Girls soccer: Setter's goal all Waubonsie Valley needs against Metea Valley
Grace Setter is an easy person to spot on the pitch.
The Waubonsie Valley junior midfielder tends to draw attention due to her height. At 6-foot-1 Setter is often the tallest player on the field.
Setter admitted she gets asked often about whether she plays basketball or volleyball.
"Soccer is my main sport," Setter said. "Basketball, I just play for school. I play club soccer and been playing soccer for a long time."
Setter, a three-year starter, is a key figure in Waubonsie Valley's quest for a memorable playoff run. Her goal early in the second half led the Warriors to a 1-0 win over host Metea Valley in DuPage Valley Conference play on Tuesday.
The Warriors (9-1-1) held off a late push by the Mustangs to extend their recent run of wins after capturing the Plainfield Classic title on Saturday. Setter ended the scoring drought by knocking in a header less than five minutes into the second half.
Setter said the Warriors made a concerted effort to come out strong in the second half.
"We had a nice setup … with the ball floating it there and their keeper came out, which left the main part of the goal open," she said. "I obviously have a height advantage, so winning that ball and being able to put it away was nice. It definitely gave us energy for the rest of the game. After having a tough first half where we didn't create much, it was nice going into the second half and driving it in and hold them back."
Setter said the Warriors, dressed in all-white uniforms, weren't afraid of a letdown following last weekend's title, especially with an opportunity to knock off their rivals on the road.
"Everyone was grinding at the end, just trying to hold them off," she said. "That energy from the goal really helped us. We just had to clear the ball at the end of the game to prevent them from scoring. We didn't want to come in and underestimate them. We just tried to play our game and not focus on the outside factors."
Waubonsie Valley goalkeeper Nicole Kleronomos had two key plays in a four-minute span midway through the second half to stop scoring threats, including punching the ball over the net. She added a diving save in front of the box with just over five minutes left.
"It was so stressful at the end, one of the most stressful moments," Kleronomos said. "My defense played outstanding."
Metea Valley goalkeeper Nikki Coryell, a Valparaiso recruit, kept the Warriors at bay with her aggressive and strong play.
"We just have to clean things up defensively a bit and stay together and work together as a team," Coryell said. "We have to fix things and get better."
Metea Valley (5-6-1) had momentum on its side after beating Nazareth and Maine South but couldn't knock in the equalizer against a tough Warriors' defense.
"It's hard to lose these tight games against a rival," Metea Valley coach Chris Whaley said. "We probably shouldn't have given up the goal. We had plenty of opportunities. We didn't capitalize."