Gators fall to Fillies on PK's in Pepsi Showdown quarterfinals

By Mike Garofola

Barrington beat Crystal Lake South 4-2 on penalties Thursday night on its home pitch to reach the quarterfinals of the Pepsi Showdown this Saturday, however, even in defeat, coach Brian Allen figures his club still came out a winner in the 1-0 match.

Senior keeper Liz Burzynski saved the low driving spot kick from Alison Agnes in the second round of PK's to help inspire three consecutive conversions from the Fillies (9-1-1) who closed out the Gators (7-4-0) for good when freshmen Kathryn Avedon drove home her attempt.

"You wouldn't walk away from the match saying it was a classic, but I can say that for the 100 minutes of soccer we played tonight, against one of the top teams in the area, we did exceptionally well, and I couldn't be prouder of the girls right now," offered Allen.

He had good reason to be pleased since his club did just about everything it could, except get into the back of the net, during a match which was still goal-less after a pair of 10-minute extra sessions.

"We showed that we could play with a lot of energy and intensity against a top-rated team tonight, and there isn't any reason for us to hang our heads after this one," offered senior Ashley Ross, who along with several of her mates turned in an impressive effort all night long.

"We didn't get the result that we wanted, but we gained a lot from this match, which will help us during our FVC schedule."

Without one of their best in the first-11, Karley Mecko (knee), the Gators would still be a menacing side to the favored homeside, with Ross, Ellen Brunner, Kali Loescher and Karli Schumaker providing plenty of one-way traffic towards the Fillies end.

"Obviously we miss not having (Mecko) out there, but the entire team picked-it up and we never seemed to miss a beat during regulation," Allen said.

Barrington was forced to defend far more than it wanted to, dropping an extra player or two from the midfield to help out, as the aforementioned quartet and strong wind allowed the Gators to spend the better part of the first 30 minutes in and around the Fillies' third.

"We pretty much just defended in that first half, because (South) just kept their attack going strong," said Barrington head coach Ryan Stengren, who rested four from his usual starting lineup following a 100-minute draw the night before against conference rival Fremd.

The Gators might have been at peak form at 20 minutes, when they initiated some of their best opportunities on the night.

Ross got loose and found Loescher who had a go from 15 yards, only to go high over the woodwork. Then it was Ross moments later who watched her shot get blocked by all-area defender Amy Johnson.

The visitors would remain the aggressor up until intermission, generating a freekick from Katie Burton that Burzynski would save, then ending with Ross firing a low drive from the right side which went just wide.

"We could have done a better job on winning the second ball, and didn't take full advantage of some extra space they gave us in the middle, but overall, it was a very good half of soccer for us," suggested Allen.

Gators keeper Elizabeth Quinn, who was strong all match-long, and especially confident coming off her line with authority, faced a handful of chances after intermission.

She took a diagonal cross away from the oncharging Caroline Conden at 56 minutes and another in the 74th minute when Catie Curran looked to have another step on the senior at the top of the box.

Quinn made perhaps her best stop on the night when she extended far to her right to turn away another Conden drive at the hour mark.

The Gator defense, which remained airtight for most of the night, still began to show signs of fatigue in the final 10 minutes of regulation, as the Fillies began to dominate the run of play as they searched for the go-ahead goal.

Burton, Kelsey Cosley, Lauren Perrine and senior Kelsey Taldone remained steadfast, as each were able to tackle pesky intruders, while clearing dangerous balls in and around the area.

"I thought we held up pretty well late in the match, and into overtime," said Taldone, who was marvelous all throughout as she man-marked the Fillies' top-scorer, Emily Hyde, tight enough as to not allow the junior to get a clear shot on frame against Quinn.

"We're all playing for (Mecko) right now, and the only motivation any of us would need," added Taldone of her fallen teammate.

Mecko will receive a MRI early next week on her injured knee.

The Gators withstood a furious Fillies side in the first extra period, then settled in to grab some of the run of play in the second 10-minute period.

It was 1-1 in shoot-out after Ross opened with her conversion and Johnson equalized.

However, after Molly Pfeiffer went wide with her attempt, Burzynski would step up to make her terrific stop on the Agnes spot-kick.

Alexa Rowe, Hyde and then Avedon, would provide the heroics to cancel out Loescher, whose conversion would draw the Gators close at 3-2.

"When I was a keeper, I couldn't wait to get into a shoot-out, but watching (one) is a lot tougher to do," smiled Allen, a former all-state keeper at Rolling Meadows.

"We left everything that we had out (there) tonight, and you really cannot ask for more from your team."

The Gators will finish up play at the Pepsi on Saturday at Olympic Park in Schaumburg with a match against Homewood-Flossmoor at 1:00 p.m.

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