Tritons dominate to advance to regional semifinals

By Tori Wittenbrock 

Associate Sports Editor

GREEN BAY – On Tuesday, May 21, the Notre Dame Academy (NDA) Tritons (13-5-2 overall, 5-2-2 conf.) took on the Sheboygan South Redwings in the final game of the regular season, adding a 4-0 win to their record on Senior Night. This win brings them to a third place finish in the Fox River Classic Conference (FRCC). 

The Tritons started off strong in the attack with attacking midfielder Audrey Burnell feeding through balls to Lacey Fabry for a slew of shots saved by Sheboygan South’s keeper, Lily Wamser. 

Just three minutes into the game, this tactic paid off when Fabry placed a low shot into the far post for a goal in the third minute off an assist from Camille Broulire to go up 1-0. 

A shot from Erin McNerney from wide in the 9th minute kept the Redwings on their toes but ultimately sailed into the keeper’s hands. 

Shortly after, Fabry was sent on another run to the corner on a diagonal ball from Burnell that ended with a shot that sailed just over the net and out for a goal kick. 

The Tritons saw another quick attempt when a dangerous cross by McNerney was cleared out by the Redwings defense in the 12th minute.

NDA continued to pose a threat when McNerney’s next shot had Wamser come off her line and dive to push the ball out for a corner kick in the 14th minute. 

Center forward Jasmine Martinez knocked in the second goal of the game on a header off of Fabry’s outswinger corner kick to bring the score to 2-0. 

The Tritons attempted to replicate this play in the 18th minute but were unsuccessful. 

“We missed a lot tonight, so maybe a finishing practice is in order,” said Tritons Head Coach Nick Browne. 

“They moved the ball in stretches, which was nice, but other than that we’ve got a couple of things to work on.”

A quick counterattack by Sheboygan South in the 25th minute posed a threat for the Tritons, but their back line stayed strong and forced a turnover before possessing out of the back for a shot by an unmarked Teya Bordini in the 25th minute that was saved by Wamser.

Fabry had a shot that skidded just wide of the far post in the 29th minute on a breakaway as she cut towards the goal. 

With just 3 minutes remaining in the first half, NDA managed to create chaos in front of the net off a cross from Bordini, leading to a shot by Burnell that went just over the crossbar to keep the score at 2-0. 

The Tritons again came out strong to start the second half with a shot from Anna Clancy just wide of the goal. 

A cross by Fabry to Martinez in the 46th minute led to a scramble in front of the net but the Tritons were unable to put it away to lengthen their lead. 

NDA continued to string together passes as they built out of the back until McNerney collected the ball just outside the box for a shot that was defended well by Sheboygan South. 

“That was one of the points of today — we were talking about working the ball around with pace, and we didn’t see that a lot in the first half. In the second half, you saw little stretches of it but it needs to improve,” said Browne of his team's ability to possess out of the back. 

In the 58th minute, Abby LaMere chipped a ball into the box to find Fabry at the far post for a header into the back of the net to go up 3-0 on the Redwings. 

Just one minute later, the Tritons put an end to Sheboygan South’s chances of a comeback with a goal by Alicia Juarez slotted just past Wamser, assisted by Bordini. 

Though the Tritons continued to dominate possession in the second half, the 4-0 score would remain until the end of the match. 

A header attempt by Charlee King on the next corner kick would be the Tritons final solid attempt of the game. 

“We have some things to tighten up for the State run,” said Browne. 

Notre Dame Academy will advance to the postseason in their WIAA Regional semifinal game against Berlin (2-12-1 overall, 1-5-0 conf.) on Thursday, May 30 at 4 p.m.