ADDISON -- The minutes were running short in regulation for Loyola and Maine South in their Class 3A Addison Trail Regional championship match Friday night.

Mere minutes remained in the second half with the score tied 2-2 and overtime looming.

According to Loyola junior midfielder Grace Lynch, that was something her team did not want to think about.

“It’s the last thing we wanted,” said Lynch of the two 10-minute extra sessions. “Nothing is guaranteed in overtime, and we didn’t want to go to penalty kicks.

“We just told each other, ‘Let’s go! Let’s get that third goal!’”

In the 76th minute, Lynch started that process. She won a 50/50 ball at midfield and sent a perfect pass down the middle that skipped right to teammate Lily Berhalter.

With only one defender to beat, the sophomore found space and fired in the game-winning goal for a 3-2 Loyola victory.

“I got the ball,” said Lynch, “and I saw Lily making a run. 

“It was a perfect opportunity to slot it to her. She’s very technical, very good on her feet, and I knew she could get around her defender.”

Berhalter received the pinpoint pass from Lynch with only one Hawks backliner standing in front of her and paydirt.

“I had the chance to get isolated,” said Berhalter. “I got my head up, took a chance, tried to get the goalie off of her feet, and shot it.”

The sophomore deked her defender and converted the attempt from 13 yards almost dead-center with a high-velocity shot that gave the fourth-seeded Ramblers the lead in the 76th minute.

Fifth-seeded Maine South opened the match on a high note, shocking Loyola with a goal in the second minute.

Freshman midfielder Sofia Dilorenzo put a cross in to junior forward Audrey Winkler, who finished from five yards.

That left Loyola shaking its head in frustration, but Lynch said she and her teammates realized there was plenty of time to rebound.

“I knew we had to pick up the intensity,” said Lynch. “We’re pretty good at not letting (a deficit) get into our heads. We didn’t let that stop us.”

It sure didn’t. The Ramblers responded with two goals in the span of about six minutes to take the lead.

After a Maine South foul, Loyola junior Claire Brady lined up a free kick from 27 yards dead center.

Her drive on goal was saved by Maine South keeper Lourdes Bottari-Tower, but Rambler Emily Plovanich was there to clean up the rebound.

The senior connected in the 18th minute from eight yards to tie the game.

In the 24th minute, a Lynch shot produced another rebound.

It found the feet of teammate Izzy Garcia, who settled the ball and scored from 15 yards to make it 2-1 Loyola.

Maine South recovered to knot up the contest just before intermission.

In the 38th minute, Ella Rice picked off an attempted clearance by Loyola. 

The sophomore was alone in front of the net and curled a shot past Ramblers keeper Chloe Zipprich to the left corner from 15 yards.

The teams went to halftime tied up at 2-2, while Garcia wondered if she would be able to see the pitch in the final 40 minutes.

The junior suffered a calf cramp late in the opening period and had to be helped to the sideline.

“I really wanted to continue,” said Garcia. “I knew I was going to go back in and give it my all. I was going to do what I had to do, no doubt.”

Each team came out after the break and, in just the opening four minutes, sent a flurry of shots on goal in end-to-end action.

The best chance came from Berhalter. She dribbled down the far side of the pitch, angled in and sailed a bad angle shot right on goal.

But Bottari-Tower made the save, bobbling the ball but holding on.

In the 62nd minute, Maine South freshman Phoebe Walsh tracked down a loose ball and had a clear look at the frame, but fired the ball just wide.

Then Garcia, who was inserted back into the lineup in the early stages of the second half, led a counterattack.

She passed to teammate Mim Fritzsche, who delivered the ball to Lynch.

Lynch sent the ball flying to the goal but Bottari-Tower dove to steer it away.

Maine South pressed in the final minutes for the equalizer. They looked like they might have an opportunity when sophomore Anya Chojnowski made a long run down the right wing and crossed perfectly to the middle.

But no one from the Hawks could catch up to the ball and it sailed unfulfilled beyond the touchline.

In the final seconds, Maine South defender Kelsey Rouse had possession and looked for an opening, but the final horn sounded before she could get a shot off.

That led to a Loyola celebration in the middle of the pitch, and to Lynch and Berhalter earning Chicagoland Soccer co-MVP of the Match honors.

“This means everything and more,” said Berhalter. “Making an impact for my team in the last five minutes is what the game is all about. It’s something I try to do when we’re running out of time.

“Our whole team stepped up at the end, and that was really important. This is a moment you can’t re-make, It’s like the best thing ever, and I’m so excited."

Garcia added that it was especially meaningful to her to be able to contribute to the victory, especially on behalf of the upperclassmen.

“This is great for all of us,” said the junior, “but especially for our seniors. We all wanted to win, and we were all playing for each other."

Maine South junior defender Ava Kontuly said that the early score by the Hawks gave them a ton of momentum.

She was understandably disappointed by the final outcome, but added that her team gave it their all.

“We were really excited about that (the goal in the second minute),” said Kontuly. “Going into the game, we were obviously the underdog, but that was a terrific way to start.

“I think we did a great job tonight. No one was counting on us to win, but we tried our hardest even though we didn’t get the result."

The Hawks (11-11-2) went toe-to-toe with the Ramblers.

“This was a real barn-burner,” said Maine South coach J.J. Crawford. “Congrats to Loyola, they got that last one on a beautiful breakaway by number 13 (Berhalter).

“But my girls fought, and I’m super proud of them. We were hoping to get one more (goal), but it is what it is.

“It was an amazing game, and we left it all out on the field.”

The Ramblers (13-7-4) move on to the New Trier Sectional semifinals. There they they'll face the winner of Saturday's Niles North Regional between the host school and top-seeded New Trier.

Starting lineups

Maine South
GK: Lourdes Bottari-Tower
D: Kayla Cremins
D: Ava Kontuly
D: Layla Sellegren
D: Anya Chojnowski
M: Phoebe Welsh
M: Francesca Trippiedi
M: Sofia Dilorenzo
M: Ella Rice
F: Audrey Winkler
F: Lily Kontuly

Loyola
GK: Chloe Zipprich
D: Maria Nikas
D: Mia Wisler
M: Mim Fritzsche
M: Ellie Vehovsky
M: Grace Lynch
M: Claire Brady
M: Taylor Richards
M: Izzy Garcia
F: Lilianna Ciesla
F: Lily Berhalter

Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Grace Lynch, jr., MF, Loyola; Lily Berhalter, so., F., Loyola

Scoring summary

First half
MS: Winkler (Dilorenzo), 2'
Loyola: Plovanich (Brady), 18'
Loyola: Garcia (Lynch), 24'
MS: Rice (unassisted), 38'

Second half
Loyola: Berhalter (Lynch), 76'