Girls Soccer

Girls soccer: IC Catholic gets revenge, beats Richmond-Burton for state berth

Posted May 23, 2023 1:00 am

By Michal Dwojak Shaw Local News Network

Richmond-Burton's Raxhel Mendik (18) tracks down the ball during the IHSA Class 1A girls soccer super-sectional match between Richmond-Burton and IC Catholic at Concordia University in River Forest on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. By tony gadomski/For Shaw Media

IC Catholic didn't take long to earn the revenge it waited a year to get on Tuesday.

A year after losing 1-0 to Richmond-Burton in the Class 1A Concordia Supersectional, the Knights found themselves exactly where they wanted to be: Playing the Rockets for a chance to go to state.

IC Catholic scored in the first five minutes and played its trademark lockdown defense the rest of the way for a 2-0 win in the Class 1A Concordia Supersectional. The victory clinched its second trip to the state finals in program history.

"To be here, to pull off the win," Knights junior Allie Geiger said, "I think it's a real testament to how close we are as a team this year."

IC Catholic (14-2) knew that if it could capitalize on a scoring chance early, its defense would take care of business. Geiger got her chance in the fourth minute of play when Maura Grogan battled for the ball at midfield and fed the ball perfectly to a streaking Geiger, who scored to give her team a 1-0 lead with 36:17 left in the first half.

The goal felt extra sweet for Geiger, who was the team's goalkeeper in last season's supersectional loss.

Now, a year later, she scored the go-ahead goal of the match she waited so long to win.

"That for her was big," Knights coach Tony Gidinez said. "That's why she was hungry to get it."

R-B (18-5) averaged 5 goals a match and outscored its opponents 29-2 in four postseason matches, but the Rockets couldn't overcome giving up the opening goal.

They finished with four corner kicks and a strong scoring chance with 11 minutes left in the match, but the Knights' ability to take away the middle of the field by winning contested balls proved to be the difference.

"I would love the first five minutes back," R-B coach Casey DeCaluwe said. "We came out firing, got a shot on and then we conceded and went away from what we do. We let them play a kickball style game and struggled to possess off of it."

The Knights will play Alleman in the state semifinals at 5 p.m. Friday at North Central College in Naperville.

IC Catholic's Molly Ryan (23) kicks the ball down field during the IHSA Class 1A girls soccer super-sectional match between Richmond-Burton and IC Catholic at Concordia University in River Forest on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. By tony gadomski/For Shaw Media

Richmond-Burton's goalkeeper Taylor Labay just misses the save as IC Catholic Prep Allie Geiger scores during the IHSA Class 1A girls soccer super-sectional match between Richmond-Burton and IC Catholic at Concordia University in River Forest on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. By tony gadomski/For Shaw Media

IC Catholic's Allie Geiger (15) celebrates her goal during the IHSA Class 1A girls soccer super-sectional match between Richmond-Burton and IC Catholic at Concordia University in River Forest on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. By tony gadomski/For Shaw Media

IC Catholic celebrates Allie Geiger's goal during the IHSA Class 1A girls soccer super-sectional match between Richmond-Burton and IC Catholic at Concordia University in River Forest on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. By tony gadomski/For Shaw Media

Richmond-Burton's Blake Frericks (21) handles the ball during the IHSA Class 1A girls soccer super-sectional match between Richmond-Burton and IC Catholic at Concordia University in River Forest on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. By tony gadomski/For Shaw Media

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