Regional play for girls soccer continues with three seeded Neuqua Valley taking the pitch in the Plainfield North regional final. The Wildcats are searching for their third plaque in five seasons, while the host Tigers come in as back-to-back defending regional champs that culminated in trips to the sectional final. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
The Wildcats get a corner kick from Allesandra Russo but Anna Jenks and the Tiger defense swarm into action and knock it away.
Neuqua Valley strikes first
Neuqua Valley seizes on another shot as Addison Gusky sends a through ball to Alaina Chandola. Her left-footed roller finds the right part of the net to give the blue and gold a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats hope for another goal until Sidney Powers for the Tigers runs and falls on the ball for the save.
The Tigers get a corner kick as Riley Grant places it where Madelyn Czarnik uses her head and connects for the equalizer to event things up at 1-1.
Selam Larbi hopes to put her squad back in front, but gets stuck in an opposing pile where Delaney Harwood clears it.
Tigers the other way with Llyana Barriball whose strike finds its home to give Plainfield North a 2-1 lead.
Safa Jeffery uses her head for the equalizer
The Cats don’t stop. Selma Larbri’s cross soars to Safa Jeffery who uses her head to tie the game at 2-2 as we head into halftime.
In the second half, Russo lines up for a free kick, but it sails out of reach.
Late in the game, Grier Isaacson takes the contact, so the Tigers get a penalty shot. Barriball lines up for the kick, bbut Liz Fried makes the game-saving stop to keep the game even at 2-2 at the end of regulation. It’s time for two ten-minute overtimes.
Corner kick for the Tigers. Grant sends it, but Quinn Sigal stops it after running into the danger but it works.
Selma Larbi helps Neuqua Valley to the IHSA girls soccer regional title
Still tied at two late in the second OT, that is until Chloe Orlow kicks it through to Russo, who crosses over to Selma Larbi, in the box and she scores. The Yale commit with the go-ahead goal to Neuqua Valley the lead back 3-2 with five minutes left.
The Tigers with one last chance off the corner. But Addison Gusky steps up and heads it away, and the Wildcats hold on from there. Neuqua Valley takes home the regional title with a 3-2 overtime win over Plainfield North. The Wildcats move on to the Naperville North sectional, where they’ll face the number two seed Naperville Central in the semifinals.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
