Boeing delivers in overtime to send Trevians to elite eight

No need to tell Noa Boeing “that’s the way the ball bounces.” She knows all about it.

The New Trier junior on Friday night experienced both the low and the high that can result from the unpredictability of a ball in flight.

The low nearly overwhelmed Boeing after she inadvertently deflected the ball into her team’s net in the first half. But, supported by the rest of the Trevians, Boeing kept at it and about 70 minutes later was on the positive end of fortune, striking a ball into the net following a chaotic sequence in the Evanton goalbox.

“I think I got a touch off a throw in and tried to flick it on, but I headed it really far up and they weren’t ready for it,” Boeing explained. “I mishit again, but it came back to me, and then I just hit it as hard as I could and good thing it went in.

“I was really excited. It was an awesome way to bounce back from the own goal in the first half. That really got in my head. (Coach Jim) Burnside talked to me and told me to have the mind of a goldfish, forget it. That really helped.” 

Boeing’s overtime goal was the game-winner in New Trier’s 2-1 victory in the IHSA Class 3A Evanston Sectional championship Friday on Lazier Field, marking a second straight comeback for the Trevians, who trailed the Kits 1-0 well into the second half.

Winning their ninth sectional title in 11 seasons, New Trier moves on to the supersectional, or final eight, round and a date with Hinsdale Central at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, at Dominican University.

While not speaking to any specific plays, Burnside praised Boeing’s play throughout Friday night’s victory.

“I thought Noa Boeing, who scored that goal, played maybe the game of her life,” he said. “She played penalty spot to penalty spot all night long for 100 minutes. She just was astounding tonight.”

Evanston got on the board first with the ricochet deep in New Trier’s box with about 10 minutes to go in the first half.

The Trevians picked up an advantage midway through the second half after a second yellow card removed a Wildkit from the pitch.

Just 17 seconds later, New Trier junior Addy Randall gathered a head flick from Catherine Shean, worked in the box until she could turn, and ripped a shot past the Evanston keeper to tie thing at 1-1.

Though the Wildkits threatened multiple points in the second half, late in the half New Trier flipped the field and didn’t let Evanston have it back the rest of the match. The Trevians put eight shots on frame in the second half and two more in overtime.

Boeing and Burnside credited their team’s preparation and confidence.

“Our kids have great fitness,” Burnside said. “They took a breath after halftime and there were some nerves. But … there was some screaming, yelling and laughing and I thought, ‘I can build on this.’ We went into the second half with some confidence, and getting to the overtime there was a real sense of, ‘We’re going to do this.'”

Boeing’s goal came in the ninth minute of overtime, and the Trevians held the Wildkits at bay the rest of the way.

Stay tuned to TheRecordNorthShore.org as more details, quotes and photos are added to this recap.

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