Rosenboom PK clinches final for Herscher

Updated: May 27, 2011 10:08PM

Herscher’s Emily Rosenboom can’t recall how many penalty kicks she’s taken this season, but she does know she’s never missed.

That proved to be bad news for Willows when the Eagles were whistled for a handball in their own penalty area early in Friday’s Class 1A state semifinal at Naperville Central.

Rosenboom took the ensuing penalty kick and drilled it into the upper-right corner to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead at the 31:06 mark of the first half. The Olivet Nazarene recruit scored again nine minutes later and Herscher went on to a 2-0 victory to advance to its first state championship game.

‘‘I love PKs,’’ said Rosenboom, who has 17 goals this season. “I’m really surprised when I do get them, I never know what side the goalie is going to going but I tend to stay to my one side.’’

Willows goalie Monica Hinderer guessed correctly on the shot but still wasn’t able to stop the goal, which seemed to deflate the Eagles (16-4-2) who were making their first state semifinal debut.

‘‘The PK was definitely a bubble burster’’ Willows coach Amy McMahon said. “ I think we let our nerves get to us at the beginning and then I felt like once we got going a little bit, we got a little bit more confidence. But instead of playing to feet we tried playing to space and their goalie is really good off their line.’’

Sophmore goalie Loryn Bruer made three save to record the 16th shutout for Herscher (19-1-1). She also came out quickly to pickoff several dangerous longballs. Bruer said she gets nervous before every game but being staked to 2-0 lead eased her fears.

‘‘It definitely takes a lot of the pressure off but anything can happen,’’ Bruer said. ‘‘We have a great defense so most games I’m not going to have anything to worry about.’’

Rosenboom made sure Bruer had nothing to worry about when she knocked in a corner kick from Gabi Tobeck with 22:03 left in the first half capping a great start for the Tigers.

‘‘Our Coach [Alan High] always tells us the first ten minutes are the most important because that is what really shows a team that if you get on them right way then they kind of just shut down,’’ Rosenboom said. ‘‘So thats what we did we came out strong and got some good dead balls.’’

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