Libertyville’s Taylor Underwood made sure this time.
The sophomore midfielder scored two goals Thursday night as the host Wildcats utilized overpowering starts in each half to dispatch Highland Park 5-0 in a PepsiCo Showdown third-round consolation game.
“Sometimes in soccer you just have to be selfish,” Underwood said. “On the first goal I got the ball and turned and saw there was space. You can’t score unless you shoot, and I wanted to take advantage of any opportunity we had.”
Underwood and senior forward Annie Thompson ignited the Wildcats’ attack that left the Giants reeling and on their heels. Underwood demonstrated tremendous poise and savvy in the final scoring third.
In the process the Wildcats reversed a frustrating tendency of dominating games but struggling to put teams away. Libertyville (3-3) scored twice in the first 12 minutes in an offensively crisp performance.
“Finally,” Thompson said. “This is something we have been working on a lot in practice and have been waiting to do it iN a game. We have been toward this, of executing and finishing in the final third.”
Thompson scored in the fifth minute for a 1-0 lead as Libertyville pieced together high pressure that had Highland Park’s outstanding junior goalkeeper Maile Lunardi under constant pressure.
Thompson turned and fired a one-touch shot inside the near post. Her goal proved to be just the prelude.
“I think after the first goal it gave us a lot of confidence and we came out even harder,” Thompson said. The goal was her seventh of the year.
Highland Park (4-4-1) settled down in the middle of the first half and began to string together better possession. Defender Hannah Metzner was active, disrupting the Wildcat attack and enabling the Giants to counter.
Freshman defender Sydney Cohen generated the Giants’ best scoring opportunity in drilling a 30-yard free kick that skimmed over the top of the crossbar.
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Highland Park’s comeback turned short-lived. On an aggressive shot by forward Molly Hazen, Libertyville responded with a momentum-crushing goal to start the second half.
“Our coaches always tell us the most dangerous lead to have in soccer is 2-0,” Thompson said. “We didn’t want to settle for that but stay aggressive.”
Underwood turned the game into a rout with her fifth and sixth goals of the year. Reserve forward Natalie Jaroch closed out the scoring by drilling a shot from about 12 yards out in the 77th minute.
As lopsided as the loss was for the Giants, Lunardi prevented an even greater deficit with several spectacular stops. She finished with eight saves.
Jordan Hertzier made two saves for the Wilcats.
The only downside was Andy Bitta missed his team’s best performance of the year. The Libertyville coach was not available due to illness.
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.