Chicago Christian came to Lisle and made the Lions' senior night one to forget.
The Knights (13-4) continued a magical season with a 1-0 win Oct. 3 and snapped the Lions' five-game unbeaten streak at Benedictine University in Lisle.
Chicago Christian also prevented Lisle (11-6-1) from notching its third consecutive eight-goal game.
"It's basically the story of the losses we've had," he said. "We've had three 1-0 losses and all three games were games that we could have and should have won. We let up on one play."
Matt Pausma set up Brett Robertson in close for the game-winner with 4:02 left in the match. The goal left the Lions stunned and the Knights in jubilation.
The Knights posted sub-.500 records the past two seasons.
"This year is somewhat of an anomaly for us," Knights coach Nate Damstra said. "We have 11 seniors who have decided to work hard and create an atmosphere of winning."
He wasn't surprised that Robertson, a sophomore, made such a clutch play.
"(Robertson) doesn't score a ton of goals, but he's a great supporting player," Damstra noted. "He always seems to make a big play when you need it most."
Pausma and Kameron Donald are the team's primary scorers.
Entering play against the Knights, Lisle's senior class had collectively posted a 58-21-3 record, including a 32-4 mark in Interstate Eight Conference play. In that time, the Lions also have won two conference titles and finished second twice.
The Lions had their chances but didn't capitalize. Alec Blechschmidt fired a shot from 30 yards that went over the goal in the 15th minute and Adam Gleason missed wide right on a shot attempt with 11 minutes to go in the first half.
Lisle's best chances to score came early in the second half, when the Lions overshot the goal twice in the first five minutes.
Later, Knights keeper Richard Fawkes (eight saves) preserved the tie with a leaping save with just fewer than eight minutes to play. Shortly thereafter, his team found the net.
Kazim Khan stopped three shots in goal for the Lions.
Kohorn hopes the Lions get their shot at redemption later this season. The top-seeded Lions would face the second-seeded Knights in the Timothy Christian Regional final in Elmhurst, should both teams make it that far.
The Lions open regional play at 4 p.m. Oct. 13 against eighth-seeded Islamic Foundation of Villa Park at Wilde Field in Lisle.
"It was a good win for Chicago Christian but we'll (likely) play them again," Kohorn said. "We're going to look at tape of tonight's game and, hopefully, learn what we did wrong and correct it."
What are those areas in which Lisle needs the most improvement?
"We have to do a better job of finishing (scoring opportunities)," Lisle assistant coach Kevin Perez said. "Finding the far post is something we have to be able to do."
Perez added defensive positioning (being in the right place at the right time) to the team's list of improvement priorities. Like Kohorn, he said the team will benefit from film review.
Both Lisle coaches tipped their hats to the Knights' effort.
"Their passing was good, they showed a lot of aggressiveness and they communicated well," Perez observed.
Lisle plays in the Glenbrook North Tourney, Oct. 9 to 10.
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