Girls soccer: Grace Parks’ penalty kick lifts Sycamore past Morris, into I-8 title game

SYCAMORE – Grace Parks’ penalty kick ensured that Sycamore and Morris wouldn’t have to go to penalty kicks for a second time this season.

Parks’ shot got past Morris goalie Meggie Stuebiner in the 76th minute of an otherwise outstanding game for the junior keeper, leading the Spartans to a 2-1 win in an Interstate 8 Conference semifinal Wednesday.

“I was really nervous, but that’s why I practice them during practice,” Parks said. “I was pretty confident I could score, and I’m just happy it went in.”

When the teams met in the regular season the match went to penalty kicks with the Spartans (11-7) beating Morris (10-8-3) to ensure the No. 2 seed in the I-8 tournament.

It seemed to be heading into overtime again with the match tied at 1-all. Just before the penalty, the Spartans had two looks at the goal, but Stuebiner turned both away.

While clearing the ball, Morris was called for a penalty in the box, giving Parks the chance for the win with 4:48 left. She went low and to the right past a diving Stuebiner, and the Spartans held off Morris the rest of the way.

Buickley said Parks has been excellent on penalty kicks so far this season.

“That’s a difficult situation to be 1-1 with four minutes left,” Bickley said. “To be on an island at the penalty spot knowing you’ve got to make it to put us ahead, and she’s been a rock for us.”

Sycamore took the lead in the 12th minute when Cortni Kruizenga was last to touch the ball that went off a Morris defender for an own goal.

Morris tied the match in the 53rd minute on a one-timer up the right side from Ella McDonnel.

Morris coach David Valdiva said his team is battling sickness and injury, and that includes McDonnel who is dealing with a leg injury.

“She was trying to use her speed at the right time, and she did that when she scored that goal,” Valdiva said. “She’s one of our star players, and she really stepped up to tie the game up. For her to score that one from outside the box, that was beautiful.”

The Spartans were attacking the net throughout the game, but Stuebiner turned most everything away. After the equalizer, Kruizenga had a goal called off by an offsides penalty. She had a drive down the middle past the last defender, but Stuebiner dove for it despite Kruizega barrelling down on her.

“She was very composed when she received the ball,” Valdiva said. “We dropped the ball back, and I loved that she waited. She sucked in the players then she got rid of it. That’s just really good soccer.”

Now the Spartans get a rematch with Kaneland for the tournament title. Sycamore won last year, also as the No. 2 seed against the No. 1 Knights, winning in PKs.

The teams met April 28 with the Knights winning 3-0 in Sycamore. The rematch will be at noon Saturday in Rochelle.

“I’m really excited to try again,” Park said. “I don’t think we were proud of our play last time. So it’s good we have a rematch to show them what we’ve got this time.”

Bickley said the Spartans will have to finish their opportunities against the Knights. Against Morris, he said he felt they left some goals on the table, as was the case in the last meeting.

Even with the win last year against Kaneland, Sycamore hasn’t scored in regulation against the Knights since 2019.

“We’ve seen them, and they’re a tough team with a lot of weapons that are tough for us,” Bickley said. “We had to put ourselves in position to have that opportunity, and we got the job done Monday and today. Win or lose we put ourselves in a position to at least get a rematch at it.”