Girls soccer: Wauconda nets special victory

The win was a bonus.

Wauconda's girls soccer team not only edged visiting Libertyville 1-0 in the PepsiCo Showdown pod final Thursday night, but the Bulldogs won for charity, raising money for Comer Music Therapy.

"It's a group that's very near and dear to our program," Wauconda coach Beau Shogren said. "Which was more important than a win or a loss today."

Wauconda (7-1-1) will next take on top-seeded Wheaton-Warrenville South in the bracket semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday at Olympic Park in Schaumburg. If the Bulldogs win, they will play in the final on Sunday.

Wauconda and Libertyville (4-3) were scoreless, as Libertyville keeper Kendall Edwards made 8 saves.

"We were dangerous in the first half and had the better of the play," Shogren said. "Their keeper made so many saves to keep them in it. Libertyville put us under a lot of pressure in the second half. We just came through to get one."

The winning goal happened in the 62nd minute, when Abigail McHugh took a chance at a 50/50 ball on the left side and won it. She then saw Megan Sinnott off to her right, near the top of the box. Sinnott made the run on the ball and found a touch off the outside of her foot into the back of the goal for her sixth goal this season.

"At the start, we wanted to play for a cause and that was the most important thing for our team," Sinnott said. "I knew (Edwards) was a great keeper. I knew I had to really compose myself, and I needed a really good shot to get it past her. She cuts off some really good angles. I knew what I had to do and wanted to finish it for my team. Our team worked really hard for it."

Bulldogs freshman keeper Mackenzie Arden earned her sixth clean sheet, making 7 stops. She got help from Olivia Kuch, Kayla Llewellyn, Sarah Rizzo, Madelyn Thompson and freshman Samira Khobdeh. The Bulldogs have allowed just 5 goals this season.

"Our defense was awesome back there," Shogren said. "It's been a few years with this group of players."