Raiders forge tie with Explorers, get early-season taste of what postseason path looks like

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team got a taste of what the Class 1A postseason path may look like, and it was no April fool’s joke.

The Raiders played Alton Marquette to a scoreless tie Monday night at Advance Physical Therapy Field, finding the Explorers’ defense difficult to generate an attack against and holding on when Marquette mounted a late second-half push in a rematch of last season’s sectional semifinal.

QND won 1-0 in overtime on the strength of Makayla Patton’s goal.

She nearly delivered another gut punch.

On a restart from about 30 yards out, Patton, a senior forward,  banged a shot off the crossbar with 21 minutes remaining. With less than nine minutes to play, QND junior forward Addie Flesch got a breakaway as she slipped behind the Marquette defense on the right side.

However, Explorers goalkeeper Jessica Eales took away the angle and smothered the shot to preserve the shutout.

That came after the Raiders dodged a pair of bullets. First, with 12:30 to play, Marquette senior defender Radley Hoener hit a restart from 35 yards out that rattled off the crossbar. The Explorers jumped on the rebound, but sent the next shot over the net.

With 10 minutes to play, Hoener got another opportunity, this time from 40 yards out. She clanged the kick off the crossbar once again, and the Raiders quickly cleared the rebound.

QND freshman goalkeeper Tessa Porter was forced to make four saves as the Raiders (2-0-1) posted their second shutout in three games. Marquette is 2-3-2.

The Raiders will be back at Advance Physical Therapy Field at 5 p.m. Tuesday to face Williamsville, last year’s state runner-up that returns Calynn Frye, the junior midfielder who scored 35 goals last season.