Defense helps carry Raiders to brink of another state tournament appearance

QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer coach Mark Longo readily admitted Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin controlled the bulk of play Friday.

“It was probably 60/40 in their favor,” he said. “It may have been 62/38 or something like that.”

Even so, Longo never fully fretted.

His stout defense is why.

Raiders sophomore goalkeeper Aly Young was forced to make only one tough save in the second half as the teams played to a scoreless tie through regulation and two 10-minute overtimes. QND’s back four continually cleared the ball out of danger and closed the gaps when SHG made runs.

It preserved the shutout and enabled the Raiders to win a penalty-kick shootout 3-2 to capture the Class 1A QND Sectional championship at Advance Physical Therapy Field and earn a spot opposite Belleville Althoff on Tuesday in the Columbia Super-Sectional.

QND has not allowed a goal in four postseason games and has fashioned a stretch of seven consecutive shutouts. 

“My defense is extremely talented,” Young said. “We have faith in each other. We have great communication. We have Eva (Dickerman) directing everyone back. She was very fundamental tonight, and we just worked as a team.”

That comes down to talking.

“They did a lot of communicating today, maybe more than they have done in the past,” Longo said. “We walked through (Thursday) what (the Cyclones) were going to do with three forwards. If it’s in the middle, we don’t want Eva coming up because then we lose everything in the back.

“So somebody has to yell for the center mids to get back or the opposite wing defender goes to the middle and wing halfback goes back on the other side. They did a great job of communicating that and directing each other.”

There’s comfortability among the group.

Dickerman, a junior sweeper, is flanked by junior wing Grace Bertram and sophomore wing Aubrey Sparrow. Sophomore marking back Meredith Eversman is as tenacious as anyone.

“Aubrey is turning into a very solid defender, and Grace and Meredith both do what we need them to do back there,” Longo said. “That’s all you can ask.”

They put both Young and Addison Van Hecke, another sophomore keeper who played the first half against SHG, at ease when in the game.

“It’s the constant reassurance knowing you have them in front of you,” Young said.

They’ve carried the Raiders to the brink of a return to the state tournament and the eighth state trophy in program history.

“I told the girls I’m happy for them,” Longo said. “I’m happy for them, the program, the parents, the school. It’s just a nice thing for us to have.”