‘We eventually got there’: Raiders use goal late in first half to propel them to blowout of Birds

QUINCY — This time, it wasn’t so easy, even if it seemed so in the end.

After scoring in the first 10 minutes of both regional matches and outscoring those two opponents 13-0, the Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team discovered scoring on Piasa Southwestern in Tuesday’s Class 1A QND Sectional semifinal wasn’t going to be so simple.

It took nearly 37 minutes for the Raiders to beat the Birds’ “park the bus” defense, but once that happened, everything opened up.

Makayla Patton’s goal gave QND a 1-0 lead, and Avery Keck and Lia Quintero both scored in the first eight minutes of the second half to catapult the Raiders to a 6-0 victory at Advance Physical Therapy Field.

“We can’t let anything get in our heads,” QND junior sweeper Evan Dickerman said. “We just have to keep working like we know how to work. Even though it didn’t happen right away, we eventually got there. That’s a good sign.”

The Raiders realize the challenges are going to mount moving forward, but they believe they are up to the task.

“I would definitely say this is the best we’ve played all year,” Keck said. “We’ve just progressed up and up and up. We’re definitely at a peak. We’re finding each other, working hard and connecting really, really well with all of our teammates.”

Who the Raiders (19-3-3) will face in the 5 p.m. sectional championship remains to be seen.

Alton Marquette and Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin played to a scoreless draw through the end regulation in the second semifinal with the final 10 minutes played in a steady rain. With both teams gathered on their respective benches during a five-minute break before overtime, a weather delayed was enacted.

Heavy thunderstorms began to roll into the area, and lightning forced the 30-minute weather clock to continual reset. Eventually, the game was suspended and the teams were sent home.

The game is scheduled to resume at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Notre Dame, although a plan is in place if the teams can find a more central location for the game to be moved.

So for now, the Raiders simply worry about preparing themselves for the next step.

“We have to stay on our toes,” junior defender Grace Bertram said. “We have to be ready to get everything out. Nothing by us is what we say. No shots on goal.”

That’s worked well so far.

The Raiders are unscored upon in three postseason games and goalkeeper Aly Young touched the ball only once in the first half against Piasa. It has the Raiders believing they are playing as well defensively as they have all season.

“We kind of struggled at the beginning of the season finding out how to connect,” Bertram said. “We started passing it more in the back instead of just kicking it out. So we’re definitely getting there.”

That gives the offense ample time to break through.

Patton finally got QND on the board when she ripped a shot from the right side that slipped through the defense and snaked into the net with 3:15 remaining in the first half.

Five minutes into the second half, Keck hit a shot from 25 yards out that zipped into the left side of the net. Three minutes later, Quintero curled a corner kick into the far side of the net for a 3-0 lead.

Southwestern couldn’t answer. Annie Eaton, Quintero and Patton each scored in the final 23 minutes to finish off the Birds.

“The pressure was there, but we just had to keep working,” Keck said. “It took a while to score, but once we got one goal, we got a rhythm. We had our shots, we had our opportunities, but we just couldn’t get them in. Once we did, we were off to the races.”