The girls soccer team lost their Sectional playoff against Fremd 2-0. The loss to the #1 seed was only the Wildcats’ fifth loss on the season.
Even though Fremd out-played the Wildcats for the first 70 minutes of the match, the Wildcats dominated in the last ten minutes of the match, almost mounting an improbable comeback.
The Wildcats, with their season coming closer and closer to an end, turned up the pressure from Fremd's goal on.
"We definitely did not give up," said senior defender Katie Swift. "We had the ball in their half most the time, but we have always had trouble scoring."
Junior forwards Sam Julian and freshman forward Syd Mudd led the attack late in the game, with Julian setting up Mudd on the near sideline with a nice pass around the 72nd minute, splitting Fremd's backline. Mudd, who is the lone freshman on the varsity team, was not be able to capitalize off of the pass, though.
Senior defender Valerie Van Royen also added to the offense, nearly netting a goal off a free kick right around the 74th minute. With virtually the entire team crowded in front of Fremd keeper Shannon Norris, Van Royen sent a howling shot through traffic toward the back of the net.
However, Norris managed to find the ball, making what seemed to be an impossible save to keep the shut out alive.
The late game heroics on the part of the Libertyville front line and Fremd's keeper were almost the opposite of what had been happening on the field for most of the game.
Fremd's front line kept pushing the Wildcats back by playing a more physical game, forcing Algozino to make three saves in the first half, including one late off of a Mottoten free kick that sailed over everyone but Algozino.
"Normally, we are the more physical team on the field," said senior midfielder Sarah Felgenhower. "This was the first game of the season we weren't."
Fremd forward Elise Kotstakis scored both of Fremd’s goals, including one off of a spectacular cross from Fremd midfielder Michelle Mottonen. Kotstakis managed to sneak the ball past the Wildcats' stingy back line and even stingier keeper, Natalie Algozino. Prior to the game, Algozino had only let up one goal in conference play.
The loss ended what was a successful season for the Wildcats, who finished second in conference behind Lake Zurich and also advanced to the single-elimination stage of the Pepsi Showdown in April.
The second place finish in conference and the good showing in the Pepsi Showdown were highlights of the season for the girls team, who finished 12-4-3 on the season. Only one of those four losses came from conference play.