New Trier, Buffalo Grove advance to PepsiCo championship

Maddie Mulford is one of the state’s top players, blessed with a keen sense of anticipation.

“We were dominating the game, we had so many chances and we knew one was coming,” said Mulford, a New Trier forward.

In the 54th minute, she converted the game-winning goal from 18 yards out to lift the No. 3 Trevians to a 1-0 victory over No. 2 Loyola in a PepsiCo Showdown semifinal Saturday at Olympic Park in Schaumburg.

The goal, Mulford’s 13th of the season, helped move the Trevians (13-0) to a championship showdown with No. 1 Buffalo Grove at Toyota Park next Sunday.

“This was Loyola and New Trier,” Mulford said. “We were on top of our game, we were pressing and we were physical.

“Scoring against Loyola, you can’t get better than that.”

The scoring sequence was started by defender Jackie Welch, who cleared a ball from Loyola’s final third to a streaking Kelly Maday in the middle of the field.

“I saw that the defender had not caught up with my teammate Gertie [Harris], so I played it to her and she flicked it on to Maddie,” Maday said.

Mulford flashed her trademark move, taking the ball on the right sideline and drawing it left for a looping curve inside the far post.

“I don’t know why I like that so much,’’ Mulford said. ‘‘But I just like to take my girl on real quick and make that move.”

Loyola (12-1) generated its best scoring opportunities on a couple of second-half set pieces. But on two free kicks, the Ramblers shot high and wide.

Keeper Michelle Sokal registered five saves for New Trier.

† Awaiting the Trevians in the final is Buffalo Grove, which rallied from a two-goal, second-half deficit to knock off No. 7 Lyons 4-3 in the first semifinal.

The Lions looked world class in building a two-goal advantage.

“We were a little worried but we knew we could come back, because we have all season,” midfielder Kim Herzog said.

Herzog kicked in a rebound of forward Kelli Zickert’s shot in the 79th minute for the game-winner.

Herzog and midfielder Allie Ingham scored two goals apiece for the Bison (14-0).

“We played with a lot of heart and we never gave up,” Herzog said.

Midfielder Kristen Janicki and forward Katie Dougherty, who notched a first-half goal, each scored four minutes apart in the second half to give Lyons (8-1) a 3-1 lead.

Herzog ignited the comeback in the 60th minute by taking a through ball from Colleen Zickert and delivering a shot past Lyons goalie Lidia Breen.

“Even when we were down 3-1, we didn’t stop playing our game or lose track of how we play,” Kelli Zickert said.