You usually have to bring your “A” game if you’re going to beat No. 1.
Evanston’s field hockey team wasn’t quite up to the task Saturday at Lazier Field.
Top-seeded Glenbrook North overpowered the Wildkits 3-1 and captured the Evanston Sectional championship, punching a ticket to the Final Four on their own field next weekend.
Find out what's happening in Evanstonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Spartans --- who are on their own this season after a co-op arrangement with Glenbrook South produced a state title in 2023 and a third place State finish last year --- improved to 19-1-1 on the season behind a rare hat trick in the sport from senior captain Ella Beach, who notched all three goals.
Evanston, which scored a 6-0 triumph over Oak Park-River Forest in the tournament opener, settled for matching the school record for victories in a single season set by the 2023 team that reached the Final Four. The Kits finished 14-7-1, same as that team.
Find out what's happening in Evanstonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It was a bounce-back year for the Wildkits after last year’s 9-11-1 campaign that also ended with a postseason loss to Glenbrook. But the losers knew they didn’t put their best foot forward on Saturday.
“We were close today, we just didn’t come through,” admitted ETHS senior co-captain Sienna Seyferth, who tallied her team’s only goal in the fourth quarter. “I thought we fought pretty well against the No. 1 team in Illinois. We were a little nervous in the first quarter, but I don’t think that’s what stopped us. This just wasn’t our top game.
“Going into the season, it wasn’t an expectation for us to make it to the Final Four. But with our talent and execution we knew we had the ability to be there. It was our goal, and although it didn’t happen this year, I have no doubt it can happen in the future.”
“That wasn’t our best play today. I thought we played terrible until we turned it around in the fourth quarter,” added Evanston head coach Annie Lesch. “Early on I could see that we seemed nervous, because we weren’t strong enough on the ball.
“GBN is a very good, very talented team. When we played them the first time (a 3-2 Spartan win) we lost on a (penalty) stroke with a minute left. We were hoping to bring that kind of performance against today, but I could feel the nerves right from the start this morning. When your passes come off soft like that, that’s nerves.”
The winners dominated possession in the first half and Evanston goaltender Frances Fiegen, one of five seniors who started, had to weather a storm consisting of at least a dozen corner opportunities for North. Beach converted one of them right at the first quarter buzzer and the Spartans still led 1-0 at halftime.
Fiegen finished with 15 saves but surrendered two more goals to Beach in the third period.
“I think Frances truly had a great season,” Lesch praised. “I would say she’s one of the top goalies in the state and she did a great job of coming back after missing all of last year with an ACL tear. And Sienna (Seyferth) played a great game today, too. She really finished the season strong and was playing some of her best field hockey here at the end.
“Overall, it was a great season. We had a great run. We beat (perennial Final Four finisher) Lake Forest in overtime and that was the first time in program history and we were close when we played GBN.
“Coming into the season, our goal was to get to State, and to win State. We weren’t afraid to say that. I think they proved they can play with the best.”
