Goralski, Neuqua oust Waubonsie

Teams often go through the peaks and valleys of a girls soccer season, and two teams with Valley in their names entered Friday night’s Class 3A Waubonsie Valley regional championship peaking at the right time.

Neuqua Valley won for its eighth time in nine games, beating Waubonsie Valley 2-1. The Warriors entered the contest with an eight-game winning streak.

Zoey Goralski scored both goals for the Wildcats, with each coming about midway through each half.

She gave the team an early boost with 21:32 on the first-half clock when she found and opening and was able to sneak one past Waubonsie Valley freshman goalkeeper Emma Rigby.

“They seemed a little confused and I tried to take advantage,” Goralski said. “It definitely helped with our confidence. After we scored we started to play more of our game and were able to control it more later on.”

Waubonsie Valley (16-5-4) had a difficult time putting the Wildcats on their defensive heels. A lot of that came for the Wildcats’ ability to control possession and to create their own scoring opportunities.

“We talked about our forwards having to put pressure on their backs so they didn’t have much time,” Wildcats coach Joe Moreau said. “Our midfielders had to step out and cut their service to their midfielders, and we know how solid a player Jenna Romano is and they often go through her.”

Neuqua Valley, which also ended the Warriors’ season a year ago with a 5-1 romp in the sectional semifinals, appeared on the brink of putting them away once again when Goralski sent a liner well out of the reach of Rigby with only 20:25 remaining.

Goralski wasn’t surprised that she finished but that such a great opportunity came her way.

“Sometimes you think, ‘OK, did that just happen?’” she said. “But I’ve been working a lot on my shots lately, so it’s really a product of what I’ve been working on.”

The Warriors kept on working and cut the deficit in half with 5:16 remaining when Romano delivered. They couldn’t find the equalizer though, despite creating a handful of near chances in the vicinity of the goal.

“It was a good fight the whole time and we kept fighting from the beginning to the end,” Waubonsie Valley senior Shannon Donelson said. “It just didn’t go our way today.”

Neuqua Valley (16-4-2) advances to Wednesday’s Class 3A Naperville North sectional where it will take on the host Huskies at 5 p.m.