Columbia girls cap dominating season with first state soccer championship

The last time the Columbia girls soccer team lost a game was April 18 at Nerinx Hall.

Since then, the Eagles have won 14 games in a row, their stout defense allowing just five goals along the way while their forwards found the back of the net 77 times.

The streak — not to mention the Eagles’ season — reached its crescendo Saturday at North Central College in Naperville Saturday. Columbia defeated North Shore Country Day High School of Winnetka, 4-0 for the Illinois Class 1A State Championship.

The elusive title came in the Eagles’ third attempt, but first since placing third in 2008. They were runners-up in 2006. For the Raiders, it was their second consecutive season finishing as the 1A runners-up.

Columbia scored twice in each half.

Fae Harrell opened the scoring with a header off a pass from Kennedy Jones.

Jones put the Eagles up 2-0 with an assist from Reagan Mauch.

In the second half, junior Haley Glover scored her team-best 26th goal of the season off another assist by Mauch to widen the lead. Mauch scored with a minute left to cap her career and a season of dominance by Columbia.

The Eagles won as they have all season — by keeping the ball on the North Shore end of the field and putting a barrage of shots on goal. Columbia entered the title game having out-scored its opponents by 115 goals in 29 games. In Friday’s 5-0 semifinal win over Lisle, the Eagles outshot the Lions 35-1.

Goalie Rylee Iorio finished among the region’s leaders with a sparkling .32 goals-against average. The championship victory was her 21st shutout of the season.

Columbia’s season ends with a record of 27-2-1.

This story was originally published May 25, 2019 at 6:58 PM.