Girls soccer: Benet shuts out Crystal Lake Central, one step away from Class 2A state title

One goal had more than one meaning for Rania Fikri and Benet on Friday afternoon.

The Redwings' one goal this season was to return to the state championship match after losing in the Class 2A title last year. In order to do that, Benet knew it needed to score early against Crystal Lake Central in the Class 2A state semifinals at North Central College.

Fikri helped the Redwings execute their plan to perfection, scoring in the first six minutes en route to a 2-0 win to earn a chance at redemption.

"It means so much," Fikri said. "We worked so hard to get here, especially since we got here last year, we've had a target on our back. We fought for everything and just know that's our goal: to win state."

Benet (21-4) pushed up the pressure early with a shot on goal five minutes into the match before Fikri found herself with the ball about eight yards in front of the goal. She took her touch, tried to stay composed and prayed after she shot the ball.

The ball bounced off the left post and toed the goal line to hit the other post before it bounced toward the net. Fikri was confused at first, but once she realized Benet had a 1-0 lead with 34:04 left in the first half, she couldn't believe it.

"I was confused whether it actually went in, but it did," Fikri said. "It worked out."

That set the match up perfectly for how the Redwings wanted to play. Benet had 17 shutouts heading into Friday and the Redwings limited many of the Tigers' scoring chances. Central struggled to move the ball as the Benet backline kept pushing chances away.

"That first goal really changed the momentum of the game in the first half," Fikri said.

While the defense locked Central down, the Redwings offense kept firing. Benet added an insurance goal when Ivana Vukas scored on a fast break with 35:25 left in the match and the team finished with eight shots on goal with five corner kicks.

Central (18-4) finished the match with three shots on goal and four shots off goal with two corner kicks. The Tigers kept battling until the end, with a shot hitting the crossbar in the final minute, but Benet's defense proved to be too much as it earned another shutout.

"We knew coming in that they were a strong team defensively, a ton of shutouts, some really good center backs, a great keeper," Central coach Sarah Fack said. "They're just organized and tough. They want to be first to every ball and they're a really tough, well-organized backline."

Central will play De La Salle (17-4-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday at North Central for third place. The Tigers will earn their first state trophy after qualifying for the state finals for the first time in program history.

Fack said she thought the Tigers battled hard but giving up a goal in the first six minutes was too much to overcome. Now Central will need to quickly adjust as the Tigers try to close out the season on a winning note.

"That's a piece of that mental toughness," Fack said. "Can we get that intensity and fire for a third-place game after losing a game like this that could've brought you to the championship. It'll be tough in that regard, but I think they're ready."

Benet will play Glenwood (21-4-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday for the state championship.

While the Redwings have waited all year for this, Fikri and the team know they need to stay calm. If they do that, Benet will reach its one goal.

"It's just a game," Fikri said. "Even though it is the state game, we have to play our game."