By Dominic Scianna

Lane Tech’s Alyssa LoVerde stood arm in arm with her teammates, head coach Sean Harkness and his assistants, as they all watched the fateful rounds of penalty kicks to determine a winner in their Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 3A state supersectional girls high school soccer contest on June 3 against York High School.

The senior, who has been a key contributor to the team’s success all season, was out for this game having accrued a red card in the Champions’ win over New Trier 2-1 on Saturday, May 31. Red cards require a player to sit out the team’s next game.

“Alyssa was very anxious that it could be her last game if we were to lose,” junior Jackson Caffey said. “But our team wasn’t going to let that happen.”

A win for Lane would catapult them to the Final Four of the IHSA championships and a chance to play this weekend for a state crown.  But the Dukes (12-6-4) presented a stern test having taken the scoreless game into two extra 10-minute overtime sessions, and now the pain-staking penalty kick format would play out before fans on their feet from both schools at Dominican University in River Forest.

With the teams tied with two successful penalty kicks apiece, Lane’s Jessica Carlson stood at the penalty kick line, victory placed squarely on her foot, facing off against York senior goalkeeper Ava Lewandowski with the game on the line.

Carlson delivered, as she has all season long for this team of destiny, with a goal to push Lane past York 3-2 in penalty kicks. 

The Champions (22-2-2) continue on their historic playoff run, having advanced further than any other Chicago Public League girls soccer team had in the league’s history.

“We’ve been there so many times before this,” said Carlson, walking off the field in a hurry as she headed back to the city for Lane’s high school graduation ceremony. 

“There’s not a ton of pressure on us and makes us so comfortable in PK’s…that’s why we’ve been so good.”

As the seniors scurried to their cars with their families for the cap and gown event, the juniors pitched in with words of praise for a team that has developed a bond and singular focus on winning a state title for their senior mentors this season.

“I started with all of these girls as a freshman, and now they’re leaving and I want to have a chance to take it all with them and make their last year the most amazing one yet,” said Caffey, talking about the opportunity to play for an IHSA state title.

Both squads had multiple opportunities in regulation and overtime, but the defenses for both teams were stellar, keeping the game scoreless heading to PK’s. 

York goalkeeper Lewandowski was outstanding in defeat and Dukes captain, forward Cate Carter, also had several offensive shots thwarted by Lane’s stalwart goalie Cynthia Waller, who was equally up to the challenge making two remarkable saves in regulation. Plus, the Champions’ rock-solid defense led by seniors Olivia Field and Olive Tinucci and sophomore Lila Massey, kept the game even throughout the contest. 

“In practice, we worked on marking your player and staying really tight on defense especially since York’s game style likes to play a lot of long balls (with their offensive attacks),” said Massey. 

But in the penalty kick drama, it was Waller, a Sacramento State commit, who was the difference maker, rising to the occasion with two diving saves, setting up Carlson for the game-winning opportunity. In addition to Carlson’s game-winner, Tinucci and senior forward Grace Carman also converted their penalty kick chances.

“When it was 0-0 at half, I told the girls this is nothing new because our last two games had been tied at halftime,” said Harkness. “It’s the trust I have in these girls, and that we’ve done it before and have practiced penalty kicks a ton all year. And we’ve got Cynthia back there in goal. She’s been amazing, as has this incredible senior group. I love them and can’t say enough good things about them.”

Massey put into perspective what this historical run has been like with every win this season.

“It’s so exciting for us and it will be a lot of fun going through this for the first time at the state championships,” said an excited Massey.

And Lane gets Alyssa LoVerde back in the starting lineup as the Champions take center stage on Friday, June 6, at North Central College in Naperville with a date against Naperville North. 

A victory and they are on to the title game on June 7. If the team falters they still can salvage a third-place finish. O’Fallon and Barrington High Schools are the two other semi-finalists.

Photos by Claudia Lubeley, Lane Freshman (IG: @claudia_lubeley_media )