Waukegan goalkeeper Isabel Escalera gleamed with pride Wednesday night as she discussed her four-year career as a varsity starter.
Even after enduring numerous shots in her direction, an in-game injury and a nonstop driving rain at Palatine, the senior captain remained upbeat.
Escalera said she’s close to committing to play for Indiana University Northwest, an NAIA program in Gary, Indiana.
“It’s been a good four years in high school so far, but I’ve thought about playing in college since middle school,” Escalera said. “My whole family is excited.
“I’m the first from my family to play in a college sport. Most of my family likes soccer. It’s cool, but it’s … kind of a lot of pressure. I don’t like pressure. I don’t get nervous in matches, but just in life.”
Escalera looked confident against Palatine and did her job in Waukegan’s 2-0 loss, making 12 saves and keeping the game close by not allowing a goal in the first half.
Her aggressive play was instrumental in keeping the Bulldogs (1-1) in it because they didn’t generate much of an offensive attack against the Pirates (1-3).
“It was a good match, one of the best games that I’ve played in at Waukegan,” Escalera said. “I don’t like playing soft. I played pretty hard today and think I scared a few of the other players. I like to play tough.”
Escalera stayed in the game despite getting “the air knocked out” of her while diving for the ball midway through the first half.
“Isabel is totally soccer-driven,” Waukegan coach Rachel Bravo said. “Her dream has always been to play soccer beyond high school. You can see it on the field, just how hard she works. She’s skilled technically and tactically and just wants to win.
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“She’s a driving force on our team. She’s come back stronger than ever this year. The team trusts her. She can play with her feet and her hands.”
Senior defender Marlene Banales, also a captain, said she’s happy to have been playing on the same team with Escalera for the past three seasons after spending years attempting to score on her in youth soccer.
“I’ve known Isabel since middle school, and she was always one of my most competitive opponents,” Banales said. “Every time I went against her, I was always scared because she was really aggressive in goal, and we weren’t able to score on her.
“She can see the whole field, knows how to move around people and how to open the play. She’s a really good captain.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.