St. Edward will play for sectional title

HINCKLEY — The ride will go on a little longer for St. Edward’s girls soccer team.

Kelly Tripicchio scored with 30 minutes to play as the Green Wave rode into the final of the Class 2A Hinckley-Big Rock sectional by defeating Rockford Christian, 1-0, Friday.

The Wave (13-7-3) will face Rockford Lutheran, which defeated Princeton 2-1, in Tuesday’s final at 6 p.m.

Tripicchio had just come into the game when she took a pass from Corey Lepoudre, ran in on the goal and fired a shot across the net into the far side.

St. Edward goalkeeper Paige Gannon and the defense made it stand up.

“We weren’t sure how we were going to come in,” said Tripiccio. “We had a lot of girls sick, and we just worked our butts off to get where we are now.”

Tripicchio was a bit under the weather herself.

“She’s doing it with a sinus infection,” said Wave coach Tim Brieger. “She went to the doctor (Thursday), and she put everything out there, and she got the game winner, and we’ll take it.”

This one was a challenge. The Royal Lions (20-5-1) played tight defense throughout, and sisters Haley Kittle and Bryn Kittle gave the Wave fits up front. Bryn Kittle put 2 solid shots on goal in the closing minutes, but Gannon made the stops.

St. Edward dominated the first half, putting 7 shots on goal to the Lions’ 2, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

“I liked this game a lot better,” said Gannon, who was rarely tested in the Wave’s regional final victory at Genoa-Kingston. “It was more of a challenge for us, moving forward in the tournament. Our defense stepped up.”

Once again the defense, led by Katie Ayello, Emily Witt, Enza Ranallo and Rena Ranallo, pitched a shutout. The Wave has allowed just 1 goal in 3 postseason games.

Monica Ramirez had had the Wave’s best scoring chances before Tripicchio’s goal. Minutes earlier, she dribbled through the defense and got a shot from close range that was stopped.