Maine South 7 (SO), Huntley 6
The Huntley girls soccer team has been searching for respect all season.
If back-to-back regional championships wasn't enough, Thursday's performance in the Class AA Streamwood sectional certainly was.
The Red Raiders matched top-seeded Maine South through 80 minutes of regulation and 40 minutes of overtime, forcing a penalty shootout with the score 1-1. The Hawks eventually won the shootout 7-6.
A sectional title eluded Huntley, but the respect was earned.
"They have arrived," Maine South coach JJ Crawford said. "Those girls can play."
The Red Raiders (21-2) were playing in their first sectional championship game in the program's history. The nerves showed early as Maine South (19-2-4) forced Huntley goalkeeper Sara Hoffman to make several big saves in the opening 10 minutes.
Huntley settled down and, despite creating little offense, took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minutes. Taylor Henning-Fletter ripped a 23-yard right-footed shot that beat Hawks goalkeeper Stephanie Makos to the near post.
"I'm a finisher. I usually just stick a foot in there," said Henning-Fletter, a sophomore. "I'm not really a power shooter."
Maine South tied the game in the 56th minute. Jenna Shemky received a cross inside the Red Raiders' penalty area. Her first shot was stopped by Hoffman, who made 11 saves. Shemky collected the rebound and scored.
Both teams created a few scoring opportunities in the final 24 minutes of regulation and the four overtimes, but a penalty shootout was needed to determine a winner.
During the opening five-round shootout, Huntley missed one shot high and Hoffman made a diving save to her left. Henning-Fletter and the Hawks' Maeve Leurck each scored in Round 6. Huntley's Lauren Gaitsch and Maine South's Maria Gianakakos did the same in Round 7.
In the eighth round, Makos made a diving save to her right to give Kelly Kohlndorfer a chance to win the match. The senior did, beating Hoffman high to the right corner.
"I came out here wanting to win and did everything I could for the team," said Hoffman, a sophomore said. "Our team fought as hard as we could. No one wants it to go down to (a penalty shootout). That's not a way to end a game like that with two very good teams that fought very hard."
The defeat ends the most successful season since the Huntley program began in 2003. The 21 victories set a school record, topping last season's 19-3 record when the Red Raiders won their first regional championship.
"It's been a great season," Red Raiders coach Kris Grabner said. "I felt that we gained a lot of respect, and we also have given a lot of respect to all of our opponents."
In 2003, Huntley did not win a game or score a goal. The win total has increased every season -- 3 in 2004, 8 in 2005 and 14 in 2006 before last season's success. Topping 21 wins might be difficult next season, but Henning-Fletter expects to be in the same situation with a chance to earn the program's first sectional title.
"We'll be back next year, without going to penalty kicks, and I hope we win," Henning-Fletter said.