Neuqua Valley gets scare from Benet

The goal couldn’t have come at a better time for Neuqua Valley.

After a first half Benet spent showing it could hang with the the top-ranked team in the nation and gaining confidence, Neuqua Valley scored the game’s only goal just 42 seconds into the second half to break the Redwings’ momentum.

Neuqua Valley’s 1-0 home-field victory gave it the Class 3A regional championship.

“They came off pretty sky high after the first half and rightfully so,” Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau said of Benet (18-5-3). “We talked about getting an early goal and that would change the momentum.”

“We gave them everything they could handle,” Benet coach Henry Wind said. “And maybe a little bit more. We had some chances. We made one mistake in the back a little bit and they took advantage of it.

“But the heart, the passion, the desire, the will. They didn’t back down from these girls, and that’s why we’re so extremely proud of them.”

Sophomore striker Zoey Goralski got the winning play started, taking the ball near midfield and dribbling toward the end line with a group of Redwings in hot pursuit. Her cross found left midfielder Noelle Leary near the 6-yard box in front of the Benet goal, and Leary’s shot found net, much to the Wildcats’ relief.

“I thought she might play me earlier, but I’m actually glad she kept going because it would have been a harder shot for me to make farther out than just hitting it in,” Leary said.

It was a tough game for the speedy Goralski. Her teammates kept looking to send her behind the Benet defense. She wound up setting up Leary for the goal with a strong run with the ball herself.

“She did a lot of running today, a lot of running today. She’s a pretty fit kid, but she got a little tired,” Moreau said.

Neuqua Valley (23-0) controlled possession the rest of the game, but it couldn’t crack the Benet defense again, making for a tense second half.

“You never want a 1-goal lead, that’s the worst lead to have because one more goal and it would have been into overtime,” Leary said.

The Wildcats kept trying for that second goal, but they couldn’t crack Benet goalkeeper Claire Munaretto, who included a couple of clutch saves among her 10 total.

“Claire was outstanding,” Wind said. “I think she’s one of the best goalkeepers in the state.”

“She gets her hands on the ball,” Leary said. “She doesn’t bobble it a lot, so we had to make sure to try to get some good, quality shots on because it wasn’t going to be easy to get past her.”

The Wildcats advance to play defending state champion and rival Waubonsie Valley in Tuesday’s sectional semifinals at Waubonsie.