Senior midfielder Eva Samuelian wasn’t going out without a fight for Burlington Central.
Late in the first half, Samuelian required medical assistance after suffering a foot and knee injury.
“The trainer kept asking me if I wanted to go back in, and the only thing I thought of was trying to soak in as much as possible,” she said. ”Being a senior, this wasn’t going to be my last game.
“I just knew I wanted to be back in there.”
Samuelian’s gutsy return Friday against conference rival Crystal Lake Central gave the Rockets a boost during a 2-0 loss in the Class 2A state semifinals at North Central College in Naperville.
Burlington Central coach Jessica Arneson knew a healthy Samuelian was essential if the Rockets (15-9-2) had any hope against the Tigers (22-2-2), a Fox Valley Conference stalwart.
“That was very scary for Eva,” Arenson said. “She has been our rock in the middle of the field.
“I like to use adjectives for different kids. The one I’d use for her is unshakeable. She’s a good kid, on and off the field. She works hard. She has setbacks, but she has learned to overcome them.”
Samuelian, who entered the game with 11 goals and eight assists, personified the perseverance, skill and toughness of Burlington Central, which overcame a shaky 0-5-1 start to this season.
The Rockets were making their second appearance in the state finals in program history.
“I think it was really about us figuring out how we were going to work together and what everybody’s job was,” Samuelian said. “I feel like overall, we’ve all gotten really close.
“I care about this team. There is so much support, and this is such a great team to be a part of.”
As a four-year starter and captain, Samuelian sets a tone for the culture, practice habits and manner of the Rockets, according to senior defender Rylee Butler.
“Eva is such a good leader, such a good role model,” Butler said. “All the freshmen and sophomores look up to her. I look up to her. She’s our stone, our foundation.
“Her hype is our hype. Her vibe, everybody vibes off of. She is our go-to. I love her.”
Samuelian took up soccer relatively late, around the age of 11 or 12.
She had the perfect foil and influence in her older brother, Tristan, a standout goalkeeper who’s now playing baseball at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
“He’d always give me a hard time when we were in the backyard, going one-on-one against each other,” she said. “He’d stop me, not let me score. I’d get mad, but he always made me better.
“He was definitely the reason I started playing soccer.”
Her ability as a creator and distributor paved the way for sophomore midfielder Mekenzie Rogers, who scored 38 goals in her first year with the program.
“Getting up from that injury just showed what a leader she is for our team,” Rogers said. “We are so grateful to have her on the team because she is always pushing us to be better.
“She’s funny, and she’s always hyping the team. When I first joined, she really welcomed me and that was really important for me.”
Soon, Samuelian will turn her attention to attending Illinois in the fall, focusing on her academics.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, the third-place game marks the end of something special.
“I was talking with some other seniors, and we just said how happy we are to be here and still playing,” Samuelian said. “This is the best outcome we could have possibly asked for.
“Losing the game (Friday) was disappointing, but just being with this team is what really matters.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
