Waubonsie unbeaten streak up to 44 games

With a defensive back line made up of two freshmen and a senior in her first season as a starter, mistakes can be expected for Waubonsie Valley.

That's why it's nice for the Warriors to have Clare Hanold there to bail them out if necessary. On Saturday night, the defense got a chance to return the favor in a rematch of last spring's Class AA state final.

Freshman defender Mary Wright made the defensive play of the game, helping the Warriors complete their 11th consecutive shutout with a 1-0 win over Fremd in the championship of the Naperville Invitational at Naperville Central. The Warriors (12-0-1) extended their unbeaten streak to 44 games in taking the tournament title for the second year in a row.

Vanessa DiBernardo scored in the 46th minute, providing Waubonsie all the offense it needed, although the total marked a season low. The Warriors might have needed more scoring if not for Wright's play in the 40th minute.

With Fremd midfielder Alex Ehr getting past a downed Hanold inside the penalty area, Wright swooped in and cleared the ball out of danger just ahead of the halftime horn.

"I was able to cover and get it out," Wright said. "As we've become close, I know that if I do make a mistake, I know Clare will be there. But I try not to make mistakes."

The Warriors have made few mistakes, including in their near-flawless effort against the Vikings (9-2-1), who put only two shots on goal. The first of those came in the second minute when Hanold smothered a shot by Ehr. Fremd did not attempt a shot in the second half.

"We had a couple opportunities, and you never know if one of those goes in," said Fremd coach Steve Keller, a 1990 Waubonsie graduate whose sister, Judy, coached the Warriors from 1988 to 2000. "But I'm sure they would turn it up a notch if they got scored on. They're a handful. They just keep coming at you. They definitely expose other teams' weaknesses."

After the scoreless first half, the Warriors continued to pressure Fremd goalie Allison Norenberg, who made five saves. DiBernardo added to her success story against the Vikings. She scored a hat trick in Waubonsie's 4-0 state championship win before unleashing the winning goal Saturday.

"It's a different game because we lost some seniors and I'm sure they lost some seniors," DiBernardo said. "I'm sure they wanted to come out strong, which they did. This was really good competition, so it was a good tournament to win."

Girls Soccer: Naperville Invitational