Girls soccer: St. Viator plays powerful Triad tough in state semifinal loss
An impressive 80-minute performance in the heat Friday afternoon helped send Class 2A state power Triad (23-0-1) into Saturday's state final following its 1-0 victory over St. Viator at Hildebrandt Field in Palatine.
The Knights will have a chance to win their third state title in program history when they take on Joliet Catholic Academy (16-1-1) at Hoffman Estates 4:15 p.m.
"We scouted (Triad) and knew what they had so we knew how important it was to play good team defense and maybe steal one along the way, we could have the chance to get out of here with a win," said St. Viator head coach Mike Taylor, whose club will go home with its sixth state trophy in program history and fourth overall for Taylor, who is stepping down after Saturday's third-place contest with St. Ignatius at 12:15 p.m. at Fremd.
"Our girls played very well defensively, but Triad is a very good team and sometimes you have to tip your hat to a team that is better than you, and they were today."
The Knights, who have conceded just 3 goals on the season while netting 106 thus far, showed why those statistics are so lopsided by recording 80% of the possession, as well as a very high pass completion percentage many times initiated by their back line, which was cool and calm on the ball at the point of attack.
Triad would reach its first state final since 2017 when the Knights won it all after dominating the first half and finally scoring just after the intermission against an organized defensive Lions (13-5-1) bunch that deployed a deeper centerback-sweeper Emma Ziebka, four in front of her, and two players stationed just in back of their midfield to force the Knights to fight through a sea of blue shirts when on the attack.
Laney Harshany unloaded a 30-yard unstoppable missile into the back of the net in the 45th minute and the 14th goal of the season by the sophomore would hold up the rest of the way.
"My girls played unbelievable. Triad controlled the run of play, and possession, but until they scored their goal, they didn't control the scoreboard," said Taylor.
"Lily (Collins did a great job but their goal wasn't her fault. The girl, No. 9 (Harshany), hit a 30-yard shot she could do nothing about."
The Lions would come alive in the final ten minutes, as they themselves threw numbers forward as they went in search of the equalizer with Caroline Sexton, and Emilie Doersching each creating a handful of free kicks and corners, with Doersching rattling the near post with her effort two minutes from time.