Field Hockey Squad Returns To Final Four

It hasn't taken long for Evanston's field hocky program to catch up with the best in the state of Illinois.

The Wildkits advanced to the Final Four for the second time in school history by edging Glenbrook North 2-1 last Saturday in the championship game at the Antioch Sectional and will face defending state champ New Trier on Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Illinois High School Field Hockey Coaches Association state finals hosted by Glenbrook North High School.

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Loyola and Lake Forest will meet in the other semifinal game on Thursday. The third place and championship games will be played Saturday at GBN.

Goals by Lulu Carnahan and Amelie Kaulas in the first half proved just enough to keep Evanston's season alive as the Kits beat GBN for the first time in school history. Coach Annie Lesch's team will take a 16-6 record into the state semifinals, hoping to improve on the fourth place finish earned in the fall of 2023.

The Wildkits have already set a single season record for victories and the triumph over GBN was the 8th straight on the season. And Lesch believes her squad is peaking at the right time after a slow start to the year that featured matchups against the sport's heavyweights (New Trier, Loyola, GBN) in the first week of the fall.

"We've put it all together and I think we're getting better every single day," Lesch said. "We're playing with a lot of confidence, we're playing with a lot of excitement, and we're playing with a lot of energy. We're playing more strategically --- giving each other enough space to handle the ball now --- and I think we're peaking at the right time."

The Wildkits routed Naperville North 5-0 in the opening round of sectional play behind goals from seniors Kate Mackey, Evie Holstine, Anabelle Brown, Maggie Bird and Kaulas.

Against a GBN team hungry to play on its own turf at State, however, it took scrambles in front of the cage to produce a pair of scores from Carnahan and Kaulas for Evanston to prevail. Kaulas' score, which proved to be the game-winner, came with no time left on the first half clock.

Goalie Maya Samaris, a junior, was credited with 8 saves for the winners.

"I knew it wouldn't come easy for us to make it to State --- and it didn't," Lesch acknowledged. "We had to win a couple of two overtime games (against Latin and Glenbard West) to get the (No. 5) seeding we got. We beat Latin (1-0) in the pouring rain and I think that game was the turning point for us."

With 16 seniors on the playoff roster, it still took time for Evanston's players to get on the same page. Lesch pointed out that "10 of them were new to the varsity, and at the beginning we had to figure out where to use everyone. They all moved to different positions and I'm really proud of them for the way they came together.

"We only have three girls on the roster who just play field hockey. All of the rest of them play other sports, and they've been able to use that athleticism to their advantage even if it isn't their No. 1 sport."

Sophomores Carnahan, Phoebe Lesch and Siena Jenio have also made major contributions this fall. Carnahan starts in the midfield and is one of the squad's leading scorers, and Lesch is the third daughter to play for Coach Lesch, joining older sisters Bridget (Williams College) and Natalie (Bates College) who are currently playing lacrosse and field hockey at the next level.

The victory over Glenbrook North was significant, but it sends the Kits from the frying pan into the fire against rival New Trier. The Trevians have won 18 state titles in their history, including six of the past seven, and own the top seed for the weekend tests.

The Trevians blanked ETHS twice during the regular season, by scores of 4-0 and 5-0.