Girls Lacrosse: Angie Conley has a big assist in Hinsdale Central’s return to state

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After tearing her rotator cuff last year as a junior, all Hinsdale Central senior Angie Conley could do was assist from the sidelines. She watched as her team advanced to the title game before losing to New Trier.

Fully healthy this year, Conley is assisting again. This time from the field.

Conley had nine assists and a goal as Hinsdale Central beat Hersey 11-8 Tuesday in the Hoffman Estates girls supersectional.

The Red Devils (20-4) will meet the Sandburg co-op Friday in the state semifinals at Hinsdale Central at 7 p.m.

Hinsdale Central coach Matt McNiff said that patience was the key for his team Tuesday.

“We needed to get back to what we do best,” McNiff said. “And that is to move the ball around. It is great to have Angie back out there. She is a darn good player.”

Conley said it’s way more fun being on the field for this run.

“It was pretty hard to watch last season,” Conley “But I am now. I guess I had the vision today, When they are overloading the ball, they are focused on me driving. As long as I keep my head up, there should be someone open on the backside.”

One of those who was on the receiving end of the passes was Reese Napier, who scored four goals.

“It was a big day,” said Napier, who is a senior. “I got my partner in crime back. It’s good to have her out here.”

Hinsdale Central jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Parker Matthews scored both goals on her way to three for the game.

Hersey (19-5), which lost in the supersectionals last season, stayed within one goal early. The Huskies trailed 4-3 with just under 10 minutes left in the first.

That’s when the wheels fell off for the Huskies as Hinsdale Central exploded.

The Red Devils scored three goals to close out the half. They added another two in the first minute of the second half to build a 9-4 lead.

Hersey finally was able to pull themselves together. Behind Kailee See, who had three goals, the Huskies were able to chip away, but it just wasn’t enough.

“I told our team we looked a little timid at halftime,” first-year Hersey coach Lindsay Baer said. “I told them they had to full go. They were able to do that later in the second half with no breaks. I am so, so proud of them. I am looking forward to continuing to grow with them.”