Troy Triad displays depth in 2A girls soccer supersectional victory over Chatham Glenwood
CHATHAM — Chatham Glenwood just couldn’t breach Troy Triad’s last line of defense.
The reigning Class 2A state champion Knights seemingly snuffed out every opportunity in a 2-0 supersectional victory over the host Titans at the Glenwood Athletic Complex on Tuesday.
Triad (23-1) will return to the state semifinals against Oak Park Fenwick at 11 a.m. on Friday in Naperville. Fenwick nicked Chicago De La Salle 1-0 on penalty kicks.
“I thought we had some unlucky touches toward the goal, but I’m really proud of our effort,” Glenwood senior forward Ainslie Wilson said. “Triad is just a great team and they capitalized on their effort. They did really well.”
'Total team effort'
Triad senior forward Breanna Baldwin Zurek nixed Glenwood’s early pressure with 27 minutes, 7 seconds left in the first half.
Zurek received a cross from teammate Macy Mell and rebounded her blocked shot attempt off Glenwood goal keeper Gigi Yurevich for the 1-0 advantage.
“That’s why you always keep someone there and you hope a rebound of sorts,” said Triad coach Matt Bettlach, who is vying for his third state title with the program, “and she was there to knock it in. It was a great goal for Breanna.”
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Avery Bohnenstiehl added the insurance goal with 14:09 remaining in the first half. She scored a header off Kinlee Lippert’s corner kick.
“Kinlee is our corner kick expert I guess you could say,” Bettlach said. “All year long she knows where to put it and we were very fortunate to be on the other end of it, so that was a great ball in and the girls attacked. It was great.”
Triad will continue its title defense despite missing a couple of starters due to injury: Gabbie Wood and Laney Harshany.
“It just goes to show the depth that we have on this team but also the grit,” Bettlach said. “The girls wanted to play for those two girls who can’t play on the field. Our girls have really stepped up since we lost the two key players and it’s a total team effort for us.
“Tonight was it, tonight was a total team effort.”
Close but no cigar
Wilson fed the ball to junior Savannah Bell inside the box but couldn't convert midway through the first half.
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Triad goal keeper Reagan Chigas also made a diving save against Ella Gorrie, who will next play at Indiana State, late in the first half. Chigas finished with four saves.
“Triad did a good job of keeping us out of the net,” Glenwood coach Jay Lipe said. “We had more than enough opportunities to come out of the first half 2-2. We didn’t defend a couple of set plays very well, which is uncharacteristic for us this year and they capitalized. But I thought we still created enough chances to be even at halftime.
“I was proud of the kids who came out in the second half. I think we gave up one shot in the second half to them. We pressured them and had multiple opportunities but couldn’t get that final touch or final pass.
“Can’t fault our kids’ efforts, and credit to Triad. Their goal keeper and defenders did a nice job tonight.”
Glenwood, which previously lost to Triad 2-0 in last year’s Urbana Supersectional, limited Triad to just four corner kicks while taking three itself. Both teams totaled four shots on goal apiece.
“It’s been a really good one with this team,” Wilson said of the season. “To experience ups and downs is a really important part of getting better at soccer. Although I’m sad our season had to come to an end, I’m glad it was with such an incredible team.”
Contact Bill Welt: (217) 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA girls soccer: Troy Triad withstands Chatham Glenwood pressure
