St. Viator rolls into Class 2A Final Four

St. Viator's wonderous girls soccer postseason run continued Tuesday afternoon when the Lions defeated Sycamore 3-0 to win the Barrington supersectional crown and a spot in Friday's 2A state semifinal match against defending state champion Wheaton Academy at 11 a.m. at North Central College in Naperville.

The Lions return to the state tournament series gives long-time head coach of the boys program, Mike Taylor, a chance to collect a double next weekend after guiding his lads to a state title last November.

"One of our goals was to be playing on the final week of the season, and we've reached that - now one more to go," said senior Ariana Kulinczenko, who along with Meghan McGrath, Jackie Tumberger and Samantha Gavin held the Spartans (18-7-2) to just a few scant chances on frame for keeper Stephanie Shanahan, who easily collected her fourth consecutive shutout of the tournament.

"It was our defense that would be steady and play strong all throughout the ballgame today," began Taylor. "But for the rest, it wasn't very pretty for most of the day."

"I don't know if we were nervous or if the heat and humidity was making us tired, but our effort today was probably the worst of the tournament so far," said Kulinczenko.

What the Lions' terrific senior defender accomplished, with the help of her teammates, was to not allow Spartans top scorer Rachel Stueber to get many looks at the goal. The Sycamore standout midfielder had recorded 3 game-winners for her team, including all 3 goals in the Spartans' sectional final victory over favored Freeport last week.

"We obviously knew coming in that St. Viator is one of the top 2A teams in the state, especially after dropping down from 3A last season, so our work was cut out for us even before the match began," said Sycamore coach Dave Lichamer, whose club finished third last season in the 2A tourney. "We had hoped to stay 0-0 with them as long as we could, and I felt even when it became 2-0 there still was a chance for us, but when they quickly made it 3-0 after the break, it was difficult for us to get back into the match."

The Lions (20-8-1) provided little in their attack during the first half-hour, as the East Suburban Catholic Conference co-champs were unable to possess and stretch the Spartans' defense. St. Viator used a dead-ball opportunity to score its first goal when Katelyn Hammarlund headed a Gavin corner at the back post.

Then, at 37 minutes, Taylor Skala burst through a tiring Spartans backline and fired a wicked strike off the underside of the bar. Freshman Chloe Luthringshausen was rewarded for her hard running when she slotted the rebound off Skala's blast.

"We really were not playing very well up to and after those 2 goals," Taylor said. "But to play not very well in the midfield, and poorly in other parts of our game and still have the lead at the break, and to eventually get the win says something about what this team is capable of."

Few chances fell the Lions' way after intermission until Luthringshausen handed Skala a cross in close just minutes into the second half.

The Lions' last appearance in the tourney was in 2005, when they defeated Chatham Glenwood to collect the 1A state title.