Girls soccer: St. Francis gets over sectional hump, tops Wheaton Academy in 2A final

The last three years St. Francis has lost in the girls soccer sectional finals.

The pendulum has changed.

The Spartans, seeded fourth, moved to 11-4 on the season with a 2-0 win over third-seeded Wheaton Academy in the Class 2A St. Francis championship game Saturday in Wheaton.

St. Francis will play Elmwood Park in the Class 2A Hinsdale South supersectional at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday trying to earn a spot in next weekend’s state tournament.

"It is nice to be the bride not the bridesmaid," said St. Francis coach Jim Winslow. “I am so happy for the kids. We put a lot of shots on goal and should have scored more goals, but we scored enough. Their goalie (Norah Pennings) was fantastic. She kept them in the game.”

St. Francis, which outshot Wheaton Academy (14-6-5) 15-4, got on the scoreboard first when junior Caroline Kiesler scored on a penalty kick with 8:11 left in the first half.

"I feel comfortable shooting penalty kicks," said Kiesler, a Johns Hopkins recruit. “I don't feel the pressure. I have a strategy and know exactly what I want to do. It feels great to win the sectional.”

St. Francis scored what turned out to be an insurance goal with 29 seconds left before the end of the first half. Off a perfect pass from Macie Schweiner, Lorraine Surina scored to lift the hosts to a 2-0 lead at intermission.

“Macie gave me a great ball," said Surina. ”I was able to get off a wide-open shot. This is an exciting win. It is nice to advance to the supersectionals."

Sophomore goalkeeper Pyper Schweiner turned back all four shots from the Warriors. Schweiner's best save of the game came with 12:08 left in the first half. Wheaton Academy's Whitney Fallow broke through the St. Francis defense for a breakaway shot but Schweiner jumped to make the save.

Sophomore Norah Pennings made 13 saves in the goal for the Warriors.

"We thrust Norah into action last season as a freshman," said Wheaton Academy coach Maria Selvaggio. “She was incredible. She kept us in the game. Our offense just didn't create enough chances.

“We had 12 seniors two years ago and the last two years we have been playing a lot of young kids. We played three freshmen and four sophomores today. We have a lot of experience coming back. I have my goalie for the next two years. I am super pleased with the season."