Surge of Laws: Chatham Glenwood girls soccer captures 2A state title with overtime win
NAPERVILLE — The Chatham Glenwood girls soccer team just wanted to put the ball into a dangerous area and crash the net following a scoreless tie in regulation.
Sophomore Rowann Law wound up with junior Haden Vlcek’s free kick and capitalized again with the go-ahead goal in the first two minutes of overtime to vault the Titans to a 2-0 double-overtime victory over Lisle Benet Academy in the Class 2A state championship match at North Central College's Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Saturday.
Rowann’s twin, Rylann, added the insurance goal to help cement the team’s first state title since 2013 and second overall.
“That's insane, I have no words,” Rowann said.
On repeat
Rowann scored the opening goal on Rylann’s free kick on the same end of the field in the 4-1 state semifinal victory over Chicago De La Salle on Friday.
Vlcek, who recorded two goals on Friday, was tabbed for this particular occasion from longer distance.
“I didn't hit it the best,” Vlcek, a University of Indiana commit, said. “I put it a little more near post than I wanted it. I just tried to get it in the box and get it over their back line and it worked. Rowann did a great job of finishing it.”
‘Tough duo’: Meet the two Division I center backs for Chatham Glenwood girls soccer
Rowann outmaneuvered a defender and poked the ball past the goalkeeper with her right foot for her 15th goal of the season with 8 minutes, 33 seconds left in the first OT.
Rowann said Vlcek played an “amazing ball.”
“Both defenses were amazing today,” Rowann said. “We just didn't finish our attacks at first and neither did they, but we came out hot in overtime and we finished.”
Lisle Benet coach Gerard Oconer faulted miscommunication between his goalkeeper Shannon Clark and the defense on the pivotal set play. He added his team just didn’t get the proverbial break to fall its way.
. @rowannlaw2025 and @rylannlaw2025 suddenly strike with a goal each and Glenwood leads 2-0 in OT #sjrpreps
— Bill Welt (@BillWelt) June 3, 2023
The Redwings (21-5) settled for second place for a second straight season.
Glenwood goalkeeper Abigail Stephens totaled five saves while Clark had four.
“It's just the cruel reality of the sport because somebody has to win, somebody has to lose and unfortunately we came out on the losing end of it again,” Oconer said.
Dominant playoff run
Rylann bolted behind the Redwings’ defense and quickly undercut any chances of a comeback with her team-best 42nd goal of the season just 40 seconds later.
“I just felt relieved honestly,” Glenwood senior defender Ali Matthews said. “I was just glad that we could finish it off. I'm especially glad we got the second one to kind of give us a little time to relax.”
Glenwood coach Jay Lipe said he primarily wanted to make sure his team stayed hydrated after regulation on a sweltering, sunny afternoon.
“We just had to dig deep,” said Lipe, who secured his ninth state trophy in his 29th season at the helm. “Both teams were extremely tired and the only thing we said, 'We've worked so hard for 80 minutes, we're not going to stop now,' so they did a nice job.”
The Titans (22-4-1) prevailed after coming up short the past two seasons against eventual two-time champion Troy Triad in the supersectional round.
They not only toppled the Knights 5-0 in a third straight supersectional showdown but outscored their opponents 33-2 in the playoffs.
“This is what the senior class has been working for this whole year,” said Matthews, who will play at Western Illinois University. “Everyone on this team, we worked so hard for this and we are just so excited. We wanted this so bad.”
Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA girls soccer: Chatham Glenwood stuns Lisle Benet for 2A state title
