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Neuqua turns back Benet’s upset bid
Updated: May 20, 2011 10:25PM
Late in the second half of Friday’s Neuqua Valley Class 3A Regional final, Wildcats forward Zoey Goralski was gassed, bent over trying to catch her breath from countless runs while trying to beat a staunch Benet defense.
Lucky for No. 1 Neuqua, the sophomore speedster had initially fresh legs coming out of halftime as Goralski weaved her way past four Redwings 42 seconds in and made a pass from the right side to teammate Noelle Leary in front of goal, who kicked in the game’s only score.
The 1-0 victory sends the Wildcats (23-0) to the Waubonsie Valley Sectional to play the host Warriors, a 2-1 winner over Downers Grove South.
“She did a lot of running today,” Neuqua coach Joe Moreau said. “She’s a pretty fit kid and even she got tired today. ... (Benet) was coming off sky high after the first half and rightfully so. We talked about getting an early goal and changing momentum.”
Something had to change for Neuqua, which got shots off in the first half, but Benet goalie Claire Munaretto was in position every time, making the right diving stop or punching balls out on set pieces.
“Claire was outstanding,” said Redwings coach Henry Wind after watching his keeper record 10 saves and blow up Neuqua scoring chances. “I think she’s one of the best goalies in the state, but that’s my opinion. Look at what she did, but she’s been this way all year.”
Benet appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute, but Brittany Pullen’s goal from 25 yards out was nullified after the ball played to her was ruled to have been out of bounds.
Ten minutes later, Goralski was called offsides on a would-be goal lofted over Munaretto.
The pressure was squarely on the Wildcats with the No. 8 seed Redwings (18-5-3) playing out of their minds.
“They played hard,” Moreau said about Benet. “First half, they controlled the midfield a little bit. It was a different story in the second half. Our inside-mids stepped up and all three played solid.”
Everything changed when Leary, who was wide open on the left side of the field when Goralski initially received the ball 10 yards from midfield, waited patiently and found a spot on the right side of the goal where Goralski could find her.
“It’s something Zoey and I like to do a lot,” Leary said. “She makes these really great slot balls in. ... I just made sure I was there and got it in. ... I thought she might play me earlier, but I’m actually glad she kept going because it would have been a harder shot for me to make farther out.”
Benet’s best chance to equalize didn’t come until just over four minutes left when Madie Burke’s 23-yard free kick from outside the left side of the box just missed sneaking in the upper right netting.
“We gave them everything they could handle and maybe a little bit more,” Wind said. “We had some chances. We made one mistake in the back a little bit and they took advantage. But the heart, the passion, the desire, the will — they didn’t back down from these girls and that’s why we’re so extremely proud of them.”
Neuqua knows it will have its hands full again with Waubonsie, as the two schools are constantly in each other’s way for postseason success.
“Year in and year out, conference, sectional,” Moreau said. “These girls are friends off the field, we’re friends with the coaches off the field, but it’s fun when you get them between the lines.”
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