Girls Soccer: Providence locks down regional crown

Updated: May 18, 2012 11:48PM

Hustle, determination and patience win games.

Providence coach Dan Potempa echoed those sentiments Friday after his Celtics posted a hard-fought 2-0 victory over host Lemont to win the Class 2A Lemont Regional championship.

“We knew that the longer the game was going to stay 0-0, the more we had a chance to win this game,” Potempa said. “They were the favorites coming in. We knew we just had to hold them off early.”

Forwards Maggie Corso and Jamie Noonan led the seventh-seeded Celtics with a goal each while freshman goalkeeper Tess Barrett stopped seven shots. Lemont forward Shannon Briggs led the Indians with four shots on goal.

Providence (8-13-1) will meet Lincoln-Way West in a Lincoln-Way North Sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Second-seeded Lemont (18-3-3) had the better scoring chances early. Just 1:30 into the game, Kim Jerantowki set up Briggs in the box, but the latter’s kick sailed over the crossbar.

The match was scoreless at halftime.

After a save by Barrett on a close-in shot, Providence went on the attack. Celtics forward Molly Whatley’s pass found Corso open inside the box, and Corso’s shot from 5 yards out found the net just inside the left post for a 1-0 lead with 37:16 remaining in the game.

“Molly sent me a perfect pass; it was like slow motion and I passed it into the net,” Corso said.

“Maggie stepped up her game today,” Potempa said. “She has always been a hustler, but today she showed that she is a good soccer player.”

A few minutes later, Corso outhustled a Lemont defender to the ball inside the box, where she was pulled down. As a result, Providence was awarded a penalty kick. Noonan calmly took the kick, sending her shot past Lemont goalkeeper Kelly Fritz for a 2-0 lead with 34:25 left in the game.

“For PKs, I just try to shut the world out and make it me and goal,” Noonan said.

Lemont had several corner kicks late, but the Celtics were there to stop the Indians.

“I credit Providence in the second half because I thought they wanted it more than we did,” Lemont coach Rick Prangen said.

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