Lemont holds off Glenwood to advance

Minutes after his team’s 1-0 win Friday over Chatham Glenwood in the state semifinals, Lemont coach Rick Prangen was understandably a little overwhelmed.

With the Indians’ victory at North Central College in Naperville, Lemont advances to the soccer program’s first berth in a state championship game.

“It’s a little numbing, and I don’t know if it’s really set in for them and me right now,” Prangen said. “It was a great accomplishment for our program today, our girls, and our senior class in particular. This is a special group of kids, and it’s that senior leadership that gets you through.”

Lemont (21-5) will play Wheaton Academy (21-3-2), a 5-2 winner over Sycamore in the other semifinal, for the 2A championship at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“(We’re) more excited than words can say,” forward Jasmin Nunez said. “We’re super-excited, and we’ve worked hard for this. We deserve to be there.”

The sophomore forward provided the game’s only score with 6:57 remaining in the first half.

Shelley Hadlock dribbled through the Glenwood defense in the box before passing to an open Nunez in front of the net. With Glenwood goalkeeper Cara Moody at the far post, Nunez took advantage and knocked the pass in to put Lemont up 1-0.

“It was a nice pass from Shelley, and I finished it,” Nunez said.

The late goal capped an aggressive half in which Lemont which kept the pressure on the Titans defense.

Hadlock had two early shots go just wide of the net and Megan Krull’s shot from 25 yards out slammed into the bottom of the crossbar, ricocheting straight down and bouncing away.

“It could have been 2-0 in that first half, but things didn’t go that way,” Prangen said. “To be fair, we had a couple more chances than they did, and created a bit more than (Glenwood).”

Playing a more defensive-minded game in the second half, Lemont maintained its lead thanks to the back line of Courtney Smalarz, Amy Skowronski and Elise Cody, and Erin Stahurski’s work in goal. The senior goalkeeper finished with four saves, including a jump stop on an Ali Traina shot and a diving save on an attempt from Erin Egolf.

“Mentally, all game, I’ve got to stay ready because I don’t touch the ball that much,” Stahurski said. “I was ready for them, and when they came at me I got it.”

For all the work defensively, Lemont received a scare with eight minutes to go when Glenwood’s Bree Gardner took a shot in the penalty area, rolling it past Stahurski into the net.

Thankfully for the Indians, officials blew their whistles before the shot, calling a hand ball violation against the Titans. Stahurski admitted to never even seeing the shot, but when the whistle sounded knew she was safe.

“A (Glenwood player) was in my way so I couldn’t even see what was going on,” Stahurski said. “She was shielding me, which is illegal, and I didn’t even know what the call was. I heard the whistle before it went in so I knew it wasn’t going to count. I was okay with it going in.”

Now the senior-laden Indians can turn their attention to today’s title game. Win or lose, it will be their last game together.

“I love this group of girls, and this group of seniors has played together since we were little,” Stahurski said. “It’s awesome for this to be our final game.”