Marengo scores two in final 20 minutes, stuns Genoa-Kingston on penalty kicks

GENOA - Fatimah Becovic and Gracie Phillips connected on goals in the final 20 minutes, erasing a two-goal Genoa-Kingston lead and leading Marengo to a 3-2 win on penalty kicks Tuesday in the first round of the Class 1A Cristo Rey St. Martin Sectional.

“We were down 2-0, and they just didn’t say, eh, we’re done,” Marengo coach Courtney Calahan said. “They kept working. They kept fighting. Really it was their teamwork, their perseverance.”

After a scoreless first half, the No. 4 Cogs (3-7) opened the scoring against their former Big Northern Conference foes in the 48th minute. Yuliza Fuentes tried to follow her own shot after it popped out of Marengo goalie Lilly Johnson’s hands, but she was taken down from behind.

Bryanna Sontag connected on the penalty kick for a 1-0 lead against the No. 5 seeded Indians (4-9).

Less than seven minutes later, Haley Stevenson sped past the Marengo defense and got the angle 1-on-1 with Johnson, knocking it to the far side past her for a 2-0 lead with 25:55 left.

“We knew it was going to be an even game,” Tate said. “We ended up getting that lead and couldn’t hang on to it. That’s the way it goes. And I was a little nervous going to penalty kicks because they made five out of six the other day. I knew they were pretty good at it.”

But the comeback for the Indians began in the 71st minute, when Becovic fired a shot right at Genoa-Kingston goalie Alahna Siegworth. The ball slipped through her legs for the first Marengo goal.

“It’s what Fatimah, that’s what she’s known for,” Calahan said. “She can put a solid shot on and it’s one of those things you coach them to do. You put the ball on frame and you never know what is going to happen. Their keeper was great. And it just so happened she fluttered a little bit and it worked to our advantage.”

With 7:35 left, Phillips scored the equalizer, a high shot from the right side the went into the upper left corner over Siegworth.

“It was a lucky shot,” Phillips said. “I thought it was going to go over but it was lucky.”

Calahan said it was a textbook shot for the junior.

“That was a picturesque, beautiful goal,” Calahan said. “I’m so glad we were filming because she’s going to want to save that highlight. It was well-timed and a good spot - a really beautiful goal.”

Both teams had a couple chances in the overtime but could connect. The Cogs actually did connect when Crystal Beltran knocked a cross over to Sonntag who banged it home, but she was called offsides.

Early in the overtime, Beltran ripped a rocket at the net but Johnson dove and sent it away.

“We just kind of got tired,” Tate said. “Sometimes we lose track of how much time is on the clock. You need to play with urgency when you have that lead, not letting them come back. Then they get energized, and that’s what they did.”

The Indians connected on the first two penalty kicks, while Phillips turned away all three of the Cogs’ PKs. Ruby Escorza, Zoe Whetham and Isabella Neurock connect on PKs for the Indians.

Calahan said she liked the way her team fought back in the final 20 minutes.

“It’s the situation where they have to want it,” Calahan said. “You can be a coach and say the most motivational speech but it’s their decision. They take that opportunity and that momentum and keep pushing.”

The Indians will face the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 6 North Boone and No. 3 Johnsburg game. The Indians lost a pair of one-goal games to their Kishwaukee River Conference rival Johnsburg this year.

For the Cogs, the season came to a close but Tate said he liked the way his team fought in games.

“We played a lot of games close,” Tate said. “Our goal was to put ourselves in a position where we could win each game. We didn’t win as many as we wanted to but you never do as a coach, I guess. But we were in most of the games.”