Girls Soccer: Wisconsin recruit Anya Gulbrandsen’s four goals carry Oswego East past Plainfield East into regional final

AURORA – Anya Gulbrandsen was knocked down once near the penalty box and clipped by the goalkeeper a second time.

Plainfield East put two players on the Oswego East star, including DePaul commit Kristen Schwartz.

None of it could keep Gulbrandsen from the goal.

Gulbrandsen, Oswego East’s junior midfielder and a Wisconsin commit, scored four goals, two in each half. That spectacular effort sent the sixth-seeded Wolves past 11th-seeded Plainfield East 5-1 in Tuesday’s Class 3A East Aurora Regional semifinal.

Gulbrandsen had a four-goal game already this season, but she was quick to note the earlier one was in a game “not nearly this important.”

She just as quickly dished out an assist for those four goals.

“Those goals, they were all tap-ins. Those are all great assists from my teammates. It’s ridiculous,” Gulbrandsen said. “That was one of the best games we’ve played all year. I’m so happy for our younger players. They played so good.”

Gulbrandsen last season led Oswego East (12-6-2) to its first regional title in program history with a team-leading 17 goals and 10 assists. A revamped roster has moved Gulbrandsen from outside midfielder to center, becoming the facilitator of the Wolves’ offense.

She is clearly, still, the axis that the Wolves revolve around. Speedy and a gifted goal scorer, Gulbrandsen now has 27 goals on the season in 17 games.

“She’s a special player. She’s fun to watch, she’s aggressive, she just has a knack for finding the back of the net,” Oswego East coach Juan Leal said. “The girls find their energy around her, and they continue to work because they want to emulate her. She just elevates everyone around her.”

“She’s a special player. She's fun to watch, she's aggressive, she just has a knack for finding the back of the net."

—  Juan Leal, Oswego East soccer coach

Gulbrandsen wasted no time Tuesday making her mark on the game.

In the fifth minute she rebounded a save from a shot by teammate Erika Smiley and knocked in the first goal of the game. Just past midway through the first half, Gulbrandsen slipped behind two defenders and tucked in her second score to make it 2-0.

“It was a close game the last time we played them,” Gulbrandsen said. “The first goal is really important, letting everyone know that we can do it. I can’t get behind those defenders unless the center mid is making those great passes.”

Oswego East won a 3-2 game against Plainfield East on May 2 during the conference season, but Leal noted the conditions for that one, like the outcome, was nothing like Tuesday.

“That day there was 30-mile-per-hour winds going in one direction. That was a difference-maker,” Leal said. “This game, with no wind, we got to play our game the way we play. We came out and shined today.”

Plainfield East (11-6-2) had a golden opportunity for an early strike go inches wide. Two minutes in, Schwartz’s 30-yard shot hit the far left post. The Bengals finally got on the board with 1:29 left in the half on a goal by Caroline Dinnon.

“We had a couple opportunities early on, had a little momentum. It was kind of unfortunate that it didn’t go our way,” Plainfield East coach Cosimo Patano said. “We tried, but Oswego East is tough. They do really well, they’re organized, they’re disciplined, and they have a special player.”

Indeed, Gulbrandsen made certain that Plainfield East’s goal for a 2-1 halftime score was short-lived momentum.

She split two defenders and knocked in a 25-yard shot in the third minute of the second half. With 28:06 left, Gulbrandsen got tangled up with the Bengals’ keeper, and converted the ensuing penalty kick.

“We tried to make sure we followed her, but we had a couple mistakes that she punished us for. She’s that kind of player,” Patano said. “You can’t let her get free, she finds the goal. We put two of our top players on her. I thought they did OK with her in spurts, but she’s very difficult. She probably had five chances and four goals. You have to give her credit.”

Kelly Lindsay scored Oswego East’s fifth goal, in the game’s final minutes.

The Wolves advance to play Naperville North, which ended Oswego East’s season last year in a 6-0 sectional semifinal.

How can the Wolves be more competitive?

“Eat well, rest well, go in with confidence,” Gulbrandsen said. “That is the most important thing is confidence.”