Fremd Soccer Hits Granite Wall in Semi-Final

An early goal was all it took for the Granite City Warriors women’s soccer team to advance to the State Finals over Fremd on a steamy afternoon at Naperville Central.

The Warriors came out on the attack, catching the Fremd girls, many of whom had changed out of prom dresses just hours before, on their heels. An early corner had Fremd on the defensive, and the effort paid off when Senior forward Ashley Deckard floated a goal over Fremd keeper, Shannon Norris’s, head.

“I thought we looked focused in the weight room before the game,” Fremd coach, Steve Keller, said. “But clearly we just didn’t have our game tonight.”

The Fremd girls struggled all night on offense, watching as shot after shot was deflected during a phenomenal performance from the Warrior’s keeper Halley Robertson.

Robertson had 108 saves during the season, and kept up the work, deflecting a rocket in the 13th minute and surviving a Viking bombardment as repeated shots and a scramble in the eighteen yard box eventually lead to another Fremd disappointment.

“Granite did what they needed to do tonight,” Keller said. “They got that goal. We didn’t. That’s all. I really didn’t think this would be the outcome tonight. That keeper played a really great game.”

The second half was more of the same for the Vikings who, while controlling play in the first half, tired in the afternoon heat and, once again, found themselves under attack.

During the 20th minute, a scramble in the Viking box lead to a rocket that deflected off the post.

Struggling to get the equalizer, the Vikings couldn’t penetrate the Warriors defense as the Warriors continuously cleared the ball down field to kill the clock and keep their 1-0 lead.

The Granite City Warriors will play Naperville North for the State title tomorrow at 7 p.m. Fremd will play for third place versus the Conant Cougars at 5 p.m. in Naperville.