Fremd Vikings battles into Soccer Cup, defeating Palatine
Fremd will play in the Soccer Cup on Wednesday night, but its advancement didn't come easily.
A goal in the 78th minute from Laura Mayer was enough for the Vikings to fend off the challenge of crosstown rival Palatine on Monday night in its regular-season finale and clinch the Mid-Suburban West Division title and a spot opposite Hersey in a rematch of last year's league championship match.
The senior striker ran onto a ball flicked forward by teammate Elise Kotsakis to put the visitors ahead 2-1 over a Pirates club which played its heart out for 80 minutes with the hope of an upset over the Vikings.
"We're a team that cannot match a team like Fremd, so we have to play as hard as we can and for as long as we can, staying away mistakes and breakdowns," said Palatine coach Willie Filian. "Unfortunately, as the second half wore on and (Mayer) was on the ball more and (Fremd) was going forward a little bit more, we had a breakdown and they capitalized."
Up until intermission, and even after the Vikings (13-3-1, 10-1-0 and 20 points) struck for their first goal at 46 minutes, it was just a rare moment or two of danger that the Vikings created against the Pirates (2-13-3), who won nearly every 50-50 ball.
That, and the superb play of freshman sweeper Amanda Filian, and her ability to tackle, defend and keep her back-line mates organized, all contributed to the lack of an attack from Fremd.
"We just came out flat and really didn't have any energy at all, which was not the way to be considering how much was at stake tonight," said the Vikings' Kaitlyn Kinsella.
The Vikings had little room for error on this evening after Conant defeated Barrington (1-0) last Saturday forcing Steve Keller's club to win or watch Conant play Hersey in the title match.
"We had a very easy training session on Friday and gave the girls the weekend off... and if we lost tonight, I would have to take full responsibility for us not getting through," said Keller.
"But with that said, we just didn't have any emotion or urgency, and at the break we addressed that."
"Danielle Romano, Alexis Tice and Mayer all had that look of determination in the second-half, but we needed everyone to (be) that way tonight.. and we sure will need it against Hersey in two days."
Mayer was brought on after intermission for the first time, and the Vikings' leading scorer paid immediate dividends when she recorded the helper on a Tice goal when she sent her teammate through with a superb ball up the center channel.
The Pirates, however, didn't give in and moments later Alexis Dejulio fired in a long drive from the left side up and over the outstretched gloves of keeper Allison Norenberg to draw the Pirates even and keep the pressure on.
With OT nearing, Mayer finished off a loose ball near the end line after keeper Allie Fernandez slowed a Kotsakis flick but could not hold firmly enough to allow Mayer to score.