After a team builds up to a 15-0-1 start, it's guaranteed they have their eyes set on the IHSA finals.

That's the path that Willows, of Des Plaines, began on before qualifying for the final weekend of the high school season.

It’s the second visit in the program's history and first since 2011, when the Eagles finished in third place in Class A under then-coach Amy McMahon. It also was the only other time that the school has qualified for the state finals in an elimination-tournament sport.

After suffering their first losses in their last two regular-season matches, to fellow Final Four member University (Chicago) and Class AA DePaul, coach Kayla Driver's Eagles (20-2-1) outscored their five postseason opponents by a 26-3 margin to earn their spot in Thursday's Class A semifinals at North Central College in Naperville. 

There they'll meet Althoff (14-9-3), of Belleville, in a 5:30 p.m. match. The teams will battle for a spot in Saturday's 2:30 p.m. championship; while the other will deal with a quick turnaround in the third place match on Friday at 11:30 a.m. 

University (Chicago/13-3-1) and Williamsville (23-4-0) meet up in the other semifinal Thursday at 7 p.m.

After winning their first two matches, the Eagles played to a 2-2 draw with Parker on March 26. They then ran off 13-straight wins. In the 16-game streak, Willows allowed six goals and recorded 13 shutouts.

The Eagles fell 2-1 at University (Chicago) May 2 in a showdown for the Independent School League title and played their final tournament tune-up in a a 2-0 road loss at DePaul on May 8.

Willows bounced back from those defeats with a pair of 8-0 triumphs in the Chicago Academy Regional, defeating the hosts in the title match. Then it opened play in the IC Prep Sectional in Elmhurst with a 4-1 win over Marine Leadership, of the Chicago Public League Premier Division North.

Willows claimed the second sectional title in program history May 21 when it captured a 4-1 victory over IC Prep. That earned a ticket to Saturday's Dominican University Supersectional where the Eagles rallied for a 2-1 win over Richmond-Burton.

Senior midfielder Veronica Presberg, who leads the team with 35 goals and 26 assists, connected following a rebound of a blocked penalty kick that she took in the 46th minute and later directed a corner kick to junior defender Julia Lechner who scored what proved to be the eventual match-winner in the 66th minute to earn the Eagles their second finals trip.

Other Willows players with double digit goals are freshman midfielder Mary Seuffert (25 goals, eight assists) and junior midfielder Bernadette Presberg (16 goals, 12 assists).

Additional top scorers for the Eagles are senior forward Simone Burns (nine goals, three assists), senior midfielder Emily Elder (six goals, eight assists), sophomore forward/midfielder Tess Anastasi (five goals, four assists), junior forward Lucia Castillo Ibero (five goals) and Lechner (five goals, three assists).

Senior goalkeeper Pia Chapello, an Illinois High School Soccer Coaches’ all-sectional honorable mention pick and academic award honoree, has allowed 11 goals in 20 matches for an 0.55 GAA and has recorded 76 saves. The Eagles have recorded 15 shutouts this season and allowed more than one goal on just four occasions.

Driver, who is in her third season of leading the Eagles program, has compiled a 46-10-4 record at the school. Last season, her team finished 15-4-3 after losing 7-2 to Richmond-Burton in the sectional finals. She is assisted by Johnny Presberg and Dora Mendoza.

Team captains for the Eagles are Veronica Presberg, Burns and Lechner. Veronica Presberg earned all-sectional honors both this season and last. Lechner, who was an honorable mention all-sectional selection in 2023, was all-section this season.

Senior defender Ariella Donahue was recognized for her sportsmanship by the coaches this season.