Ashlyn Adams, Kelsey Clousing pace Wheaton Warrenville South to big win over Glenbard West

GLEN ELLYN — Ashley Adams and Kelsey Clousing have been best friends since before they shared a soccer field together.

The senior-sophomore duo, whose families have been friends since they were born, have built a strong connection on and off the soccer field for Wheaton-Warrenville South.

And it’s been apparent during the entire season.

“Playing with Ash is always super fun,” Clousing said. “She’s always helping moving off the ball, and I feel like we work really well together, and that’s how a lot of goals come.”

And it was no different in a Class 3A sectional semifinal matchup against Glenbard West

Adams, an Illinois commit, netted a hat trick with three goals in just 44 minutes, while Clousing added a two goals off both her assists to help the Tigers to a commanding 7-0 victory over the Hilltoppers.

“They’re interchangeable in a sense that they both can come underneath, they both can break the first tackle and when you do that, and they’re running at the back line, you’re looking at the ball and you’re not watching the other person,” Tigers coach Guy Callipari said. “For a sophomore and senior combo, it’s soccer that is the common thread and the common intellect that they have and share with each other.”

The Tigers (18-1-2) will face fourth-seeded St. Charles North, who defeated top-seeded St. Charles East 1-0 in their sectional semifinal, for a chance at their first sectional title since 2003.

The two teams faced off in the regular season, a 1-1 draw back on April 22. However, it’ll be the first time Adams will face the North Stars this season after sitting out that game with a hamstring injury.

The Adams-Clousing connection proved how deadly they could be early on in the contest, with Adams sending a Clousing corner into the back of the net just three minutes into the contest.

Just five minutes later, the roles were reversed when the sophomore took a pass from the senior all the way to the net, making it 2-0 with fans still trying to find their seats. Adams added another goal in the 34th minute for a three-goal lead into halftime.

“I feel like the past couple of games we’ve had early goals, and that’s such a big momentum shifter when you come out hard and putting them on their heels early,” Adams said. “Those early goals just set up the momentum and confidence for the rest of the game. And you just want to keep the foot on the pedal.”

The Tigers carried that all-gas mentality into the second half, with the duo adding to their totals. Seniors Lilie Petrie and Kayla Waterman also found the back of the net in the half.

“Getting that early advantage was definitely instrumental in breaking their spirit, but it’s never over, especially in high school soccer,” Callipari said. “But we’re pleased with the effort, that we got everybody in and that we can play again on Friday.”

The Hilltoppers (12-7-4) tried to rally a response in the second half, finding multiple scoring opportunities at the start of the second half. But Adams’ third goal of the game on a penalty kick in the 44th minute proved to be too big a deficit to overcome.

“It wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibilities for us to come back,” Hilltoppers coach Adam Szyszko said. “We started the second half very brightly with a couple of balls in the mix. But they countered and drew that penalty kick and with that little bit of momentum and belief, the balloon just popped. But all credit to Wheaton Warrenville South.”