Umlauf leads Lakes; Grayslake Central rolls
One toe poke from Sarina Umlauf set the Eagles soaring.
Again.
Sixth-seeded Lakes shut out No. 11 Resurrection 3-0 in a Class 2A Grayslake Central regional semifinal on Wednesday night.
It was a case of playoff history repeating itself: Umlauf scored a game-winning goal in a sectional final two years ago as a sophomore.
And Umlauf converted both game-winners with her left foot.
The Eagles got their first goal in the 25th minute as Umlauf scored off a Simpson corner kick.
“I’m always set up near-post and just happened to be there,” said Umlauf, who scored her second goal of the season. “I just tapped it in with my left foot and it was a toe ball. Actually, I’m right footed.”
Third-seed host Grayslake Central rolled past No. 14 CICS Northtown 7-0 in the other semifinal.
Umlauf, Nicole D’Ambrose and Megan Soderlund each scored for the Eagles (9-9-1), and Haley Simpson and Maya Schmitt added assists.
Lakes will meet Grayslake Central (10-5-2) in the regional championship round at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Lakes increased it lead to 2-0 over Resurrection (7-12-2) in the 53rd minute. Simpson sent a cross into the penalty area, and Bandits keeper Elisa Simi (12 saves) got a leg on the ball. But D’Ambrose corraled the loose ball for a goal.
Soderlund added the other Eagles goal off Schmitt’s assist in the 70th minute.
“It was good to get the regional victory,” Lakes coach Kevin Kullby said. “I was a little worried. I figured that we would posses the ball fairly well and create some chances. But we haven’t had much luck on the turf this year.”
Ÿ Grayslake Central all season scored no more than three goals in a game, but came out with a 7-goal effort all in the first half against CICS Northtown (7-5-2).
“It’s always nice to score some goals, relax and play some good soccer,” Grayslake Central coach Mike McCaulou said. “In a game like that you’ve got to work on the small things and select the details.
“It was a real nice performance by our team, and I’m just happy that we could manufacture goals. It should build some confidence for us.”
Rams were led by Mikala Wollmuth with 2 goals, Lauren Spalding netted a goal and an assist. Savannah Mudd, Maggie Wehde, Jennifer Biondo and Kayley Larson each added goals. Erin Boban also picked up an assist.
Grayslake Central was lacking some scoring over its final two-regular season games and it all changed on Wednesday.
“What’s been missing has been any of the forwards that has the ball aren’t taking the chances,” said Wollmuth, who now has 5 goals. “We’ve just been unlucky and we just haven’t had the mentality to go out there and score.
“It was great to finally get some goals into the back of the net and it should help further into the regionals.”