WASHINGTON, Ill. — Freshman midfielder Gabby Tylka is one of many reasons why Providence feels that — after winning its second straight sectional title and putting a scare Tuesday night into powerhouse Peoria Notre Dame — this might be just the start.
Tylka, who scored 10 goals this season and whose skills are advanced enough that she is set to play this summer with a U23 semipro team, certainly believes the future is bright.
“It’s been a great year,” Tylka said. “We had to lose at some point after we’ve won all these games. But I’m really excited about next year. We’ll be back.”
The Celtics put themselves in a good position to push for the program’s first state appearance, but it slipped away late as Peoria Notre Dame pulled away for a 3-0 win in the Class 2A Washington Supersectional.
Senior goalkeeper Claire Wajda made seven saves for Providence (22-1-2), including stopping Irish superstar Ava Lafollette on a penalty kick. Alyssa Thulin had the lone shot on goal for the Celtics.
Lafollette responded to the missed penalty kick by scoring a hat trick over the final 24 minutes, adding to her program record for goals in a season with 57. Peoria Notre Dame (25-1-1) remained undefeated against Illinois competition.
The Celtics, however, started only four seniors and figure to bring back a heap of talent. That includes Tylka, who will be playing with the Joliet-based Steel City FC women’s U25 team.
“One of our freshman coaches is an assistant for them and he told me to try out,” Tylka said. “It’s great. I went to a few tryouts. All the players are really nice. Some of them are like 9 years older than me and one of them asked, ‘How are you here?’
“But it’s really fun. It’s a great opportunity. I can’t wait.”
While the future is exciting, the Celtics felt like they took a big step in the present Tuesday night.
Providence coach Mike Taylor was thrilled after his team held off Peoria Notre Dame while playing with a strong wind disadvantage in the first half, going into halftime scoreless.
Taylor felt it was a much different game from last season when the same two teams met in a supersectional and the Irish won 4-0.
“Last year, we knew it was going to be rough,” Taylor said. “It was just our first year getting there and stuff like that. This year, anyone could have won. We’re as good as them.
“Take away that first goal and we’re going to overtime, maybe going to PKs, because they only scored those last two after we pushed everybody up in the final minutes.”
Wajda kept the game scoreless by tipping Lafollette’s penalty kick over the crossbar with 28:53 left.
“She’s just a gamer,” Taylor said of Wajda. “She hates to dive in practice. She’ll wave at the ball and I’ll yell at her. But we come into games, she’ll dive for the ball. She made a couple nice diving saves.
“The PK just exemplified her. She gave everything she had every game.”
Lafollette broke through just under six minutes later with a shot that went off Wajda’s leg and the inside of the post before tucking into the net. Lafollette added two goals in the final five minutes.
That didn’t take away the Celtics’ pride.
“We probably could have pushed a little more, but I’m so proud of our team,” Thulin said. “We’ve come so far and we just fell a little short.”
Thulin, a junior midfielder, is confident bigger things are ahead.
“I think it’s just the start,” she said. “I think next year we’ll for sure have it. We’re going to come back stronger, remember this feeling, remember it sucks and push even harder for that win.“
