Girls soccer: Deerfield tops Latin in 2A supersectional

Deerfield's girls soccer team will be making its first trip to state this weekend.

Chloe Cappas scored late, and the Warriors endured a heavy downpour to get past stingy Chicago Latin 2-1 in the Class 2A Concordia University supersectional on Tuesday night.

Deerfield (21-6-1) will play Wheaton St. Francis in the state semifinals at 11 a.m. Friday at North Central College in Naperville.

"(Latin) gave us a great battle," Deerfield coach Rich Grady said. "I'm not super thrilled how we played. We can play much better. But what we say in the playoffs is, 'You have to survive and advance.' "

Latin (18-4-1) reached the Class 1A final last year, before moving up a class this year.

Cappas, a sophomore, has shown a knack recently for scoring key goals. She had two of them against Lake Forest in the sectional final last Friday night at Grayslake North.

Her game-winner against Latin happened in the 73rd minute. She dribbled the ball down the wing, beat a defender and placed a shot into the corner of the net.

"Coaches were telling me to take the player on and go down the line," Cappas said. "But I was cutting it in. I was going to pass it. I just saw the open net and went for it."

Deerfield took a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute when Erin Rosenzweig finished a loose ball in front. Latin netted the equalizer in the 61st minute. Natalie Pontikes was left unmarked in front and found the back of the net.

Deerfield keeper Sari Eisen made 8 saves, including a point-blank stop just before Cappas scored.

"We've had the goal of getting to state from the beginning of the season," Eisen said. "I think all the seniors knew we had the potential. Once we beat Lake Forest, we knew that we could do this."