining at Grant on Wednesday night. And they guaranteed themselves a North Suburban Conference championship appearance; Wauconda will host Stevenson (8-5-1, 4-1-1).
The Patriots won the Lake Division title with a 2-0 victory at Libertyville on Tuesday night.
"I think they came in this year disappointed at last year's results," said Beau Shogren, a first-year coach who worked the JV level last year. "It ended on a sour note for everybody, losing to Grayslake Central in the first round of regionals.
"They came back this year realizing that they're talented, and it's been their attitudes. All year they've been believing. The game against Warren (1-1 tie), they seemed to get it then and it started to click. They believed they could beat anybody at that point. The energy is up and the excitement is up. This group has earned this, and it's great to see."
The Bulldogs were led by leading scorer Kayla Wisniewski, who had a goal and an assist to give her 18 goals and 8 assists for the season. Rachel Denovo added a goal and an assist, and Emma Lewandowski netted the other goal.
"Usually when I get a pass or a through ball, I can look for the open spots," Wisniewski said. "I have a way of slotting the ball into the goal."
Wisniewski set up the first Wauconda goal in the 30th minute with a cross from the left side near the corner. Lewandowski got a foot on the ball and scored near the back post for a 1-0 lead.
Then Wisniewski beat a couple defenders and netted the second goal of an assist from Denovo in the 75th minute for a 2-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs added another insurance goal in the 79th minute, as Denovo scored off a pass from Olivia Kuch.
Vernon Hills (7-6-1, 4-1-1) had its shot at the division but just couldn't stay with Wauconda in the long run.
"We put ourselves in a great position to do some things," Vernon Hills coach Mike McCaulou said. "Everybody didn't show up for 80 minutes. Collectively, in a team sport you need everybody mentally tuned in. In a second or two, we lost our mark, or didn't follow the play. Give credit to (Wauconda). We had a tough time matching (Wisniewski's) pace. She was the best player on the field.
"Overall, we're happy where we've progressed throughout the season. We're happy to put ourselves into this position."
Bulldogs keeper Ally Magiera made 4 stops and earned her seventh shutout of the season.
"We do have a strong four backs and communication back there," said Magiera, who credited back-liners Aimee Berg, Kuch, Erica Miller and Annalyse Maze for their contributions. "It's basically a team effort back there."