Girls Soccer Sectional: Lockport falls to Naperville North
By Chris Walker For Sun-Times Media May 25, 2012 11:36PM
Lockport goalkeeper Cortney Jerzy makes a save during the first half against Naperville North on Friday night. She was later injured and left the stadium in an ambulance. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: July 3, 2012 10:01AM
Zoe Swift scored early in the second half and Sarah Feder added an insurance goal with just under 10 minutes remaining Friday to lift Naperville North to a 2-0 victory over Lockport in the Class 3A Naperville North Sectional title game.
Swift utilized her speed to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead, running down the left sideline to catch up to the ball and putting a shot past Lockport backup goalkeeper Alyssa DeYoung with 34:29 remaining.
DeYoung replaced starting keeper Cortney Jerzy, who was involved in a collision at the end of the first half and was taken away on a stretcher midway through the second half.
“In the playoffs, anything can happen so you have to take advantage of any opportunity,” Swift said. “We had a lot more opportunities that we could have finished, which was frustrating, but we got two in.”
Lockport (18-8) was thrown into the difficult position of trying to play the final 40 minutes while worried about the health of Jerzy.
“Honestly, I’m not worried with the loss, but our thoughts are with Jerzy right now,” Lockport coach Todd Elkei said. “Even though we were still playing, I’m sure it was in the back of their minds because she’s been so instrumental in our playoff run.”
There were no worries for Naperville North goalkeeper Allison Hitchcock, who was inactive for most of the evening. The Huskies dominated the midfield and allowed few scoring chances.
“Our midfielders worked very hard for us today and they made it less stressful on the defense,” Swift said. “They’ve kept us in games all season and then all we have to do is convert while they hold the fort.”
Feder sealed the victory when she scored off a Christa Szalach header with 9:46 remaining.
“I kept stressing to them that if you put yourself in position enough times I know you’ll finish,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “We needed that first one from Zoe, and then I can’t say enough about Sarah coming off the bench to make a run and get the second one.”
