Still no West decision as Barrington, Schaumburg tie

It was an exhilarating 100-minute thrill-ride Barrington and Schaumburg were on but would end just short of the finish line Wednesday night.

The two Mid-Suburban West heavyweights went toe-to-toe with a spot in next week's MSL Cup at stake - but 80 minutes of regulation and another 20 more could not seperate the two in a 2-2 final at Schaumburg.

With the draw, the Fillies (19-2-2, 8-0-2) will need a victory or another draw in their season finale at home against MSL East champion Hersey at 4 p.m. Saturday to win the division.

"That was just a phenomenal high school match out there tonight, which was played end-to-end by two terrific soccer teams," said Saxons (13-1-3, 9-1-1) coach Greg Charvat. "I don't know if I could have asked for anything more from the girls tonight, who never let up (once) during this match, and showed they could play with a great opponent like Barrington."

Knowing a victory would send them into the MSL championship match, the home-side would shock the Fillies just 60 seconds off the opening whistle when Kelsey Steenstrup fired her blistering shot into the far inside netting.

"We knew how important it would be to score first (tonight) but I would have never imagined that it would happen so soon," said Saxons defender Stephanie Pouse, who along her backline mates and Steenstrup would be part of a long-list of stars on both clubs.

The Fillies would struggle to settle in after Steenstrup's 10th of the season, but as they would all evening long, would stay afloat long enough to find the equalizer just five minutes later.

That's when Sara Condon would surface unmarked at the back post to finish a well-paced cross from the near endline by Emily Hyde.

"We've had a bad habit of starting very slowly of late, and we have to turn it around (soon) or it will do us in when we can least afford it," said Fillies coach Ryan Stengren.

"We all knew what this game meant, so it's really hard to figure why we came out so flat tonight," added senior Liz Sauer.

Rachael Kahan's long-range throws were troublesome all match for the visitors, and coupled with the tireless work rate of the Saxons' Alison Schmalz, Amanda Kelly, Devin Ryan and Pouse along the back, the home-side would keep their opponents at bay until Rebekka Wittkamp put her club ahead in the 54th minute with her 30-yard cracker.

Amy Johnson would be the architect of the Fillies second goal, but it took a moment of brilliance from Caroline Condon to strike the equalizer as the senior collected a loose ball given up after a Johnson freekick to cooly drive her low shot through a crowd.

"To come back (two) times from being down says a lot about our team tonight, but it's tough chasing a team like Schaumburg on two separate occasions," said Stengren.

Johnson nearly put the Fillies ahead just after getting even when her 25-yard freekick from the near touchline rattled the bar and bounded away and out of the area.

Hersey 2, Wheeling 0: Andrea Perkins scored a pair of first-half goals, and goalie Julia Fredian and host Hersey (7-1-2 MSL) blanked Wheeling to clinch the MSL East title and a berth in the MSL Cup.