Wildcats, Red Devils walk away pleased following match

By Matt Le Cren

It isn't often that both teams walk away happy following a match but that was the case after host Hinsdale Central beat West Chicago 3-1 on Saturday afternoon in Hinsdale.

The Red Devils were pleased because it looks like they have a capable replacement for star senior goalie Nicole D'Agostino, who was lost for the season after tearing the ACL in her right knee on Wednesday.

West Chicago, meanwhile, was thrilled at being able to take the defending Class 3A state champions down to the wire in a match that was closer than the final score indicated.

"I know none of us are sad about this game," West Chicago junior forward Megan Radloff said. "We're all happy about it, knowing that they're the state champs from last year, so if you can stick with the state champs, then who knows what you can do.

"I was surprised how well we played against them. It was better than I thought we were going to do."

Radloff scored her 11th goal of the season on a penalty kick at the 30:34 mark of the second half to tie the game 1-1.

The Wildcats (5-7-1) were outshot 18-3 but nevertheless had a chance to take the lead with 23:00 left when freshman Andie Lazzerini raced around the right end and crossed to fellow rookie Katie Becker in front.

Becker was open for a second with a clear view at the open left side of the net but Central defender Kate Shea stepped in and knocked the ball away before Becker could pull the trigger.

"All of a sudden I knew that I had two players and I'm like, 'Oh, no,'" Shea said. "So I just took the one closest to the ball and she kind of flicked it on to the next player and I just read the play and jumped in with my feet."

Speaking of jumping in, junior Katie Tarman had to do just that when D'Agostino, a University of Pittsburgh recruit, went down.

In her first start since then, Tarman made just one save, but it was a big one.

The Red Devils (6-3) had taken a 2-1 lead on an own goal with 17:14 to play when Mallory Feinstein's cross was knocked into the West Chicago net by a defender.

Feinstein increased the lead to 3-1 at the 6:12 mark when she headed home a cross from Eryka Hawkins, which loomed large when Radloff was dumped in the box with 2:22 left.

Radloff, who had beaten Tarman inside the right post with her first penalty kick, went to the left side with her second penalty shot but Tarman dove to make the stop.

"I messed that one up," Radloff said. "I switched my kick because I wasn't sure if I should kick it in the same spot or not, which I should have.

"[Scoring the first one] was nice. It would have been better to get both of them."

"I felt like I played pretty well," said Tarman, who had started just one other game this season and is recovering from a back injury.

"The first PK I tried to read it but it was really difficult to read and I kind of guessed wrong. The second one I tried to focus a little more and I actually read it right and ended up stopping it which was exciting."

The Red Devils, who struck first on Molly Gaffney's 25-yard free kick with 26:10 remaining in the first half, were excited with Tarman's play in the net.

"I think she did wonderful," Shea said. "Honestly, I can't tell the difference [between Tarman and D'Agostino]. Nicole is amazing and is a great leader, but Katie really stepped up when we needed her.

"It's a lot of responsibility but she's been fine. [Losing D'Agostino] was nerve-wracking at first but we knew what we had with Katie. We weren't worried."

Tarman's worries are eased by playing behind a strong back line that includes Shea and seniors Melissa Boduch, Tori Sims and Allison Roberson.

Excluding the penalty kicks, that quartet held the Wildcats to just one shot, a 20-yarder by Lazzerini in the first half that sailed high.

"I'm definitely nervous since I've been on the back burner for a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been expecting to play," Tarman said.

"I'm always expecting it and I'm definitely excited. I think I'm ready. I'm going to step up and try to do my best for the team."

While disappointed at losing D'Agostino, Hinsdale Central coach Skip Begley is comforted by having Tarman, who will be backed up by junior Allison Donnely.

"Katie played very well today, stopped a PK and handled everything else very well," Begley said. "We're very fortunate to have someone who's as capable as she. It's a good win."

For West Chicago coach Cesar Gomez, it was also a good result.

"I have a different score in my head," Gomez said. "We scored an own goal and missed a PK or it's a 2-2 tie.

"It's an honor to play them to start with. I know they are well-coached and they have good talent on the field.

"We matched them in a lot of places but in a lot of places they’re more athletic than we are. I love going into games like this as an underdog."

The Wildcats will be in the same boat in their next game when they host reigning Class 2A state champion Wheaton Academy on Wednesday. But they have a bona fide scoring threat in Radloff.

"It was good to watch her here because they only have one [defender] on her," Gomez said. "Every game [opponents] have three on her.

"She's the No. 1 player on our team so they figured it out real fast. We have a couple of freshmen who are playing on the right side, Katie Becker and Andie Lazzerini, who are doing a great job of relieving the pressure on her."

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