Hanold helps Waubonsie post Invite title
A hundred minutes of soccer didn't decide it, but the title game of this year's Naperville Invitational finally ended with Waubonsie Valley goalkeeper Claire Hanold flying through the air.
Twice.
Hanold dove once at each post to swat away two shots in a shootout, giving her squad a win over Naperville Central and securing Waubonsie's third consecutive Invite title.
Hanold recently tied the state record for career shutouts with 70, and she loves the pressure that a shootout brings.
"Knowing that if you can get a hand on a ball, if you can save just one, you can make the difference in winning the game," Hanold said.
"She's crazy," Waubonsie's Bri Rodriguez said of Hanold. "I've known her forever and she has always loved PKs. But she's awesome at it."
Waubonsie Valley (13-3) and Naperville Central (15-3-2) squared off for the second time this year, with Waubonsie avenging a 1-0 loss to Naperville Central early in the season.
It was Waubonsie's Rachel Bostick who scored her squad's lone goal of the night, rising to meet a perfectly placed Rodriguez feed to the far post on a corner kick and heading it into net.
"Bri's ball is the key," Bostick said. "Vanessa (DiBernardo) and Kiki (McClellan) both play great balls, and I connect with them, but the most consistency I have is with Bri."
After Bostick's finish, a Naperville Central squad built on rock-solid defense and opportunistic scoring needed a goal, and 11 minutes later Taylor Heatherly obliged. Heatherly's shot from 20 yards out fell under the crossbar.
Naperville Central coach Ed Watson was pleased to see the fight his squad showed in tying the game, against a two-time defending state champion Waubonsie squad that seems to be finding its form.
"I was concerned about giving up a goal in the first 10 minutes," Watson said. "I wanted to see how we would react, and we continued to play and the girls battled."
"We played a lot of soccer, and we both had opportunities," said Naperville Central defender Jessica Rubin. "We scored on one of ours, and unfortunately so did they. But we have to take advantage of every bit of offense we get, and we've been doing that."
Rodriguez, Vanessa DiBernardo and Ali Stahlke converted their shootout kicks, while Ashley Tegge converted Naperville Central's lone shootout goal.
Stahlke's shootout goal ultimately stands as the game-winner, and she was lifted by Hanold's performance.
"It gives you a cushion, knowing she's always going to be there," Stahlke said. "She's always got your back, so just go up there and try to place it."