BLOOMINGTON - Mea Hook had a brace (two goals), while Kyle Peel and Ellie Neath also scored also scored as Edwardsville's girls soccer team advanced to the finals for the first time since 2004 with a 4-1 win over Tinley Park Andrew in the super-sectional/state quarterfinal match on Tuesday evening at Bloomington High School.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Tigers are in the last four of the state for the first time in Class 3A, and are now 17-3-1 on the season, having won nine straight matches. In their previous appearance, Edwardsville lost in the quarterfinals of Class AA, falling to Lake Zurich 3-1. Winnetka New Trier won the championship. defeating St. Charles North 2-1.
Hook struck first for Edwardsville after five minutes to put Edwardsville into the lead at 1-0. The Thunderbolts drew level in the 13th minute through Grace McGlynn, but in the 27th minute, Peel scored to give the Tigers the lead for good at 2-1.
Neath then made it 3-1 from point-blank range in the 35th from Hook and Peel to give Edwardsville the momentum going into halftime. Hook then got her brace in the 54th minute to give the Tigers the 4-1 win, putting them into the last four.
Genny Burroughs had three saves in goal for Edwardsville.
Andrew concludes its season at 18-6-2, while the Tigers move on to the state semifinals, where they will meet New Trier, who won the Dominican University super-sectional in River Forest over LaGrange Lyons 1-0, in the second semifinal Friday night at 7 p.m at North Central College in Naperville. The third and fourth place match will be played Saturday at 11:45 a.m., and the state final is set for 6:30 p.m.
In the other two super-sectional matches, at Barrington, Palatine William Fremd won over the host Broncos 1-0 after extra time, winning the penalty kick shootout 4-1, and at St. Charles North, the host North Stars defeated Naperville Central 2-1. The Vikings and North meet each other in the first semifinal at 5:30 p.m.
