Dickson, Grayslake Central win marathon

Kat Dickson was sopping wet and cold, but she was standing pat along with the rest of the Grayslake Central girls soccer team.

Dickson made 2 outstanding saves — 12 total — in extra kicks of a shootout Friday night, helping the Rams get past Cary-Grove 1-0. Grayslake Central prevailed 7-6 in 8 rounds of kicks in the Fox Valley Conference match.

“After standing out there for a 100 minutes of soccer and kicks, it’s good to come out with a win,” said Dickson, who has 8 shutouts in 9 games and has allowed only 3 goals.

“It’s a really good feeling and a big win for us.”

The game featured a wind-driven downpour during the second half and overtime.

Forward Korey Kronforst created several good scoring opportunities for Cary-Grove, but Dickson stopped three of her shots. Jackie Holtz of the Trojans unleashed a 25-yard shot late in the second OT that Dickson punched away.

The match stayed tied through the first set of 5 kicks and the sixth round, as well, as each team converted its kicks.

Dickson dove to her right and snared the next one off the leg of Cary-Grove’s Lauren Harte.

But the Trojans keeper Krystal Felderman (6 saves) answered the call and pushed a shot away from the Rams’ Caitland Nance.

In the next round, Dickson denied Brittany Loehner with another dive to her right.

“I wasn’t trying to stress it out too much,” Dickson said, “because the pressure isn’t on the goalie. I wasn’t expected to save it. I wasn’t nervous. I stayed calm. I just tried to use the techniques I learned in practice.”

Alex Wilson made her shot count for the game-winning kick, placing it low and to the right corner.

“The whole thing is on you and there’s a lot of pressure with everybody watching you,” Wilson said. “It was my first time to do it. Coach had confidence in me to do it. They teach us to be calm, pick a spot and go with it.”

Grayslake Central (8-1, 4-1) had not beaten Cary Grove (7-6, 4-2) in more than nine years.

“It’s a huge win, and to get a shutout over Cary-Grove is impressive,” Grayslake Central coach Mike McCaulou said. “No one likes to win in kicks. It’s a tough way to decide the game at the end of the day.

“Under these conditions, both teams played hard and did quite well. Defensively, we played outstanding like we have all year.”

Cary-Grove created a number of chances. Losing in kicks didn’t sit well with Trojans coach Raymond Krystal.

“We just needed to place the ball in the goal,” Krystal said.

“It came down to executing and finishing our chances.”