Lemont Falls Short Against Carmel in IHSA Class 2A Girls' Soccer Semifinal

Photo: Carli Bermele, Aleksandra Mihailovic

Making its fourth state finals appearance in seven years, Lemont High School’s girls’ soccer team fell just short of a berth in the state championship match. Head coach Rick Prangen’s Indians dropped a 2-1 decision to Carmel in the second semifinal match at the 2015 IHSA Class 2A Girls’ Soccer State Finals, which are being contested at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on the campus of North Central College in Naperville. The loss snapped an eight-game win streak for Lemont.

Carmel (20-3-1) struck early in the first half when Megan Runyan scored on a blast to the upper left corner from 30 yards out. Lemont nearly tied the game later in the first half on a long direct kick from freshman Mairead Ruane, but Carmel goalie Christina O’Block punched the ball into the crossbar to preserve the one-goal advantage.

Carmel extended its lead to 2-0 off a set piece in the 67th minute, when Angela Salvi shouldered down a pass in the box and fired a shot into the lower right corner.

Lemont (18-5-3) got back to within a goal less than two minutes later. Senior Savannah Brija found senior Aleksandra Mihailovic, who buried a long shot into the top right corner in the 68th minute. The goal was Mihailovic’s 28th score of the season, making her the school’s single-season leader in goals scored.

Freshman goalkeeper Michelle Jerantowski kept Lemont in the game with eight saves. Carmel outshot Lemont by an 11-6 count, which included a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal.

Lemont will play in the third-place match against Peoria Notre Dame at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 6. Notre Dame dropped a 4-1 contest to Chatham Glenwood in the first state semifinal match.

Mihailovic’s goal snapped a 278-minute scoreless streak for Lemont in state finals play. The Indians had not scored in the state finals since Kim Jerantowski ‘14 scored the second of her two goals in the 30th minute of a 2-0 win in the third- place game at the 2011 IHSA Class 2A State Finals. Lemont was shut out twice at the 2013 IHSA State Finals.

Lemont advanced to the 2015 IHSA Class 2A State Finals with a 1-0 win over Wheaton St. Francis at the IHSA Hinsdale South Super-Sectional. Entering the state finals, Lemont had outscored its five postseason opponents by a 22-1 margin. In its first state finals appearance, Lemont finished as the IHSA Class 2A Runner-Up in 2009. The Indians finished third in Class 2A in 2011, and fourth in Class 2A in 2013.

Girls’ soccer is the 11th Lemont High School sport to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. Senior Kyra Udziela was the individual champion at the IHSA Girls’ Bowling State Finals; the cheerleading squad was fourth at the IHSA Medium Division State Finals; the girls’ cross country team was fourth at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals; the football team was the IHSA Class 6A State Runner-Up; boys’ golf tied for ninth at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals; freshman Alex Knutte competed at the IHSA Girls’ Swimming State Finals; seniors Nathaniel Burner and Nick Urban competed in doubles at the IHSA Boys’ Tennis State Finals; junior Chris Thompson medaled in the 400 meter dash at the IHSA Class 3A Boys’ Track and Field State Finals, while the 4 x 400 relay also competed; senior Jacque Desmond and junior Taylor Campos took part in the IHSA Class 3A Girls’ Track and Field State Finals; six wrestlers competed as individuals at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals; and the wrestling squad qualified for the IHSA Class 2A Dual Team State Finals.