Girls soccer: Wagner keys IC Catholic Prep victory

Abi Wagner's speed cannot be contained.

The IC Catholic Prep junior demonstrated that Friday night, burning Guerin's defense for one goal and setting up another in the Knights' 2-0 victory in the Class 1A ICCP regional final at Elmhurst College.

Wagner gave the Knights the lead with 26:50 left in the first half when she made a nice cutback move to elude a defender 30 yards from the goal, then raced up the middle and beat Guerin goalkeeper Mia Cianci with an 18-yard shot.

Cianci kept the Gators (6-17) in the game by making 8 of her 9 saves in the first half. Then Wagner sprung free at midfield off a pass from senior Olivia Wagner and sprinted toward the goal.

When Cianci came out to cut down the angle, Wagner touched the ball around her and was about to score on the open net when she was fouled and hit the ground hard. Wagner left the game with an injury.

Hurt blasted the ensuing penalty kick into the net at the 27:23 mark of the second half.

"That was the point - I was trying to cut away from contact," Wagner said. "I'm not going to lie. I felt like I got hit by a truck."

Wagner did not return to the game but declared herself fit except for a sore back. She expects to be ready when ICCP hosts Francis Parker on Wednesday in a sectional semifinal.

The Knights (13-7) will take a six-game winning streak into that match, their sixth sectional appearance in the past seven years. They've done it despite a rash of injuries, including season-ending injuries to key players Annie Guinan and Bella Leslie.

"It feels really good that we pushed through," Wagner said. "We don't really know what to expect anymore, so this is really good for us.

"Our regional wasn't the best, so the confidence going into it - because we've seen Guerin before - was good."

ICCP coach Antonio Godinez, whose team defeated Guerin 5-2 in the regular season, has been delighted with the resilience of his team.

"We talked about injuries earlier, but we talked about working with what we have and playing our best and not making any excuses," Godinez said. "These girls have faced that adversity throughout the whole season.

"We have four freshmen starting for us and they've adapted really well and they've given everything they have on the field for us. It's a credit to the younger girls."