Benet and Lyons last played each other in a Naperville Invitational consolation match in 2023, with the Lions rallying to win 2-1.

The lights will be a little brighter and the stakes a little higher when the two sides collide again at 5 p.m. Thursday at Naperville North in the first quarterfinal of the Naperville Invitational.

Both Lyons, which is ranked seventh in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll, and no. 23 Benet are enjoying stellar campaigns and are coming off thrilling victories against conference rivals Tuesday.

The Lions (11-1-2) beat Hinsdale Central 2-1 to avenge last year’s double-overtime sectional final loss to the Red Devils. Benet (9-1-2), meanwhile, waited out a 45-minute lightning delay before rallying to beat Saint Viator 4-2 and extend its winning streak to eight games.

The Redwings are making only their second quarterfinal appearance in the tournament and first since 2019, the year they captured the Class AA state championship. They are excited.

“Without a doubt,” Benet coach Gerard Oconer said. “That’s why we play in the tournament, is so we get games like what we’re going to see in the state tournament, especially this year with our sectional.”

Indeed, after finishing as the Class AA state runnerup in each of the past two seasons, the Redwings have been bumped up to Class 3A for the first time since the 2021 season. They went undefeated that year until the sectional final, when they lost 1-0 to – you guessed it – the Lions.

So, you can see how this match will be a stern test for the Redwings.

“I think because of the high pace of the game it’s going to be really important for us to keep our composure,” Oconer said. “We need to try to connect passes and be able to finish our chances, because you always know against LT it’s really hard to score on them.

“They’re so organized. There is not really any kind of weak spots, and then we just have to be solid on defense.”

The two teams are near carbon copies of one another, especially defensively. Both teams have allowed eight goals.

Benet has a star goalkeeper in senior Kate Grubish, who has been solid in her first year as a starter after being a backup the past two seasons behind all-stater Shannon Clark, who is now playing at Denver. Grubish has made 30 saves to go with an 0.64 goals-against average.

The backline consists of senior stalwarts Bailey Abbott, who is a force in the air, and Gabby Hedden, and juniors Chloe Sentman and Megan Sarros.

Saint Viator (10-2-0) held a 2-1 first half lead Tuesday, but Benet scored the final three goals to capture at least a share of the East Suburban Catholic Conference championship.

While they lack a dominant scorer, the Redwings still are dangerous thanks to a diversified approach.

Their scoring is spread out, with sophomore midfielder Annie Fitzgerald pacing the attack with seven goals and five assists. Junior forwards Johnna Caliendo has six goals and five assists, and Eleanor Mahan has six goals and three assists. Junior Natalie Grover has contributed five goals off the bench.

Could spreading out the scoring be an advantage?

“Absolutely,” Gerard said. “Viator, obviously no. 10 (Monica Correa) is their big player and she showed up in the first half. Whereas against us, I’m not sure who you tell your team to key on.”

But Lyons would do well to look out for Fitzgerald, who is gathering steam and recorded two game-winning goals in the last three matches, including Tuesday’s win. She and Mahan each scored twice against Viator.

The zeitgeist is similar for Lyons. Sophomore Zibby Michaelson leads the offense with nine goals. Junior all-stater Caroline Mortonson, a three-year starter who is committed to Miami of Ohio, is next with seven goals and six assists.

Brennan Israel has chipped in five goals and four assists and Southern Indiana recruit Josie Pochocki has four goals and five assists.

“One of our biggest strengths is just the fact that we’re getting contributions from so many different places,” Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary said. “It’s not just one or two players. I think everybody has collectively made us pretty strong.

“Zibby is having a big year for us, and then we have a lot of kids that have three or four goals. (Senior midfielder) Izzy Wirtz is doing a really nice job for us in the middle even though she doesn’t end up on the stat sheet most games.

“Our centerbacks – Brennan Israel and Caroline McKenna – have been really good.”

They probably will need to be against Benet.

“I haven’t seen them since last year but from what I remember they’ve got some real speed up-top that’s dangerous,” Lanspeary said. “They’re always really well organized. They’re going to play hard.

“I think they’ve got a very good keeper. They’re obviously really good all over.”