Hurricanes’ season ends with OT loss

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

HAMPSHIRE – Marian Central girls soccer coach Jose Arias wanted to shut down Freeport forward Julia Luecke.

The Hurricanes did just that for most of their IHSA Class 2A Hampshire Sectional semifinal Tuesday, playing Freeport to a scoreless draw in regulation. But four minutes into overtime, Luecke found a streaking Caitlin Green for a goal that gave the Pretzels a 1-0 win.

“I thought we controlled the game,” Arias said. “In the second half, the first 20 minutes they were pushing, but the last 20 we just couldn’t score. It came down to one mistake.”

With the attention on Luecke, Green was able to come up to the front of the net without a body on her. Luecke’s cross pass was right there, and Green was able to place the ball in the left lower corner to hit the back of the net.

The ’Canes outshot Freeport, 8-2, in the first half and looked to be in control. The defense of Tess Bottorf and Pierce Bailey was stifling the Pretzels attack, clearing quickly and taking shots. Bottorf nearly scored on a penalty kick that Freeport goalkeeper Becca Ursin prevented from going through her legs and into the goal. Lauren Grady had a breakaway chance, but her shot sailed to the left of the goal.

Ursin stopped everything that came her way, posting 10 saves.

“[Ursin] could get the high ones,” Grady said. “We were trying to get it low, but when we got excited we kicked it high.”

Grady had the best chance to score for the ’Canes (18-5-1) with 15 minutes left in the second half. She beat her defender to the ball to the left of the goal and tried to finish her breakaway by going high, but Ursin made the stop.

Grady, a sophomore, admitted that her nerves played a role in the game.

“I just got too excited when I got toward the goal,” Grady said. “I either overkicked it or kicked it around. I was just so excited because I really wanted to score – this is the farthest we’ve got since I’ve been [at Marian].”

Freeport went on the offensive to start the second half as the ’Canes struggled to clear their attack. After posting only two shots on goal in the first half, the
Pretzels put five shots on goal in the second half but got none past Marian goalkeeper Katie Przybysz. She finished with six saves.