Barrington’s comeback sinks LZ
Top-seeded Barrington appeared to be on the ropes Wednesday night.
The host Fillies fell behind upset-minded Lake Zurich 2-0 before engineering a brave comeback, scoring a pair of lightning-quick strikes just 60 seconds apart to defeat the No. 4 Bears 4-2.
The Fillies booked a berth in their own Class 3A regional final Friday against the winner of the Jacobs, a 1-0 winner against Cary-Grove one Wednesday.
The Fillies (14-6-1) looked out of touch in the early stages and did not find their pace until the 35th minute when they drew even on the second controversial penalty kick of the half.
“Lake Zurich really came at us from the very beginning, and on a night when we didn’t play well at all I guess it was all about surviving, then advancing,” said Fillies coach Ryan Stengren.
The Bears (10-7-3) made life difficult in the center of the park and along the back, where Katie Botwin, Allison Zurawski, Kate Arends and Josie Willman won nearly every 50-50 ball in and around the area while tackling ferociously.
When Bears leading scorer Vanessa Abad burst free along the outside, it helped create the first goal of the game when the sophomore connected with teammate Gina McCoy. Her flighted serve was redirected by Brooke Sill just under the woodwork and over the gloves of Fillies keeper Kelly Pedersen at 17 minutes.
The Fillies responded almost immediately, and would have drawn even if not for an alert play by Maisie Cox.
Barrington senior Emmelie Hirdes initiated the opportunity with a superb ball over the top which found Molly Pfeiffer. Bears keeper Anna Kurowska’s ambitious challenge off her line narrowly beat Pfeiffer on the 50-50 ball, and when the two met the ball richoceted far out of the area. There it landed on the left boot of Emily Hyde, whose quick return into the box had the pace to find the back of the net. But Cox on her retrieving mission cleared the would-be goal off the line.
The center official drew the ire of both benches when he awarded PK’s at 32 and 35 minutes. The Fillies’ Mia Calamari calmly converted her attempt to bring the home side closer as intermission arrived.
“We couldn’t have played much better in that first half, but in the second half, we just didn’t have an answer for No. 10,” said Bears coach Meghan Kolze.
No. 10 was Pfeiffer, whose pace and angled runs began to stretch the Bears in their own end. When the sophomore wasn’t running hard at the back line, she was helping to create chances for others — including teammate Dana Nelson, who brought the Fillies even at 54 minutes when Pfeiffer held up top long enough to play through to Hyde.
When the senior carried to the end line, her serve flashed across to the spot where Nelsen slotted past Kurowska.
“Dana’s goal was so big for us, because it was just what we needed to get us going at that time,” said Pfeiffer.
The Bears lost Willman at the hour mark after a collision near the mid-line with Catie Curran. Willman was greatly missed, as her senior leadership and ability to defend and tackle left a void in the back.
McCoy forced Pedersen to save, when on the turn, the senior had a nice go from 22 yards. But that would be it for the visitors, who fell behind for good at 77 minutes.
Hirdes gave Pfeiffer another brilliant ball out of the back, and the Fillies striker did the rest, first breaking free of a pair of marks, then taking an extra touch and step before unloading past Kurowska from just inside the box.
“I knew their keeper had been really aggressive off her line all throughout the match, so when I broke away from (their) defenders, I looked up before I shot, and saw an opening to shoot for,” Pfeiffer said.
Hyde added the finishing touch just moments after the restart to end any hope for the Bears.
“We knew Lake Zurich would be ready for us after we ended their season last year, so that’s why I was a little surprised at how little energy and urgency we showed at the start of the game,” Pfeiffer said. “But I am glad that we found it in time to get the win.”
“I don’t know what else we could have asked the girls to do today, because they all gave such a great effort, and I am so proud of (that) as well as the entire team,” Kolze said. “It’s a group that you just have to love and appreciate for who they are, and how they play together as a team.”
Rolling Meadows 4, Carmel 2: The Mustangs advanced with a regional semifinal victory over the host Corsairs in Mundelein. Rolling Meadows will next face North Suburban Conference champion Lake Forest, which edged Deerfield 1-0 Wednesday.