Girls soccer: ICCP enjoys experience despite result
Regrets? No way, not a chance.
IC Catholic Prep's girls soccer players knew exactly what they were up against in Friday night's Class 1A semifinal.
"We're not going to think too much about this game. We're not going to allow one little loss to outshine and entire great season," Knights senior Tessa Langan said.
The Knights couldn't have been prouder of reaching the state semifinals for the first time, even if the result was a 9-0 loss to downstate powerhouse Quincy Notre Dame (23-1-1).
"It's a huge deal for us. Coming into the game, honestly we were happy either way," Langan added.
Unlike the Knights (21-6), Notre Dame is loaded with players who play year-round between high school and club ball.
"I bet they could do well in (Class 2A) and 3A with all the athletes they have out on the field," IC Catholic coach Tom Schergen said. "The 3A teams we saw, they would probably beat those 3A teams. There's no weaknesses there."
The Knights were hanging tough in the first half, trailing just 1-0 until a late flurry just before the break gave the Raiders a comfortable 4-0 halftime lead.
"We ran out of gas for sure," Schergen said. "Fifteen minutes, (down) 1-0 we think we're in pretty good shape, we're right where we want to be. When you give up three goals like that, that's deflating. And I think you saw that as our girls came out in the second half. They couldn't pick that gear up like they had in the beginning of the game. It turned ugly after that."
Fortunately, Schergen and his coaches had talked to the Knights about the game being more about enjoying the experience because of their formidable foe.
"Just making it here for our senior year," defender Tess Reardon said, "it's just kind of been an ode to all the hard work we've put in. It's sort of rewarding to just be here."
The Knights take on Johnsburg (14-6) at 3 p.m. Saturday in the third-place game.
"There are so few teams that have the opportunity to know when their last game is and say, OK, we're going to end this on a win, it's just giving us the extra motivation to where we're so lucky to be in this position, we have to take advantage of it. End it on a high note," Reardon said.