Chicagoland Soccer

Hilltoppers push OPRF to the limit in Glen Ellyn

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By Dave Miller

It isn’t everyday that a player can redeem herself immediately after missing a penalty kick.

Then again, how often do you see a goalkeeper take a penalty kick?

Such was Darcy Hargadon’s scenario for Oak Park and River Forest Tuesday at Glenbard West. After the teams went scoreless through overtime, Hargadon received the call to take her team’s first penalty kick in the shootout.

The senior goalkeeper’s shot missed when it bounced off the crossbar. Undaunted, Hargadon returned to her job of defending the goal. She stopped Glenbard West’s final two attempts before Emily Gullo scored on OPRF’s last one as the Huskies pulled out a 1-0 shootout victory in a West Suburban Conference Silver Division thriller at Memorial Field in Glen Ellyn.

“I felt horrible,” Hargadon said of missing her penalty kick. “I knew I had to make two saves because in a shootout the goalie should be expected to make at least one save, but since I missed my PK I had to make up for my miss -- and then make the save on top of that. I’m just happy it turned out all right.”

The shootout started promisingly for Glenbard West (5-8-4, 1-4). After the Hilltoppers won the coin flip, Molly Abromitis took the first kick and scored against Hargadon. Then Hargadon took the first kick for the Huskies (10-3-1, 4-1) and missed.

“I’m really good with them in practice,” Hargadon said. “I just choked.”

OPRF coach Paul Wright said his goalkeeper has been “golden” on penalty kicks in practice.

“She’s nailed every one in practice,” Wright said. “Every one has been spot on every time. But, hey, it’s the first time of getting up there in a game. You know, it happens.”

Next, Glenbard West’s Lauren Davis and Larken Henkel made their kicks, as did OPRF’s Sara McCall and Jessica Luttrell.

Then Hargadon stopped attempts by Glenbard West’s Kaitlin Moore and Haverly Snyder. The Huskies (10-3-1, 4-1) tied the shootout on Kate McCole’s kick and won it 4-3 on Emily Gullo’s score.

Gullo uncorked three shots in overtime. The first one traveled wide right, the second went wide left and the third, a header, was stopped by Glenbard West goalkeeper Anna Soane.

“It’s always frustrating when you’re working so hard for so long and you just can’t get that (ball) in the back of the net, but we won anyway,” Gullo said.

Glenbard West coach Maciek Kusmierz was happy to see his players push the Huskies to the limit.

“I think today the girls really stepped it up,” Kusmierz said. “That gave us a better performance, but it’s tough to lose a game like this against a tough team, especially when you play well throughout the whole game and then the two halves of overtime. The game could have gone either way so it’s a tough pill to swallow.”

While the Huskies were able to celebrate a victory on the bus ride back to Oak Park, the Hilltoppers walked off the field with their heads held high after an inspired effort against a quality club.

“I think overall we really picked it up as far as the team performance, especially defensively,” Kusmierz said. “Yes, we made a few mistakes and the other team created a few opportunities, but that’s just part of the game that sometimes you can’t avoid. You’re not perfect. But overall, taking a team seeded No. 2 in their sectional to overtime only to lose on PKs, I think the whole team deserves credit for today’s performance and effort.”

Glenbard West freshman defender Alyssa Cantore echoed the positivism after her team gave itself a chance to upset the Huskies.

“It’s a positive that we stepped up to play with them,” Glenbard West freshman defender Alyssa Cantore said. “Obviously they’re really good, and coming in we wanted to play and try to beat them. We played so well throughout the whole entire game so it’s frustrating to lose by one PK in the end, but it’s a positive for all of us to be that close to beating such a great team.”

OPRF had the majority of scoring chances, but the Hilltoppers had their opportunities, too. Perhaps the best one come in the first half when Davis was denied by a diving Hargadon. One of the Huskies’ prime chances came shortly after that. Lutrrell beat Soane to the ball on the left side, but her header bounced off the near post.

The Huskies turned up the pressure in the latter stages of the second half before unloading six shots in overtime. The Hilltoppers saw Moore make a couple nice passes in succession to Davis in front of the net in overtime, but the connections didn’t fully materialize.

“We did our best and the girls worked for each other,” Kusmierz said. “We were good enough to create those chances so I’m happy with that. We’re not forced to defend and hope to be lucky. We actually did manage to have a few opportunities. It just gives me more incentive to worked harder toward the playoff race.”

OPRF travels to Lyons Township Thursday with the opportunity to share the Silver crown with the Lions with a victory. “It’s at their place on grass so it’s a little different,” Wright said. “We’ve only had two other grass games this year. More than likely we’re going to see them for the fifth time in a row in a sectional final so that’ll give us an idea how we measure up and how we can attack.”

The Huskies have won five in a row.

“We’re on a roll right now,” Gullo said. “Go Oak Park!”