The U-High Maroons have claimed the IHSA sectional title once again after defeating Kelly 8-0!

Wasting no time at all, the Maroons put the ball into the net in the first 40 seconds of play, only to have it called offsides. This didn’t stop U-High as they proceeded to move the ball elegantly out of the reach of the opposing Kelly Trojans. The first goal came only minutes later when Emily Kuo finessed one through a jumble of defenders to put the Maroons on the board. Emily continued her offensive efforts throughout the rest of the game, making tremendous cross field runs and creating near-goal opportunities on every corner kick. Kate Reott, in the middle of U-High’s relentlessly attacking offense scored quickly after. Gabbie Clark followed suit later in the half, whipping a shot into the side netting, bringing the halftime score to 3-0.

Wasting no time in getting the second half rolling, Iona Hall scored mere minutes after the start of play. Clearly not satisfied, Iona kept up her strong attack, putting another goal in slightly later. Gabbie responded by matching Iona’s second goal with a repeat of her own. Fraser Brown had U-High’s seventh, finishing off of a cross created by some beautiful combination play on the outside left. Kendall Pelander ended the game with a near unbelievable crossbar clanging volley goal.

This game, however, was a team effort and certainly cannot be attributed solely to the efforts of the scorers. Amelia Acosta had a fabulous game in the middle, receiving and distributing at a pace that kept the Trojans playing a huge game of catch up. Amy Solomon, playing off of combinations from near everyone on her side, kept the crosses flying into the box, creating countless opportunities for the Maroons. Ciara Zagaja wowed the crowd with displays of her speed as she flew past her defender with astonishing regularity. Keeping the intensity of the game at a high rate, Chrissy Delicata was the first person sprinting to every loose ball.

The defense simply did not give anything to the Trojans. Rachel Bishop really stepped up controlling the ball not only in the back, but also distributing from the midfield and sidelines. Defenders Lucy O’Keefe and Sasha Karapetrova were really the source of the Maroons’ spacing success. They pushed the ball wide and kept Kelly running with their field switches. Dorian Williams appeared, as always, for several critical clears. Julia Baird continued to impress, controlling and distributing the ball with some lovely through passes. Goalkeepers Alison Feder and Sara Sandmel didn’t have a lot to do, due to the defensive domination, but what they did do, they performed cleanly and in control.

The final score of 8-0 reflected the Maroons solid performance and ability to compete. This is the Maroons’ second consecutive sectional title.

The Maroons continue to super-sectionals on Monday against Downers Grove South. If any students are interested in taking a fan bus to watch, they should contact Mr. Ribbens.

Posted on May 23rd, 2008 by afeder2
Filed under: HS Girls Soccer