Another nail-biter as St. Charles North downs Geneva

With 95 seconds to play in the second half, even though Geneva and St. Charles North weren't playing sudden death overtime soccer, really they were playing a match in which the next goal would win the match.

That match-winner fell to St. Charles North and Leah DeMoss, who scored both her team's goals in a 2-1 victory in the Class 3A Schaumburg sectional semifinals.

"I think if you work hard, you make chances and you get free," St. Charles North coach Ruth Vostal said. "But that was really the first time (DeMoss) got free in the game. (Geneva) did a great job, I thought with their game plan, to keep her from getting shots like that."

Lauren Koehl sent a ball forward to DeMoss, who shot from the left side of the penalty area to the near post and scored, sparking scenes of both celebration and despair, depending which portion of the crowd or sideline you belonged to.

"(Koehl) played me a great ball," DeMoss said. "There wasn't much room but I got it in."

For their part, Geneva (16-6-3) felt a foul should have been called on the play leading to DeMoss' goal. But no call was made, the goal stood and the North Stars (20-1-1) advanced to play Conant in Friday's sectional title match.

The match started much differently for both teams. With both teams still seemingly getting settled into the match, Geneva burst forward and struck for the game's first goal.

Abbey Schroeder scored when she took a pass from Sammi Hill and hit a crisp shot into the net.

"I saw the ball coming down," Hill said. "I came across and I saw the goalie coming out. So I took a touch away from her and that got it out of the box on the ground. I knew I couldn't shoot it from that angle. So I crossed it in and (Schroeder) was coming in, perfect timing - just like in practice."

The goal put St. Charles North behind for the second straight time in the playoffs. But where the North Stars used a lengthy weather delay to help them rebound to defeat Batavia in the regional title match, they had to sort things out on the field themselves against Geneva.

Geneva, seeded fifth in the sectional, never gave in to top-seeded St. Charles North and the North Stars never surrendered anything to the Vikings, meaning guts beat guile for most of the 80 minutes played.

"I definitely think we brought it to them," Geneva senior Stephanie Davison said. "We were with them every step of the way. We wanted this real bad and it really stinks that the score didn't show that."

Schroeder's goal came in the eighth minute of play. The Vikings lead lasted 10 minutes until DeMoss scored her first goal. Meryl Behm sent a free kick into the penalty area. The ball skimmed off KK Barr's head and fell to DeMoss, who hit a shot that went off the post and into the net.

"It was like it was in slow motion to me," DeMoss said. "It went underneath and rolled past. But it went in."

Hill got free on the right wing in the final minute of play in the first half, but sent a driven ball over the crossbar and the teams went into halftime tied 1-1.

St. Charles North came close to taking the lead 14 minutes into the second half when Sammy Gage sent a powerful header from a corner kick against the crossbar. A weak return shot was covered by Geneva goalie Victoria Fortney.

Hill had Geneva's final effort on goal, but she shot wide with 5 minutes to play. Then DeMoss scored and the North Stars claimed the match.