St. Charles North Laney Stark (19) gets congratulated by teammates after she tied the game with 6.9 seconds left against St. Charles East on Saturday in the Class 3A sectional championship game at West Chicago.
David Toney/for Shaw Local
Timely goals and saves earned St. Charles North a victory over St. Charles East in Saturday's West Chicago Class 3A sectional championship.
The North Stars scored goals in the waning seconds of both regulation and the first extra period to continue the title contest.
With the score still knotted at 2-2 after the second overtime session, St. Charles North goalkeeper Kara Claussner's stops gave the North Stars a 3-1 advantage in the penalty kicks to finally secure the win and the sectional plaque.
St. Charles North (17-3-2) advances to Tuesday's Barrington supersectional and will battle the host school for a berth in the state tournament.
St. Charles East took 1-0 lead in the eighth minute of the match on Grace Williams' 29th goal of the season.
With 6.9 seconds left in regulation, North Stars striker Laney Stark scored to force the match into the first extra period. Saints goalkeeper Sidney Lazenby had just stopped a shot by North Star Lauren Balster and was trying to clear the ball when Stark corralled it.
"It came out and bounced a little bit," Stark said. "I took a touch and shot it in with my left foot."
St. Charles East regained the lead at the 2:59 mark of the first overtime session. Kara Machala's corner kick from the right side landed in a mob of players in front of the net. Teammate Tatum Smith got control of the ball and tapped it in.
The North Stars retied the match with 47 seconds left in the first extra session. Rian Spaulding got control of Balster's free kick from 40 yards out and put it into the net.
"It was just bouncing around the box, kind of like a pinball," said Spaulding. "I just knew I had to get in the back of the net."
"Our girls never, ever, ever gave up. I mean you're down one with 6.9 seconds to go and they made it happen," St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said. "St. Charles East had a nice goal (in the first overtime) and once again there's an opportunity to give up. They showed a lot of courage and kept grinding."
In the PK session, St. Charles North was successful on all three attempts. St. Charles East (24-4-0) scored on its first try. The Saints' second kick was stopped by Claussner and the third shot bounced off the cross bar. Claussner blocked St. Charles East's fourth kick to clinch the PK round for the North Stars.
"It was a game of marginal errors, where errors were punished for goals, and 2-2 was probably fair. I thought we played pretty well," said St. Charles East coach Vince DiNuzzo. "We gave them a game, the girls worked hard. It was an effort to be proud of."
St. Charles North Sophie Kreten (10) kicks the ball up the field while taking on St. Charles East on Saturday May 27th for the regional title game.
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St. Charles East Grace Williams, center, gets congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal in the first half of the sectional title game against St. Charles North on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Abigail Sims (3) gets defended by St. Charles East Taum Smith, left, and teammate Ella Stehman (11) on Saturday May 27th during the sectional title game held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Rian Spaulding (5) and St. Charles East Amanda Stepien (12) battle for the ball in the first half of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East Ella Stehman (11) and St. Charles North Rian Spaulding (5) battle for the ball in the first half of the sectional title game held on Saturday May 27th at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Lauren Balster (15) and St. Charles East Georggia Desario (13) trie to go up to head the ball in the first half of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Noreen Grier (6) heads the ball during the first half of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th while taking on St. Charles North held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East goal keeper Sidney Lazenby (1) saves the ball from going into the back of the net on Saturday May 27th during the sectional title game held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East student's section looks on during the start of the second half of the sectional title soccer game held at West Chicago Community High School while taking on St. Charles North.
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St. Charles North student's section looks on during the start of the second half of the sectional title soccer game held at West Chicago Community High School while taking on St. Charles North.
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St. Charles East goal keeper Sidney Lazenby (1) makes sure the ball doesn't go in during the start of the second half of the sectional title game Saturday May 27th while taking on St. Charles North at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East Amanda Stepien (12) ties to keep the ball away from St. Charles North Rian Spaulding (5) during the second half of the sectional title game Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Keira Kelly (8) tries to keep the ball away from St. Charles East Kara Machala (during the second half of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East Mia Raschke, left, and St. Charles East Kara Machala goes up to head the ball during the second half of the sectional title game held on Saturday May 27th at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Laney Stark (19) gets congratulated by teammates to tie the game at 1 a piece with 6.9 seconds left in the game while taking on St. Charles East during the sectional title game on May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East Taum Smith, left, gets the ball past St. Charles North goalkeeper Kara Claussner for a goal during the overtime portion of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East Taum Smith (19) celebrates after scoring a goal in the overtime portion of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th while taking on St. Charles North held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles East Taum Smith, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the overtime portion of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th while taking on St. Charles North held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Rian Spaulding, right, reacts with teammates after scoring a goal and tying the game 2-2 during the overtime portion of the sectional title game on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North goalkeeper Kara Claussner celebrates after making a save during the penalty kick portion of the sectional title overtime game held on Saturday May 27th at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North Isabella Najera, center, is all smiles as she holds the sectional title plaque while being surrounded by teammates and the St. Charles North student section after winning the sectional title game in penalty kicks against St. Charles East on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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St. Charles North girls soccer team pose for a photo with the student section after receiving the sectional title plaque as they took the win over St. Charles North on Saturday May 27th held at West Chicago Community High School.
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