If there ever was a year St. Charles East was going to take a dip, it would have been this one.

Instead, it’s same old, same old.

Graduation losses were heavy and this year’s roster is short on experience, but the Fighting Saints roll on again.

“There were some doubts, obviously, because we graduated eight starters, including a girl that scored 29 goals (all-stater Grace Williams) and others who scored 14 (Mia Raschke) and 10 (Kara Machala),” St. Charles East coach Vince DiNuzzo said. “But we’re excited about this year and the future and we’re trying to get the most out of what we’ve got this year.

“Thet kids are starting to see what they’re capable of. They’re adjusting well, and we’re excited for another challenge.”

The Fighting Saints (12-2-3), who are ranked 15th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, will get a stiff one when they travel to sixth-ranked Naperville North (9-2-3) for a Naperville Invitational quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“When you get to this stage of the tournament, all eight teams are usually pretty good,” DiNuzzo said. “It’s high-level competition.

“That’s why we do the tournament – to figure out something about ourselves before we head into the final stretch and the playoffs.”

Despite having home-field advantage, Naperville North coach Steve Goletz expects a great battle.

“St. Charles East is one of the premier programs, right?” Goletz said. “Vince does a great job with those kids. They truly buy in and you can see the pride they have in playing for their school.

“I would consider them very similar to a lot of the other programs that we’re fortunate enough to compete against. There is really not a down year with them.”

Adding to the excitement is the unfamiliarity. The two squads are not on each other’s regular-season schedules and are in different sectionals, which will lend some intrigue to the match.

“I don’t know much about them, to be honest,” Goletz said. “We don’t have many common opponents, but I know what we’re going to get.

“They’re always technical; they always try to play. He’s always got kids who are willing to battle and compete physically.

“I remember from watching them last year they have a very good goalkeeper that is going to be tough to try to get one in on. When you make it this deep in the invite, you know you’re getting a great game.”

Indeed, even though their offense has been prolific with 47 goals, the Fighting Saints are hanging their hat on defense this spring. Junior goalkeeper Sidney Lazenby has been stellar and her backup, freshman Mia Olenek, also has the confidence of DiNuzzo.

“We pride ourselves on defending first,” DiNuzzo said. “That’s kind of been how we’ve attacked this year with the group we have.

“The kids who graduated last year set the foundation that defending was something that was going to keep us competitive. It’s a recipe for success in the playoffs. If you’re able to keep your opponent off the scoresheet or make it very difficult for them to score, you’re always going to be competitive and give yourself a chance.

“We have two goalkeepers who are very good players and in front of them a returning all-state centerback, a senior with some experience and a mix of freshmen.”

The Saints have conceded only eight goals so far, with Lazenby sporting a 0.56 goals-against average in 995 minutes of action and Olenik a 0.26 GAA in 305 minutes.

The defensive unit for the Saints includes senior all-stater Mackenzie Loomis along with freshmen Avery Foulkes and Lilli Margewich on the outside and freshman Presley Kannaka and senior Abbey Petrick in the middle. Senior Ava Perugini and Reese Kyle come off the bench to provide the starters a breather. Sophomore defensive midfielders Georggia Desario and Payton Rivard also can track back.

The Saints start four freshmen and only three seniors, but the Saints have made up for the lack of seniority with greater depth.

“The rotation is a lot larger than in years past,” DiNuzzo said. “I feel like in years past we go three deep off the bench. This year we’re going five or six.

“The way we want to play is getting box to box with our wingers and get everybody involved. It’s a lot on the kids, so we are rotating a lot.”

Senior Alli Saviano and freshman Sophia Wollenberg have been the main scoring threats. Both of have been outstanding, with Saviano collecting 13 goals and 12 assists, and Wollenberg providing 11 goals and 14 assists.

“That little combination has been working for us,” DiNuzzo said. “Sophia is probably more natural behind the striker, but we’re playing her as the striker.

“And Alli can do just about anything we can ask her to do. Sometimes we’ll have her play next to Sophia, sometimes we’ll have her play behind her.”

As good as those two have been, they won’t have an easy task of getting behind Naperville North’s defense, which has been equally stingy. The Huskies have allowed nine goals despite starting only one senior on the backline in front of sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Ochsner.

Naperville North boasts five strong fullbacks in senior Reagan O’Malley, Minnesota commit Emily Buescher and fellow junior Abby Penn, sophomore Addison Sitzmann and freshman sensation Lily Radek, whom Goletz said has the potential to be one of the best outside backs in program history.

“I think we’ve done a nice job,” Goletz said after the Huskies edged Neuqua Valley 2-1 on Monday. “We gave one up tonight on a penalty kick.

“Our focus every game is to always hold a shutout. It’s a full defensive effort from top to bottom, and Olivia has made saves when she’s needed to.

“In the playoffs, goals are super hard to come back, so if you can be as good as you can defensively, things sometimes will bounce in your direction. That’s the hope that we get into the last three weeks of the season.”

Though the Huskies’ offense hasn’t been as potent as St. Charles East, they have been in every game against one of the toughest schedules in the state. Naperville North also boasts a talented front line with all-state sophomore Claire DeCook and seniors Rachael Noren and Annie Chang leading the way.

DeCook has been especially impressive in returning from a torn ACL suffered last May. She boasts a breathtaking combination of speed, foot skills and leg strength. She has nine of North’s 27 goals, including the game-winner against Neuqua Valley, to go with five assists, which ties her with junior midfielder Isa Polavieja for the team lead in helpers.

Chang as six goals and one assist; Noren has four goals and four assists.

What will the outcome be? Probably a close, low-scoring game. But anything is possible.

“Steve always has them organized in the style those kids buy into,” DiNuzzo said. 

“Regardless of who they have out there, they all buy into his principles; and they defend well.

“Obviously, they have a couple of real good forwards up-top that keep you on the edge of your seat. You have to make sure that you’re well aware of where they are on the field.

“They’re very competitive in every game. Teams aren’t scoring four on them, so we don’t expect that. But we’re going to try to make life difficult for them.

“Obviously, going to their place at 7 p.m. on a Thursday, we’ve got our hands full. We’re going to have to be the best version of ourselves to give ourselves a shot.”

Naperville North knows it will have to do likewise.

“We’re excited,” Goletz said. “We always love to compete against great programs and Vince’s program is fantastic. We’re excited to be back in the quarterfinals again of such a great tournament.”