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How Notre Dame beat Dunlap, plus other girls soccer headed to sectionals

dave eminian, journal star
·2 min read
Peoria Notre Dame's Ellen Dahlquist, left, plays the ball against Normal Community's Reese Anderson in the first period Thursday, April 13, 2023 at PND High School. The Irish blanked the Ironmen 2-0.
Peoria Notre Dame's Ellen Dahlquist, left, plays the ball against Normal Community's Reese Anderson in the first period Thursday, April 13, 2023 at PND High School. The Irish blanked the Ironmen 2-0.

PEORIA — The gauntlet that is Peoria-area girls soccer saw some powerful teams eliminated Friday in IHSA regional championship games.

Notre Dame (16-3-2) avenged a 2022 postseason loss to Dunlap with a 3-0 win in the Orion Regional title match. Metamora defeated host Streator 6-2 to win a regional, while regional host Morton also advanced to that sectional with a 5-0 victory over Washington. Host Richwoods was eliminated with 3-1 loss to Geneseo.

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Notre Dame moves on to face Metamora in the Dunlap Sectional semifinals at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Dunlap Middle School. Morton meets Geneseo at 6 p.m., with the winners meeting 6 p.m. Friday for the title.

Notre Dame has not played Metamora or Geneseo this season. The Irish had a 2-2 tie in a match against Morton.

As for the regional championship game, Dunlap had beat Notre Dame in a sectional title game last season, 3-2.

"It's always emotional when we've faced them, I think it's the fifth time now in the playoffs," Notre Dame coach Ben Ralph said. "It was a really good win. Dunlap is always gonna be good. You have to be at your absolute best against them.

"Once we got the first goal tonight we got even hungrier, and I liked that."

Notre Dame's Ellen Dahlquist broke open a scoreless match with about 25 minutes left with the first of her two goals.

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Claire Girard added the third goal to send Notre Dame to its second victory of the season (2-0 early in the regular-season) over Dunlap.

"We're getting more and more confident," Ralph said. "This is our 16th shutout in 21 games.

"Anybody that comes out of this sectional is battle tested. We're going to see Metamora now. Morton and Geneseo are pretty good, too."

IHSA Class 2A girls soccer

Regional final results

  • At Richwoods: Geneseo 3, Richwoods 1

  • At Orion: Notre Dame 3, Dunlap 0

  • At Morton: Morton 5, Washington 0

  • At Streator: Metamora 6, Streator 2

Dunlap Sectional semifinal matches

  • Notre Dame vs. Metamora, 4 p.m. Tuesday

  • Morton vs. Geneseo, 6 p.m. Tuesday.

  • Final: Winners, 6 p.m. Friday

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA girls soccer: Peoria regional championships, sectional matchups