BARRINGTON -- There is no agony in soccer quite like a penalty shootout.

For the players, managers and fans, it's a torturous experience that puts the team’s destiny at the mercy of attempts at goal from 12 yards away.

But after 80 minutes of regulation, plus another 20 minutes of extra-time, how else can you separate teams without the toss of a coin?

For star-studded Barrington and Fremd, the renowned Mid-Suburban League rivals, one would advance to the Class 3A Final Four and the other would suffer a heartbreaking end to their season in front of a large crowd at Barrington Community Stadium.

The thrilling match was decided in kicks after each side was unable to find a goal despite the pleas of their faithful followings.

In the Hersey Sectional final May 25, goalkeeper Emily Gordon led Fremd to a 1-1 (2-1 pens) victory over Libertyville. Tuesday night, the senior stepped up once more to lead her teammates to the promised land.

The senior stopped two spot-kicks, while Bella Scesniak, Gwen Zimmerman and Gemma Gillespie were perfect in their attempts to inspire a 3-1 advantage in kicks after four rounds and a Barrington Supersectional victory over the Fillies.

The narrow victory sends the Vikings (16-4-4) into the finals for the first time since 2011. They will face St. Charles North (17-2-5) in the 6 p.m. semifinal at North Central College in Naperville.

"This is like a dream come true, going to state after four years on the varsity and in the senior year for myself and a few of my teammates," said terrific Fremd centerback Bella Scesniak.

Gillespie, Gordon, Scesniak, Ava Catherall, Riley Goettsche and Maddie McMillan are all four-year veterans playing for manager Steve Keller, who now has a fourth state trophy to collect.

"There wasn't much to separate both teams tonight," began Keller, who led the Vikings to a pair of second place finishes at state (2007, 2009) before a 2011 fourth place finish.

"I thought we had a lot of the play in the first half. (Barrington had) most in the second half with us a little fortunate when the ball was bouncing around inside our six after three or four corners.

"Both teams gave it all tonight. Going in, we felt confident that if it went to kicks that we were up to the challenge. Emily has the ability to read the opponent from the spot and make the necessary decision to give her the chance to make the save."

"It's kind of hard to think that for the second game in a row we went to a shootout," said Gordon long after her teammates raced out to congratulate her on her fourth round save that sealed the victory.

"My confidence going into another shootout was really strong after our win against Libertyville last weekend. I was ready when it got closer to reality.

"I watch closely how the shooter lines up at the spot, and the direction they're facing before their attempt. So far, it has worked in two-straight games."

Gordon shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor with Barrington’s superb central defender Roos VanRoekel, who showed why she was the West Division Player of the Year with a sterling 100-minute performance.

"Roos was just steady all night long, just as she has been this entire season," said manager Ryan Stengren. “She runs the show for us in a backline that had three brand new starters this year and never missed a beat.”

VanRoekel was one of five Fillies who converted a perfect round of PKs (5-3) to defeat Lake Zurich in the Huntley Sectional title match May 25. That win earned Barrington’s 15th-consecutive sectional title and 19th overall.

"It's a tough way to go out for any team at this time of the year, but our long streak had to come to an end at some point. The odds eventually go the other way," said Stengren.

"We went into overtime to beat Huntley (1-0) in our sectional semifinal, to kicks to beat Lake Zurich without scoring a goal, and it was another night of not scoring, but ending up on the short end of things.

"Scoring goals of late has been difficult for us. We've hit the post and bar so many times. Maybe our luck ran out tonight.

"My hat’s off to Steve and his girls. They will be a great representative of the MSL and have a great chance of making it to the final on Saturday night."

This contest was delayed nearly 30 minutes due to a nasty storm that came through the area, but when the skies cleared and the sun appeared, the 55-degree weather proved perfect conditions for this highly anticipated contest.

Fremd was on its front foot from the opening whistle. The visitors work-rate, pace, pressure and first and second ball winning success kept Barrington from having much of the ball during the first 20 minutes.

"Our energy was great coming over in the bus," said Scesniak. “We were listening to our favorite music and were just ready to go after the weather delay," said Scesniak.

"(We) had to ready from the start tonight, because we were playing a great team, who was at home," added Zimmerman. “We all knew what was at stake.”

The sophomore engaged in a terrific 1-v-1 battle throughout the evening with her counterpart at the six, Barrington’s Maddy Ziebarth. The pair fought for 50/50 wins all night.

"Gwen had the better of things in the first half, but I thought Maddy had a very strong second half for us," said Stengren. “She continued to be that way all throughout the overtime.”

On the night, Ziebarth won the aerial contest 22-14.

Zimmerman was a key figure in the Fremd attack with quality distribution and a handful of enterprising runs to push her club forward.

The first half-chance of the game came when Gillespie dented the outside netting with her 30-yard free kick in the 18th minute.

The best clear chance, however, came from the home side at 35 minutes.

That's when Barrington forward Piper Lucier sent Kaitlin Taylor through with a brilliant ball.

The senior burst free toward the Vikings box before a marvelous tackle from Maddie McMillan ended what appeared to be a potential 1-v-1 opportunity for the Fillies senior.

"(That) tackle likely saved a goal," said Keller.

"Just a great sequence from Piper to Kaitlin,” said Stengren. “Maybe if she takes one less touch and just puts the ball on frame it's a goal. Who knows?" 

Fillies keeper Megan Holland made a lone save over the 100 minutes en route to her 15.5 clean-sheet of the season.

At the end of a Sami Serpico-Gwen Zimmerman well-executed counter, the Fillies junior keeper extended to her left to feel the sting of a Zimmerman effort off the tips of her gloves on an attempt that was at the post.

Things turned around after the break.

"(Keller) told us at half to keep our energy, intensity and pressure high in the second half," began Scesniak. “That's the way we started.

"When that fell off a bit, that's when Barrington began to put us under (pressure). We had trouble winning the 50/50s and getting anything going with our attack."

Barrington was largely unable to find feet during the first 10 minutes of the new half. But when it did, it was from the combined efforts of Lucier, Taylor, Ziebarth, freshman Aybree Sanchez and senior Sarah Sarnowski.

The St. Louis University-bound Sarnowski gave the Fillies faithful hope after her return from the injury list due to a stress fracture in her right foot.

"We missed Sarah terribly for obvious reasons, no less her great leadership on the field, which she still gave in training despite being unable to play," began Stengren.

"In just 12 games, she scored 12 goals, assisted on another 13 while being creative, dangerous with or without the ball and helping open things up for others.

"She was probably only at 50 percent tonight, but what she was able to give us did give a spark when we needed it."

The Fillies created a trio of free kicks for specialist VanRoekel but all came up empty.

There was a bit of controversy in the 58th minute which could have been costly both in this match and on Friday for the victorious Vikings.

Barrington’s Madeline Lewis took a hard foul near the midline, but play continued with the Fillies holding an advantage.

When nothing was mustered in the final third, the referee rightly came back to the point of the foul to issue a yellow card.

Regrettably, Gwen Zimmerman was booked despite the fact the sophomore star was not within 15 yards of the infraction. She was forced to play on a yellow for the next 42 minutes.

"(It) was the correct call to come back and give a yellow, but the foul was on another player," said an annoyed Keller.

"If Gwen somehow received another yellow, she would have been gone for the rest of tonight and potentially our semifinal Friday at state," continued Keller, who appealed for minutes to the assistant and eventually the referee to overturn the yellow card.

Play resumed, after Keller’s arguments fell upon deaf ears, with a Barrington attack that suddenly was full of vim and vigor.

Fremd held its collective breath when the Fillies fourth corner of the night bounced around the Vikings box like a wayward ping-pong ball. It appeared that Fremd blocked several close-range attempts before they got to Gordon.

Those nervous moments in the 68th minute were followed by another corner and then a VanRoekel free kick from 35 yards that forced Gordon to make a save.

Once in the first extra session, a free kick from Scesniak was not cleared far enough out of the area. That allowed Serpico to race toward the goal, but Holland’s quick and strong run off her line ended the 50/50 challenge in the 89th minute.

The end-to-end pace continued but produced no quality attempts on frame. The 100-minute work-rate of both teams was impressive to witness.

Penalties gave the final chance for heroics on the night, and Gordon and her three teammates came through.

VanRoekel buried the lone conversion for the Fillies. Gordon’s saves before and after the tally sent the Vikings faithful into orbit.

"What a senior year this has been," was the response from Gordon. "It's just a crazy ending we've had these last two games.”

"I am so happy obviously for my teammates, but especially the seniors who have given so much to all of us and the program," added Zimmerman.

"Both teams gave 110 percent tonight," began a proud Steve Keller.

"The pressure really didn't allow for much going in the run of play. But when you have a game between two teams that know each other so well, what else can you expect?

"Tonight we weathered a second half storm in order to beat one of the best teams in the state. Now we'll look to get a little healthier as we prepare for St. Charles North."

Stengren’s club shed tears before and after his talk, when he told his players this result and the season have produced countless memories.

"I am sad right now for this team, and especially a group of seniors that have meant so much to each other and our program," said Stengren.

"I cannot put into words how proud I am of this team. They gave us so much excitement in a season that included a 12th-consecutive MSL championship, 15th-straight regional and sectional championships and almost an appearance in the state tournament.

"We scored 80 goals this season, and conceded just five. We accomplished so much.

"Best of luck again to Steve and his girls."

The loss ended Barrington’s streak of six-straight state trophies.

The Fillies will return seven from its first 11. They include the All-State duo of Holland, and Lucier, who has committed to play at Marquette.

Starting lineups

Fremd (4-3-3)
GK- Emily Gordon
D- Maddie McMillan
D- Bella Scesniak
D- Gemma Gillespie
D- Cami Tofilon
M- Natalia Wala
M- Gwen Zimmerman
M- Sophia Kennedy
F- Ava Catherall
F- Sami Serpico
F- Lily Mayer

Barrington (4-4-2)
GK: Megan Holland
D- Chloe Gierthy
D- Roos VanRoekel
D- Grace Fuller
D- Hannah Blue
M- Annie Tarpey
M- Maddy Ziebarth
M- Kaitlin Taylor
M- Madeline Lewis
F- Piper Lucier
F- Aybree Sanchez

Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Emily Gordon, sr., GK, Fremd; Roos VanRoekel, sr., D, Barrington

Referee: Ryan Eckert

Scoring summary

First half
No scoring

Second half
No scoring

First overtime
No scoring

Second overtime
No scoring

Shootout (Fremd wins PKs 3-1/4)
Barrington: Sarnowski (bar), Lucier (saved), VanRoekel (good), Taylor (saved)
Fremd: Scesniak (good), Zimmerman (good), Gillespie (good).

Statistics

Shots on
Fremd: 1
Barrington: 5

Shots off
Fremd: 1
Barrington: 3

Corner kicks
Fremd: 1
Barrington: 6

Offside
Fremd: 0
Barrington: 4

Fouls
Fremd: 10
Barrington: 7