Hampshire 2, Rockford Christan 1

STILLMAN VALLEY -- Hampshire is hoping that the third time is the charm.

The Whip-Purs earned their third straight trip to the Elite Eight in girls soccer by defeating Rockford Christian, 2-1, in the final of the Class A Stillman Valley sectional Monday.

Kelly Plichta and Kelsey Burke scored during a second-half Hampshire onslaught after the Royals had taken an early lead.

"They've been a second-half team all year," said Hampshire coach Patrick O'Brien. "They know they have the skills if they keep at it, and they did."

With the game tied, Samantha Anderson found herself alone on the back line.

She fired a perfect cross to Burke running up the middle. The pass hit Burke in stride and she fired it home for the game-winner.

Burke and Anderson, who are best friends off the field, are used to working well together.

"When I saw her cross the ball, I thought, 'We can't go down like this. We have to do something with it,'" said Burke. "And I was just there at the perfect moment. It was great."

Hampshire had tied the game when Plichta got the ball in the midst of a scramble in front of the net and lofted a shot over the outstretched arm of Rockford Christian goalkeeper Amy Hicks. Alex Field was credited with the assist.

Christian's Chelsea Hollifield gave the Royals an early lead and for awhile it looked like it might hold up.

Hampshire (16-6-2) had several scoring chances in the first half, but couldn't find the back of the net. An apparent game-tying goal by Kristy Pfaffinger was disallowed when it was ruled that she was offside.

But after intermission, the Whip-Purs came out with guns blazing. They kept the pressure on the Royals from the first minute and didn't let up.

"Mr. O'Brien just told us to be hungry," said Burke. "We wanted it really bad."

Only a yeoman effort by Hicks and sweeper Tina Patrick kept the game from getting out of hand. Hicks stopped Burke twice at point-blank range and later stopped a breakaway by Christine Schumacher that would have given the Whips an insurance goal.

Meanwhile, Hampshire keeper Alexa Heinrich had a relatively uneventful day, stopping just 1 shot in each half.