ETHS Girls Soccer closed out conference play with a 1-1 draw against Glenbrook South on a brisk Thursday night.
The Wildkits got off to a strong start in the eighth minute when junior Bridget Durkin dribbled down the left wing, reached the byline, and cut the ball back. Her pass found senior Corine Viamile, who teed up freshman defender Ella Dunlap. Dunlap calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give ETHS the early lead.
“Ella has been one of our most composed players in front of the goal all season—which is not something you would expect given her age and position,” head coach Stacy Salgado said.
Just minutes later, ETHS created two clear-cut chances. Sophomore Alexandra Merriam and Durkin each found themselves in front of the goal, but both were denied by the Titans’ senior goalkeeper Elena Diaz Lugo. Despite dominating possession throughout the first half, the Wildkits were unable to extend their lead and went into halftime up 1-0.
“We came out with a ton of energy in the first half, but with a one-goal lead, the question was always going to be if we could sustain it,” Salgado said.
That question was answered immediately after the break. Glenbrook South junior forward Sophie Piekarski rode through multiple Kits challenges before firing a shot into the top corner to equalize less than a minute into the second half.
“We completely lost focus when we conceded,” Salgado said. “Our team still needs to work on locking in for all 80 minutes because the teams in our conference will make you pay for every mistake.”
The Titans registered five shots in the first five minutes of the second half — more than they had in the entire first half. The early pressure rattled the Kits, and junior goalkeeper Kana Wagner let a cross slip through her grasp. The ball fell to Titans junior Jiama Devine, who appeared to have scored into an empty net before senior Maddy Valera slid in to make a brilliant block.
That defensive play helped swing the momentum back to the Kits. Their best chance to retake the lead came with 15 minutes left, when freshman attacker Leah George was slipped in by sophomore Sophie Hunwick. But Diaz Lugo charged off her line and smothered the ball to preserve the draw.
ETHS will host Niles North in its next matchup on Tuesday.
