Girls soccer: St. Charles North continues mastery of Saints

History was not on St. Charles East's side as it met St. Charles North for the championship of the St. Charles Rose Augsburg Drach Soccer Invitational late on Saturday afternoon.

Looking to beat the North Stars for just the second time since 2005, the Saints took a lead midway through the first half, but the North Stars rallied to tie the game and then win it, 2-1, behind goals from its two biggest stars, Cece Wahlberg and Sami Rydberg.

"We came into this knowing it was a championship game and it was East," Wahlberg said. "It was a little difficult to let go of our nerves in the first half, but once we did and started to play our game, we started to connect a lot better."

Hannah Martin buried a shot in the 23rd minute to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. It was also the first time the North Stars have trailed this season and just the fourth goal they've surrendered this spring.

"Part of the reason we want to play hard games early on is to learn what we can take away from it," North Stars coach Brian Harks said. "This was an opportunity to start down a goal, but once we got that first goal we took a deep breath and hit the reset button and came out a little bit calmer."

Taking advantage of a foul against the Saints, the North Stars knotted the game at 1-1 in the 31st minute on Wahlberg's 25-yard free kick.

"It was just a moment when you have to clear your head and not get all worked up," Wahlberg said. "The ability to stay calm in that moment won us that goal, so I think it's more of a team effort and they were looking at me and saying I can do this, stay calm and do it."

The North Stars (6-0-1) took the lead for good in the 52nd minute when Alyssa Kraft was left open and dribbled ahead until dumping the ball to Rydberg who then provided the final punishment.

"I had one that was a lot like that in our last game," Rydberg said. "From the start I knew that it was going to be a tough game so I knew we needed to put our chances away. Once we went down by one, I knew it would be even more important so when I saw the shot, we had the wind, so I had to take it. It felt really good to get that one in."

Recognizing their backs were now against the wall, the Saints (9-2) pushed ahead furiously in pursuit of the equalizer, especially in the final 10 minutes. Elle McCaslin and Alondra Carranza were among those who had bids at it, but Sara Maleski was like a vacuum when called to duty in net for the North Stars.

"She came up big today for whenever we needed her," Harks said. "I think she is very confident and that's what you ask of your goalkeeper."

Round 1 might be over, but a rematch will return to Norris Stadium on April 23 in DuKane Conference action.

"We're happy with our group," Saints coach Vince DiNuzzo said. "We like where we're at and we're still learning and trying to get better. When you're packing up and the season is over we hope we're not the one walking off the field kind of depressed."