Warriors lose captain but make semifinals
A captain was lost, but Waubonsie Valley's ship still navigated its way to a state semifinal.
The Warriors fought through the loss to injury of captain and Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year Bri Rodriguez in Friday's Class AA girls soccer quarterfinals, winning 1-0 over Maine South on a Rachel Bostick goal.
"That goal was for Bri," Bostick said. "I wanted her to be able to play the next game."
Waubonsie Valley (24-0-1) plays Normal West (27-0) at 11 a.m. today in a semifinal game. Downers Grove South (21-6) takes on Belleville Althoff (23-3-1) in a 9 a.m. semifinal.
Waubonsie Valley controlled play throughout against Maine South (20-3-4), earning a 23-6 edge overall in shots against a feisty Hawks' crew at North Central College in Naperville. Waubonsie's lone goal came in the 51st minute on a Bostick header off a feed from Vanessa DiBernardo.
DiBernardo -- who moved from forward to midfielder after Rodriguez left the game with a knee injury in the first half -- took a corner kick in the second half that set up Bostick's goal.
A Maine South defender cleared the corner back to DiBernardo, who calmly settled it and looked up.
"I saw a (defender) coming, so I just tried to get it up to Rachel," DiBernardo said.
After sending a few head shots wide of frame in the first half, Bostick made her third attempt count in scoring her 13th goal of the season from 8 yards out.
"I was getting a little upset, because I haven't really scored in a while," Bostick said. "I was hoping to get one in this game, and I was glad Vanessa was able to get me the ball."
Maine South's best chances of the contest came thereafter, with Waubonsie goalkeeper Claire Hanold tipping a shot over the crossbar in the 66th minute, and another Hawks' shot banging off the crossbar in the 72nd.
"The first shot was a good header, and I was just glad that I got up and got it," said Hanold, who earned her 20th shutout of the season.
Afterward, Rodriguez was off to the hospital to have her knee checked, and with her status uncertain for today's play, a Warriors squad ranked third nationally knows what it will take to beat seventh-ranked Normal West.
"This is state, and we need to play like we're at state," Hanold said. "We just have to go out and fight for what we want."
"It's a lot harder playing without (Rodriguez) because she's our go-to girl," DiBernardo said. "I'll try to play that (midfield) role without her, but it'll be hard.
"We'll all have to do our best."