Fremd can't stop Waubonsie Valley
They're one and the same, but they still amount to two numbers: 44 and 44.
With Saturday's 1-0 win over Fremd on Saturday, Waubonsie Valley's girls' soccer team has now gone unbeaten in 44 consecutive games over two years, and has outscored its opponents 44-3 this year.
One season after the Warriors (12-0-1) went 30-0-1 and beat Fremd 4-0 to win a Class AA state title, they edged the Vikings 1-0 to win their second consecutive Invitational title at Naperville Central.
"It was definitely a game that we expected (Fremd) to want to come out and get us," said Warriors senior Rachel Bostick. "They were very aggressive, and they wanted some payback."
Fremd (9-2-1) did manage to become the first team all season to hold Waubonsie to less than 2 goals in a game this season.
"Initially, I thought we came out and gave them a little too much respect, too much space," said Fremd coach Steve Keller. "Then once we settled down, we improved. Obviously, they're the more talented team, and deserved to win, but I'm pleased with how we kept fighting."
The Vikings' Alex Ehr broke into the penalty area after a ball in the game's second minute, but Warriors keeper Claire Hanold was there to stuff the shot.
The Warriors sent three shots on frame and another nine that flew high or wide through 40 minutes in a scoreless first half, and also earned 5 of their 8 corner kicks on the night.
Waubonsie finished on a goal in the 46th minute, when Vanessa DiBernardo scored her 11th goal of the year by charging onto a short pass in the goalmouth from Jessica Blake and sending it to the back netting from 6 yards out.
Despite not being involved in the game's lone goal, the Warriors' Bri Rodriguez showed throughout that she is the creative engine that makes her team go -- playing perfect balls to space ahead of charging Warriors, and onto her teammates' feet all night long.
Hanold and the Warriors also notched their 11th shutout in 13 games this year, and defender Mary Wright stopped a pair of dangerous runs at goal and tracked back behind Hanold to clear a ball sent in by Fremd's Alex Ehr.
Keller applauded his squad's effort all over the field in Saturday's game.
"I think our girls showed that we believe in what we can accomplish," Keller said. "After they scored we could have easily felt like 'here we go again', like last year's final. But we didn't.
"We kept fighting."
• In the semifinals, Fremd advanced by edging St. Charles East 1-0 behind a goal from Melissa Castles, assisted by Alex Ehr.
At Dundee-Crown: Rolling Meadows netted a scoreless tie against the host Chargers in a morning game, then bounced back in the afternoon to edge South Elgin 3-2.
Against the Storm, the Mustangs (6-6-3) got a first-half goal from freshman Alex Partipilo, her 11th of the season, and second-half markers from Jessie DaPisa and Liezl Aluquin to go up 3-0. South Elgin scored twice in the last five minutes.
Meadows goalkeeper Katie Odon had 10 saves in shutting out Dundee-Crown and 5 saves against South Elgin.
St. Viator 4, Fenwick 2:ŒSt. Viator came from behind twice in the first half to even the score at halftime 2-2 on goals by Samantha Gavin and Taylor Skala.
St. Viator scored twice in the second half, on goals by Jackie Tumberger assisted Brenna Fitzpatrick, and Skala, assisted by Andrea DiVito.
St. Viator (10-4-1) outshot Fenwick 23-3.