Boys soccer: Bartlett takes down West Chicago in OT

After nearly 100 minutes, 8 free kicks, 6 shots, a long free kick from the midfield that almost sailed in and a glancing header from point-blank that went astray, Bartlett midfielder Oliver Saile was due.

Maybe overdue-book due.

And so was Bartlett. It took the No. 6 Hawks until their 21st shot on goal with 7 minutes left in the second overtime to down No. 12 West Chicago 1-0 in a Class 3A Bartlett regional semifinal Tuesday night at a soggy Millennium Field in Streamwood.

Saile finally sank a free kick from 24 yards out inside the left post in the 93rd minute, which staved off a pesky Wildcats team and advanced Bartlett (13-7-2) to Saturday's 3 p.m. regional championship game against No. 3 St. Charles North, which downed No. 14 Rolling Meadows 4-0.

But was Saile really due?

"I think I was," said the senior. "It's what I practice every time. I stayed confident with the final shot and it went in."

"I could say he was due for that shot, but he creates a lot of these chances," said a relieved Hawks coach Vince Di Nuzzo. "You kind of got that feeling after the second half ended - I kind of had that feeling like nothing was going our way. I don't know what I was thinking."

But Di Nuzzo can think clearly now, as Saile's heroics capped a brilliant finish to a 100-minute affair that took too many twists and turns with 5 total cards - 4 yellows from Bartlett and 1 red from West Chicago - and a match that could've ended sooner had Saile's free kick off a red card with 1:18 left in regulation not been blocked by a wall of Wildcats, or if Joey Mirsky's tap been a second early at the end of regulation inside the left post.

So after 31 total shots - a 21-10 Bartlett advantage - why did it take so long for someone to cash in?

"We were applying good pressure, just couldn't find the back of the net," Saile said. "We were just trying to stay composed on the ball and do what we do best."

And that's where Bartlett's defense comes in. It's been decent all season and the Wildcats (8-9-6) were held to 4 shots on goal and 10 overall, with only 2 shots on in the first half. Defenders Mirsky and Josh White kept West Chicago out of the net.

"We approached this game like we couldn't let a goal in," White said, who had big clear along the left sideline with 26 minutes left in the second half. "Even though they had a man down (in overtime), they were going hard and we had to keep going harder the whole game and it ended up well for us."

Goalkeeper Jake Hasenstein provided 6 saves to add some padded cushion in the back, a defensive unit that was missing starting center back Josh Merkel (concussion), who should be in the lineup Saturday according to Di Nuzzo.

"Josh played out of his mind," Di Nuzzo said. "Joey stepped up in Josh's position and played outstanding. He's been so versatile playing outside back, holding mid, attacking mid, center back. He's done so much for us. Just stonewall today."

"I could not be more proud of this group of boys to come out here for 100 minutes and that's what we asked for," Wildcats coach Jose Villa said. "Just 100 percent effort, heart and desire, and they showed it. It's unfortunate you don't get the outcome that you want."