The stars were aligned, and Oak Park-River Forest senior Ashley Gerin had a moment of truth rolling at her feet.
Late in the second half of a scoreless soccer game Friday against rival Fenwick — on the Huskies’ home field and on senior night, no less — Gerin took a pass from senior Grace Huettel and busted up the right side of the Friars’ defense with a single defender on her hip.
And once she beat that defender, Gerin took her moment of truth and remained calm with only the goalkeeper to beat, burying a shot inside the far post in the game’s 64th minute. The Huskies held on for the 1-0 victory.
“You can get frantic in a situation like that, but today I just tried to keep my cool and make the goalie come out and get me,” Gerin said. “I was able to slip it right past her. Mentally, I just had to slow the game down and pass it into the net.”
Huskies coach Ignacio Ponce applauded the composure his four-year varsity player showed in the game’s biggest moment.
“It was a great pass by (Huettel), and Ashley showed experience and maturity in finishing,” Ponce said. “That was a four-year varsity senior’s goal.”
Huettel, in central midfield, is one of Huskies’ best playmakers, and the game’s lone goal came when she won a ball 35 yards out from Fenwick’s goal.
“I just picked it up and saw Ashley was on, and I sent it through,” Huettel said. “It was a great finish by Ashley.”
Gerin was a varsity forward her freshman year and played outside midfield her sophomore and junior years before returning to the forward position this year.
“She’s been one of our biggest contributors all season,” Ponce said. “She contributed tremendously even as a freshman. I’ve used her all over the field and when we’ve really needed someone to come through, she’s been there.”
Fourteen Huskies seniors and their parents were honored at halftime of the game.
“This is a big game for us every year, especially with tonight being senior night,” Gerin said. “It felt amazing, and the team needed this. We’ve been on a rough patch, but lately we’ve been putting our chances away and playing much better together.”
Friday’s goal was her ninth of the season for a team that has struggled to score in 2017. With Class 3A regional play beginning on May 16, Ponce is optimistic that his team can build upon Friday’s win.
“We’re 4-9-1 and rising,” Ponce said. “I’m proud of the girls. We’ve been creating scoring chances and we need to continue to find ways to put the ball in the net; the foot, the knee, the head — whatever it takes.”
However deep OPRF’s postseason run goes, Gerin will enjoy the final weeks of her high school soccer career.
“It’s been the best experience. It has made my high school experience what it is,” Gerin said. “The whole soccer program is a family, and over the years we’ve grown so close together. It’s hard to play our last home game together because I feel such a close bond with everybody.”
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Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press