Esko managed to do keep Providence Academy from scoring for most of Wednesday’s semifinal, hunkering down behind a strong performance from junior center backs Eillee Straub and Maya Stuermer. But that defensive stand came after the defending state champion Lions had already scored twice in the first six minutes, a furious start, on the way to a a 3-1 victory. Their first score came from Greenway, the second from eighth-grader Elise Jensen redirecting Greenway’s cross into the net.
“[Greenway’s scoring] starts from their midfield,” said Esko senior midfielder and Ms. Soccer finalist Britta Koski. “So [it’s key] in our midfield, being able to mark up on the people who like to play the ball to her, and just trying to keep a tight grip on the midfield to not let those balls get played, and just letting our defense know that they have to step.”
Providence entered the game knowing it would have to solve Esko’s puzzle. After that draw on the road in September, the Lions switched their formation from a 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3. They’ve been playing that formation since, to notable success, putting up an average of 10 goals in their playoff games, minus Wednesday’s match.
“I think for us, in a way, we kind of took [that draw] personal, like that wasn’t our best performance when we played them up there,” Greenway said. “All of us have played [at state] for like four years in a row and have had that experience. We just came in knowing ‘first five minutes.’ ”
In the second half, it took a particularly spectacular goal from Greenway, cutting around a defender and curling in a left-footed strike from distance, to give Providence a cushion after Esko’s Hannah Rautell scored and ensured the Lions wouldn’t run away with this one.
“I personally like the challenge [of playing tough teams],” said Providence senior defender Liz Hughes. “I think we definitely play better when we’re playing better teams. We play up to their level. … I think those games really show us what we are capable of as a team and help us with confidence.”