Warriors continue streak, but lose Rodriguez

Teammates congratulate Waubonsie Valley's Rachel Bostick (second from left) after she scored the winning goal during Waubonsie's 1-0 win against Maine South.
(Heather Eidson/Beacon News)

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Sitting idle for the first time in two years, Bri Rodriguez could only prop her head up on her hands at the start of the first half, hoping her teammates would at least give her the chance to play again this season.

Vanessa DiBernardo and Rachel Bostick made it happen, as DiBernardo assisted on a Bostick header in the 51st minute of Waubonsie Valley's 1-0 Class AA quarterfinal victory against Maine South at North Central College in Naperville. The defending champion Warriors (24-0-1) stretched their unbeaten streak to 56 consecutive games.

"I haven't really scored one like that in awhile, so I was hoping for one to come this game," Bostick said. "I could have had more headers but I don't always get my body in the right place at the right time. They did play good defense and they did hold us in and I applaud them for that."

Rodriguez, a junior midfielder, injured her left knee in the 25th minute of the first half as she went to retrieve a ball that rolled out of bounds. Without contact, she crumpled to the turf. After several minutes of the Waubonsie athletic trainer examining her left knee, performing some stretching and footwork drills, she jogged back to the Warriors bench.

She returned in the 30th minute and attempted a corner kick to Bostick, who missed the header. Three minutes later, she attempted another corner kick but fell to the ground once again.

"It was fine and then I really don't know what happened," said Rodriguez, who added she had swelling in the back of her knee. "I think it's when I (extend) it really straight. When it's bent, it doesn't really hurt."

This time, she was done for the rest of the match.

Maine South (20-3-4) could not take advantage however, with their best chance to tie the match coming in the 72nd minute when Anna Del Medico fired a shot on goal that hit the crossbar. The rebound was immediately returned, but Warriors goalkeeper Claire Hanold made her third save to preserve the lead.

"I thought that we would be able to control the midfield a little better, and we did, but I didn't want her to get hurt," Hawks forward Jenna Shemky said. "It was an opportunity for us, but we didn't really take advantage of it like we should have."

After the contest, Rodriguez said she was going to have the knee examined and was not sure if she would be available to play Saturday.

"We'll see," she said. "If they say 'It's your call' then I'll be playing."