Girls Soccer: Neuqua Rolls To Sectional Title Match

AURORA – The first time rivals and met on the pitch this spring, Neuqua briefly found itself trailing, before rallying for the win.

In Tuesday’s second meeting in the Class 3A Waubonsie Valley Sectional semifinals, the Wildcats left nothing to doubt.

Neuqua pounded Waubonsie, 5-1, to advance to Friday’s sectional title game at 6:30 p.m. against Naperville North. North was a 1-0 winner over Naperville Central.

“We talked about last time (a 2-1 win),” Neuqua coach Joe Moreau said. “We just had to play our game, and play smart, and we did. Five goals against Waubonsie is unheard of. They’re such a good defensive team. They’re such a talented team.”

At the 33:24 mark of the first half, Neuqua (24-0) made sure it wouldn’t trail this time around. Waubonsie (17-6) headed out a corner kick, but Hope D’Addario was there to put in a remarkable shot from the left corner of the box, 23 yards out, to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

“It was a bomb,” Neuqua senior Megan Oyster said. “She has a great shot. We know she can do that, and she did it again.”

It was Oyster that scored the goal that may have put the game away. After Neuqua drew a foul in the box, Oyster stepped up and drilled a penalty kick with a mere 13 seconds left in the first half.

“It was an intense moment, and I just had to put it away,” Oyster said. “I feel like it was the start to our second half. They kind of got down and we started dominating and we took them out of their game right away.”

The Wildcats, still ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPNrise.com, kept attacking in the second half. Sophomore Zoey Goralski scored two goals to push the lead to 4-0. Freshman Olivia Schmitt added the final goal.

“We talked at halftime about playing our game,” Goralski said. “We knew they could catch up to us. We definitely finished. We definitely played very well today, but we just have to keep going and we have to keep our foot on the pedal. It’s not done yet.”

Waubonsie junior Caroline Soyars scored the Warriors’ lone goal with 7 seconds left in the match.

Neuqua is hoping this is just another step toward the ultimate goal, winning its first state title since 2005. Add in Waubonsie’s three titles in the past four years, and the Wildcats will be looking to give the Indian Prairie district five of the past six state titles.

“We said we took the torch from them,” Oyster said. “It means a lot. We put it out on the field today and we’re really proud of what we did. We want it so bad and every one counts, so you have to stay focused throughout the game.”