St. Charles Community College Women's Soccer advanced to the Region XVI Championship game for the fourth consecutive year and, for the third time in a row, walked away as the Region XVI champions.
SCC defeated Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods on Friday, Oct. 28, in a game that went into double-overtime and was settled on penalty kicks to advance to the region championship.
This was only the fourth game of the year that Sam Garvilla, SCC goalie, and the SCC defense allowed more than one goal. Maple Woods struck first on a 40-yard shot that was held up in the wind and slipped over Garvilla's head.
Ten minutes left in the first half, Ashley Malone, who was playing in her second game of the season due to an injury, grabbed her first assist of the year when Angela Maxvill refused to stop working and found the back of the net.
Two minutes later Maple Woods grabbed their second goal of the game, and SCC went into halftime trailing 2-1.
Ten minutes into the second half, SCC's Deja Lundberg played a strong ball into the middle. It went off Maple Woods' defender for a goal. After 90 minutes and two 10-minute golden-goal overtimes, the game came down to penalty kicks.
Lundberg, Lauren Schmickley and Kelli Jungewaelter nailed their first three shots. Maple Woods missed their first two, and Sam Garvilla saved the last one for the win.
For the championship, the Cougars then took on Metropolitan Community College-Blue River, who beat St. Louis to advance, on Oct. 29.
“After playing 120 minutes of soccer, our girls were beat. That is a lot of soccer to play, and then to turn around in less than 24 hours and play again is very tough,” said Josh Tyler, SCC Women's Soccer head coach. “As two-time defending champions, I knew Blue River was going to put together a game plan to knock us off.”
Blue River controlled most of the first half and was able to strike first 14 minutes into the game. After some halftime adjustments, SCC came out ready to play in the second half.
“Despite how tired and sore we were, we had to dig deep and play,” said Sydney Gentry, SCC captain. “We have worked too hard to come this far and quit.”
Shannon Rettig played a ball to Schmickley who grabbed her seventh goal of the year tying the game 1-1. Again, at the end of 90 minutes, SCC entered their seventh overtime of the year. After two, 10-minute overtimes, the Cougars went to penalty kicks for the second time in two days.
“We only go to PKs in post-season play, and we have never had PKs in the six years I have been at SCC,” said Tyler. “But it is something that we continue to work on. We took 30 or so PKs every day for the past two weeks, and it certainty paid off.”
Lundberg, Schmickley and Jungewaelter stepped up to the plate again and buried the first three shots. Blue River, who shot first, made their first, and then Garvilla made the next two saves, which won SCC their third straight Region XVI Championship.
“I was so proud of the girls! It is spectacular to take six PKs and make all six,” said Allen Cox, SCC assistant goalkeeper coach. “And for Garvilla to save three of them - that's huge!”
After the game, Tyler was awarded Region XVI Coach of the Year, also for the third year in a row.
“It is an award I accept on behalf of the coaching staff. Jason and Allen were instrumental in our success this year,” said Tyler. “A good head coach can't be successful without great coaches around him.”
SCC will travel to Parkland on Nov. 5 for the District D Championship game, with the winner advancing to the National Tournament. Only 12 teams in the country will advance to the National Tournament. SCC advanced in 2014 and finished ninth in the country.
St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit stchas.edu.
Awards and Stats:
First-Team All Region
Shannon Rettig
Miranda Clamors
Sydney Gentry
Second-Team All Region
Bre Colombo
Season Stat Leaders Goals:
Sydney Gentry: 11 (Lead Region XVI)
Lauren Schmickley: 7
Angela Maxvill, Deja Lundberg 5
Assists:
Deja Lundberg: 8 (Lead Region XVI)
Sydney Gentry: 6
Lauren Schmickley: 5
Saves:
Sam Garvilla: 6