TROY — When Makenna Yeager walked off the soccer field for the final time in her high school career Tuesday, she was disappointed at Chatham Glenwood’s 2-0 loss to Troy Triad in the Class 2A Troy Supersectional.  
The Titans were the reigning Class 2A state champs and she really wanted to get back to Naperville for a chance to defend her title. But Yeager, who has brought plenty of hardware to the halls of Glenwood High School — two girls soccer regional and sectional titles, a Class 3A runner-up girls basketball trophy and last year’s soccer state championship — was able to put the season, and her team’s accomplishments, into perspective. 
“I feel like this team has had a really great season,” the senior midfielder said. “We lost so many seniors, so we didn’t even know if we were going to make it this far. I’m really proud of all of our girls; we put in a really great effort. I’m proud of what we did, I’m proud of what we accomplished. 
“We were so close (but) it’s bitter (to lose).” 
The way Glenwood lost was the hardest pill to swallow. A penalty kick late in the first half was stopped by Triad goalkeeper Payton Hartmann. Then, London Looby ended a scoreless game with just 2 minutes, 20 seconds left in regulation.  
Alina Ayran added a goal in the final minute to send Triad (21-4-1) to the Class 2A state semifinals at North Central College in Naperville with a 2-0 win over Glenwood (17-7-1).
“As the half went along, we played better and better and created a ton of chances — they just didn’t go our way,” Glenwood coach Jay Lipe said. “Triad is a part of that reason: they kept us out, their goalkeeper made some big saves, and we missed some chances that might normally go in.  
“That’s frustrating because when the kids play that well, you feel like they deserve a good result. It just wasn’t our night.” 
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In the 33rd minute, Glenwood junior Lyla Franke stepped up to take a penalty kick. Hartmann dove to her right to make the stop look easy.  
“The game could’ve went either way,” Triad coach Matt Bettlach said. “It was a crazy game.” 
It was Glenwood, though, which seemed to dominate time of possession and give itself several scoring opportunities late in the first half after Triad put the pressure on the Titans’ defense early and often.  
The Knights reclaimed their momentum when the second half began.  
“I feel like that last 10 minutes of the first half, we were doing good things and getting shots on goal,” Yeager said. “Then halftime came and we just did not have the start (to the second half) that we were hoping for. We just came out kind of slow and not connecting on our passes.” 
Eventually, a throw-in found its way into the box before Looby used to left foot to beat Glenwood goalie Abi Stephens in the 78th minute. Ayran put away an assist from teammate Emma Correale for an insurance goal with 45 seconds left. 
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A day after the news of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton‘s death at 71, Bettlach used a quote from the two-time NBA champion before his team’s game.
“‘You learn from yesterday, you dream about tomorrow,'” Bettlach said, quoting Big Red. “‘Make today your masterpiece.’
“I heard that this morning … and I thought, that quote was right for today.”
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR. 

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