Wild OT ride for Vikings
Jarring might be the best word to sum up the final 20 minutes of Tuesday's Class 3A girls soccer supersectional match between Fremd and New Trier at Niles West's Basrak Field in Skokie.
Fremd held a 2-goal lead when Trevian forward Dani Fraelick scored with 7:21 to play. When Elayne Teska tied the score on a feed from Melina Wezerek with 1:50 left, Fremd was stunned.
But overtime brought new life to the Vikings.
With 21.9 seconds left in the extra period, senior midfielder Laura Mayer was able to knock home the game-winning goal for a 3-2 victory off a feed from Kathleen Holmburg. A free kick from Danielle Romano started the play.
"We got one cross in, they got it out. Kathleen Holmburg kicked it back in, we were just in the right spot at the right time," Mayer said. "I was able to trap it and knock it in."
Mayer was very close to the net and it was surprising how much space she had around her.
"I think they thought that I was offside," Mayer said. "But I made sure I was onside and just made sure I didn't rush the shot."
Mayer's goal sends the Vikings (19-4-1) into Friday's 7 p.m. state semifinal match at North Central College in Naperville against Mid-Suburban West rival Conant. Fremd won the regular-season meeting 2-1.
"When we were up 2-0, I thought we were a shoo-in and we just had to hold them," Romano said. "When we gave up the 2 goals everyone's head was down. Now that we won I can't believe we are going to state again."
It is the second trip to the final four for Romano and Mayer, but Mayer was injured and couldn't play when the Vikings took second in AA in 2007.
"I'm definitely happy," Mayer said of reaching the semifinals. "That's amazing. It's my senior year and it's a good way to end it. It's just the best feeling ever for me right now."
Fremd's first 2 goals also came off Romano free kicks. She scored the Vikings' second goal and Elise Kotsakis slammed the first goal home after Romano's free kick hit the crossbar.
Fremd coach Steve Keller said Mayer had been taking free kicks for most of the year, but during practice Romano had been very strong, so Keller went with her on Tuesday.
"Every one (free kick) she hit tonight was on target," Keller said. "When she concentrates she can be deadly."
New Trier (18-5-1) coach Jim Burnside said it was a tough loss to swallow.
"A lot of times when you have that energy level and you come back, you feel like you've done your job," said Burnside, whose team beat Fremd 4-1 this season. "That's part of the problem sometimes. The comeback is not the job you want. Winning the game is the job you want."