Plainfield North controls tempo in 1-0 regional semifinal win over Lockport

PLAINFIELD – Plainfield North’s offensive attack during its Class 3A regional semifinal match against Lockport on Wednesday yielded plenty of chances through the first 70 minutes but no goals.

The No. 8-seeded Tigers’ (10-3-2) aggressive play and passing caused plenty of headaches for the No. 9 Porters (11-5-1) defense from the start. Plainfield North set the quick pace which ultimately paid dividends later in the match, as it completed a 1-0 win to advance to Friday’s regional final.

“I thought we played really well in the first half coming at Lockport quick, moving the ball quick,” Plainfield North coach Katie Monterosso said. “Lockport’s a really good team. They’ve got some really good players, and I knew this was going to be a battle coming in.”

It was Plainfield North forward Tessa Fagerson who had a few chances in the first 10 minutes on a free run with the ball in which she was called offside. About a minute later, she tried to control a high ball right in front of the Lockport net but lost it out of bounds.

North midfielder Georgia Liapis also tried to get in on the action with several shots from outside of the box which were on target and made Lockport goalkeeper Bella Bozen work to get her nine saves.

The Tigers attack finally resulted in a clear chance when a rough tackle in the box on forward Jessica Gruben granted Plainfield North a penalty kick toward the end of the first half. But Gruben couldn’t convert, as her shot sailed over the net keeping the match scoreless going into halftime.

“I thought I was going to pass out,” Bozen said recalling the penalty kick from her goalkeeper position. “I was like ‘This is it. This is where it all goes downhill.’”

But when the ball went over her head harmlessly out of bounds, she credited the “soccer gods” for giving her some help.

Bozen and the Porters needed more help throughout the second half, as Plainfield North’s offense continued to produce shots and chances.

Still, Lockport was able to get some chances of its own with runs from junior forward Karolina Stasik and others. But the North defense was up to the challenge with Marissa Richmond and Sophie Adzia making quick tackles left and right to halt several Lockport possessions.

On the rare occasion Lockport did manage to get past the North defensive line, sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Bukowski helped maintain the Tigers clean sheet.

“I know I can rely on [my defenders] when I’m in the goal,” Bukowski said.

As the minutes ticked away, North’s offensive persistence finally paid off when sophomore midfielder Alex Tetteh’s pass across the box was mishandled by the Lockport keeper. Senior forward Allie Kroll was there to score the loose ball for the 1-0 lead with a little over eight minutes left.

“I just ran through and slipped it in,” Kroll said.

Monterosso said the Tigers are “for sure going to be working on some finishing” going into the regional final match Friday at Naperville Central, which beat Bolingbrook, 3-0, on Wednesday.

Still, she lauded her team’s play and said “they’re hungry.”

“They want to prove to everybody that we should be a top team,” Monterosso said.