Pleasant Plains girls' soccer tops Williamsville, winning 3rd program sectional

ROCHESTER, Ill. (WAND) - For the 3rd time in Pleasant Plains girls' soccer history, the Cardinals have won the sectional championship, after topping fellow #1 seed Williamsville, 1-0 on Friday.

Pleasant Plains now advance to super sectionals where they will face Alleman from Rock Island.

Both the Cardinals and Bullets entered the class 1A championship without conceding a postseason goal in regulation. As conference foes, the teams met for the 3rd time this season with the stakes of the loser's season ending, and the winner surviving for another round of the tournament.

The lone goal was scored with less than 3-minutes left in the first half, following a Williamsville foul in front of the 18-yard box. Pleasant Plains ran a set piece which saw Grace Sabatka run over the ball, allowing Raelynn Brammer a clean shot on net. The hard kick hit the hands of the goalkeeper and went into the netting, giving the Cardinals the lead and momentum into halftime.

"We always just talk about how we're just trying to get a couple more days together," Brammer said following the match. "We're super close. We just want to be able to play with each other as long as you can."

The Bullets maintained better possession of the ball in the second half, forcing Pleasant Plains to make numerous stops and work off a counterattack. Thanks to the efforts of the defense and sophomore goalkeeper Emma Sabatka, the Cardinals held on for the victory.

"Playing teams like Rochester, Chatham, Williamsville, all these teams, they're great," said Bailey Leach, an Illinois State soccer commit. "It just helps us again in the postseason. I think that's what helped us win this game."

Pleasant Plains will now chase a chance to return to the state finals. The program finished 3rd in the 2023 season, with a previous 4th place finish in 2009.

Williamsville's season comes to an end, sending off the most decorated class in program history. The Bullet seniors have won 4-consecutive regional championships, and finished as runner's up and 3rd place at state the last 2 seasons.