EVANSVILLE — The Southern Indiana Athletic Conference will once again be represented at the soccer state championship.
No. 1 Memorial defeated No. 5 Bishop Chatard 2-0 in the Class 2A girls semistate at Bundrant Stadium. The Tigers were the only area team to advance to the state finals with three others having their season end on Saturday.
It will be the seventh straight season the SIAC sends a team to the final weekend. Memorial (21-0-1) plays No. 7 Leo in the 2A title game on Friday at 7:15 p.m. CT at Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis. The Tigers are the defending state champions.
Here are takeaways from the three semistate games at North High School.
Memorial girls have a chance to defend their state title
The ball bounced freely in front of the net. The only hope for Memorial was their goalkeeper.
Emma Teague already saved the shot, a diving stop to her right. But the freshman quickly recovered to corral the ball with a charging attacker just steps away. It might have been the only time Teague touched the ball in the second half.
Therein lies the hidden strength of this Memorial team. It has the firepower to outscore anyone, but you’re likely not scoring against them.
“They play as a unit,” said Memorial coach Angie Lensing. “They understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Emma, she plays like an upperclassman. They did a fantastic job of playing how we wanted them to.”
IHSAA football:Mater Dei still seeking consistency as it hopes to string together another postseason run
Memorial held Chatard off the scoreboard in its semistate victory. It was the 19th shutout of the season and the fifth of the postseason. Those are concrete facts yet also don’t tell the full story. The Tigers have allowed only four goals all season against a schedule rivaling anyone.
The last opponent to find the back of the net was Sacred Heart (Ky.) on September 3. That’s nearly two months of zeros on the scoreboard. Chatard has played Memorial twice in the past four weeks. Nothing.
It starts with a dynamic midfield capable of controlling the possession. If the ball makes its way into the final third, the Tigers have upperclassmen at each backline spot to complement a talented freshman in net.
“It takes heart,” said senior Emily Mattingly. “Togetherness, hard work, grit, communication. We didn’t know how (Chatard) would come out. We adjusted well.”
The Trojans were the stronger team in the first 10 minutes. Bri Buels gave the Tigers issues with her speed on the wing. Memorial played into a strong headwind and couldn’t shoot from range. It was still scoreless at halftime.
Memorial eventually proved its attack can’t be stopped for 80 minutes. Myla Browning cleaned up a loose ball in front with 35 minutes left after a strong push forward. Avarie Zeller headed a ball over the keeper with 6:30 to go. The Tigers have only been held in check once this season, a 0-0 tie against Guerin Catholic.
“We got one offensive push,” said Lensing. “Our momentum and attitude changed.”
The Tigers now carry a 33-match unbeaten streak into Carroll Stadium. They have an opportunity to complete a feat not even Lensing has accomplished in her 24 years: Back-to-back state championships.
“It’s staying mentally tough,” said Lensing. “The capability was always there. Could we do it was the question. They obviously did.”
Memorial boys fall short in a nail-biter
This season from Memorial was overwhelmingly a net positive even if the end result felt like a mixed bag.
The Tigers’ postseason run ended in the 2A semistate, a 2-1 loss to No. 3 Brebeuf Jesuit. It was a return to normal for one of the winningest programs in the state after losing in the sectional a year ago. The senior class, a group already part of two title-winning teams, was a major reason why the Tigers were one victory away from a trip to Indianapolis.
“They’ve had a fantastic career,” said Memorial coach Bill Vieth. “They have two state championships and earned those.”
The No. 2 Tigers dug too deep a hole against the Braves. They weren’t winning many 50-50 balls. It led to a pair of Brebeuf goals – Mateo Soria scored 11 minutes into the match and Julian Bell with 32 minutes remaining – and a two-goal deficit.
To its credit, Memorial played inspired in the final half. Kole Stratman headed in a Brady Wynn throw with 27 minutes remaining. The Tigers thought they tied it five minutes later following a long free kick by Stratman to Wynn. The latter was called offsides. Vieth didn’t have a good angle to refute it.
“We had a lot of opportunities but never ended up with clear chances to score,” he said. “That’s a regret for us.”
The silver lining from this game and postseason run is the future. Six starters return including most of the attack/midfield. The Tigers (15-4-2) also received contributions from several freshmen this year. That experience can’t be overlooked.
Memorial won’t have the opportunity to win a state title this fall. It might in the future.
“Our mix of younger guys really came on as the season went along,” said Vieth. “This is a big game for young players to play in. We’re happy with their progress. We’ll try to mold them into a really good team next year.”
Mater Dei girls shut out despite seniors moving the program forward
This senior class had no choice but to play at a high level for Mater Dei.
It arrived for the third of the Wildcats’ three state championships in 2019. Some of them were thrown into high-pressure minutes immediately. Then came back-to-back sectional losses after competing in Class 2A. But this class put the program back in the mode of competing for championships again. No. 1 Park Tudor defeated No. 4 Mater Dei 1-0 in the 1A semistate.
“Those seniors have put an impact on this program that no one can deny,” said Mater Dei coach Maura Hulme. “They put the program back on the map as far as this year goes. I wish I had more than one year with them.”
Paige Dill scored the only goal with 16 minutes left in the first half. The sophom*ore drilled a free kick from around 40 yards into the top of the net. The ball hit the crossbar and deflected off the fingers of Mater Dei goalkeeper Mia Venturini. An unfortunate bounce that happens to the best.
The Wildcats (14-8) had chances but couldn’t break down the Panthers’ defense. Mater Dei certainly tried in the second half. Those seniors, a class that went 11 deep on the roster, led the charge. That group accounted for five of the Wildcats’ top seven scorers.
Hulme saw the same effort and intensity she had seen all season in the semistate.
“The energy and fight we showed really describe this group as a whole,” said Hulme. “We didn’t find the back of the net, but I’m just proud of everything they showed. Really looking forward to the young ones to continue building this program in a positive way.”
Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on Twitter @kylesokeland.
