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Girls soccer: ICCP out to repeat history

For Tess Reardon and other IC Catholic Prep girls soccer seniors, their freshman year was a memorable one in athletics.

With Reardon, Tessa Langan, Liz Maloney, Kaitlyn Grady and Demitra DelFiacco, the Knights captured their last soccer sectional championship. Reardon also helped the girls volleyball team win a Class 2A championship and the girls basketball team make its first of back-to-back 2A downstate trips.

"Honestly, after freshman year, I got a taste for that success and I just have been pushing my hardest personally," Reardon said. "I want to get back. And I know everyone on my team with me has that same drive to get there."

On Tuesday the record-setting Langan helped the Knights take another step with their 6-3 victory over Francis Parker in the Class 1A ICCP sectional semifinals at the Plunkett Athletic Complex.

The Knights (19-6), the No. 1 seed in their sub-sectional, play for the regional title at 6 p.m. Friday at Plunkett against DePaul Prep (9-7-2), the other No. 1 seed.

"After winning this game I look back on freshman year. We made it to the supersectionals and we just fell short," Reardon said. "The fact that that happened has just really given us a drive to push past that point, break through. That's our word of the season - breakthrough."

Langan broke through again offensively to score the Knights' first 4 goals. Her 31 goals breaks the single-season record of 28 set by 2011 graduate Natalie D'Agostino.

"Actually Tess' mom just told me last game. I had no idea that I was even close to the scoring record," Langan said. "Once I found that out, I was pretty excited this game."

ICCP opened a 6-1 lead after Abi Wagner, one of three freshman starters this season, converted a penalty kick with 31:20 to go after she was fouled surging down left wing and sophomore Olivia Hurt scored with 21:11 left with an assist from freshman Bella Leslie.

The Knights have won eight straight with at least 6 goals in seven of them.

Making their fourth sectional appearance in the last five seasons, the Knights now have eight seniors. Friday's home finale for them comes between graduation dinner Thursday and graduation ceremonies Saturday.

"These seniors have been so instrumental. Our last seven, eight games, we've been extremely focused and playing extremely well," ICCP coach Tom Schergen said. "Multiple girls have contributed. We (coaches) don't have to do much screaming or yelling because they're playing at a very high level. It's nice to be playing this way at this time of the year."

Langan first scored 13:34 before halftime off a sidelines throw-in by Maloney. After freshman Molly Taylor tied the game for No. 3-seed Francis Parker (6-11-1), Langan answered 3:24 before halftime after taking Grady's pass and dribbling up the left end line.

Langan's third came just 4.4 seconds before halftime for a 3-1 lead by rebounding sophomore Olivia Hurt's shot off junior Sophie Zanoni's cross.

"With four seconds left in the half, to put in a goal like that, it changes even what we talk about at halftime. Now you're a goal way from kind of separating," Schergen said.

Langan struck again 8:08 into the second half off a Zanoni free kick.

ICCP junior goalie Rochelle Spizzirri stopped a penalty kick with 17:55 to play before freshman Natalie Daskal, the Colonels' leading scorer, had her 12th and 13th goals in the final 12 minutes.

In 2016 eventual Class 1A champion Wheaton Academy defeated Francis Parker in the sectional semifinals after beating ICCP in the regional final.

"It's been crazy (this season). It's been so fun. It's been really exciting seeing our team get even better because we're really peaking right now," Langan said. "We're beyond pumped for this game (Friday). Everyone just really wants it."

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