No. 1 New Trier rallied twice Friday and managed to avoid suffering its first loss to a team from Illinois since 2002.
Ann Hickey scored in the 52nd minute to tie host No. 3 Naperville Central at 2-2, and the Trevians then went on to a shootout victory in the Naperville Invitational.
The 3-2 semifinal win puts New Trier (15-1) in Saturday’s tournament final against No. 2 Neuqua Valley at 6 p.m.
The 5-foot-10-inch Hickey, normally a defender, went on the offensive with New Trier down 2-1. She had a clear view of KayAnne Gummersall’s cross for her header.
Alissa Vonderhaar gave the Redhawks (11-2-2) a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. New Trier’s Jenny Stone tied the game at 1-1 early in the second half. Then Jessica Levitt, who assisted on Vonderhaar’s goal, gave Central a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute.
In the shootout, a save by goalkeeper Lili Ferguson keyed New Trier’s 4-2 win.
Neuqua Valley (14-1-1) avenged its season-opening loss to Naperville North (9-6-2) with a 5-0 win in the other semifinal. Brittany Bock and Michele Weissenhofer each scored twice.
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asutton@tribune.com
