Libertyville’s boys soccer team defeated Deerfield 1-0 in the Class 3A sectional final on Saturday.
Despite the pouring rain, the Cats clipped a victory, ultimately giving them a spot in the supersectional game. It has been five years since Libertyville has made it this far in the postseason; back in 2010, the team advanced all the way to the state championship.
The next match will be held at Barrington High School on Tuesday at 7 p.m., where the Cats will face Evanston, who beat them 1-0 in a hard-fought preseason game.
The unideal playing conditions did not stop Libertyville from having exceptional possession throughout the game. Numerous combinations came from the Cats midfielders Nate Edmunds, Tucker Goebeler, and Kevin Reilly, along with many shots from the rotating forwards.
It took until the 22nd minute of the 2nd half for senior Liam O’Connell to slip the game-winner by the Deerfield goalkeeper. The shot from far out picked up some speed due to the wet turf field. Following the goal, Libertyville became very defensive-minded for the remaining time in order to secure the sectional title.
The Warriors played very direct and brought lots of pressure to try and tie the game up, but goalkeeper Brant Kym, and the solid backline, kept a clean sheet throughout.
The Cats moved to 16-3-1, as they are still striving for the state championship. If they advance out of the supersectional, the state series will be held at Hoffman Estates Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7.
