NAPERVILLE -- It may not have been its most dramatic victory of the season, but the third place game in the Class 3A playoffs against Edwardsville will certainly be one that Fremd and its faithful followers remember for a long time.

After missing out on a chance to play for a state title following a heart-breaking 1-0 semifinal defeat Friday at the hands of St. Charles North, the Vikings found a way to pick themselves up off the turf one day later in grand style.

Vikings senior Gemma Gillespie got get her club out to a dream start with her first strike of the day in the 10th minute and the goals kept coming in a 4-2 third place victory.

Fremd now has four state trophies to boast about. It was the first third place finish for the Vikings after runnerup runs in 2007 and 2009, and a fourth place effort in 2011. All have come under the watchful eye of the superb Steve Keller, who claimed career girls victory number 321 to end the season.

Combined with his work on the boys side, the Vikings mentor has collected a combined 10 state trophies and nearly 650 victories.

"This has been a tremendous team to have been around," he said. “They really became a group that cared for each other, fought for each other and won for each other.

"Gemma, Bella (Scesniak) and Ava Catherall have been with the varsity since freshman year, and they have been instrumental to our success these last four years." 

Fremd got past its Friday disappointment quickley.

"We just did not play well against St. Charles North," said Gillespie. “We gave up that early goal, and couldn't find our way back.

"The last thing we wanted to do was to end our season with two losses after such a great year. I feel like that really gave all of us the inspiration to go out and play the best that we could to end our year on a high note."

The loss certainly did not diminish Edwardsville’s accomplishment of a first Final Four appearance.

"It's been a great year, and a great weekend, especially since Edwardsville has never been here before," said midfielder Kylie Peel, who will play in the fall at Lindenhurst University in St. Charles, Missouri.

"To experience all of this has been fantastic. It's been amazing. We made history, and I could not be more proud of this team."

The battle for a place in the state final was settled on a gorgeous Friday evening at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on the campus of North Central College. Fremd fell 1-0 to St. Charles North and the Tigers broke New Trier’s 17-match shutout streak and made a valiant late run, but fell to the eventual state champion 2-1.

"(You) want to be excited that we got here for the first time, but if you're competitors, you are not happy with a fourth place trophy," said Edwardsville manager Abby Federmann.

"However, when we sit back later on and process (it) all, we will all be very proud of our accomplishments here and this season."

Both sides dealt with varying degrees of constant wet weather that went from a light drizzle to a nasty downpour. Remarkably, it did not affect play between these two wonderful clubs.

Scesniak drove a long free kick right on top of the spot and forced keeper Genny Burrough into action early. On the other side of the park, Edwardsville’s Thea Dimitroff played a lovely ball into the Vikings box that Layne Logan put on frame and Fremd keeper Riley Goettsche stopped.

Vikings senior Gemma Gillespie got get her club out to a dream start with her first strike of the day in the 10th minute and the goals kept coming in a 4-2 third place victory.Gillespie unloaded a wicked 25-yard free kick past a Tigers wall and into the back of the net for her 13th of the year in the 10th minute. She added another later to tie sophomores Sami Serpico and Gwen Zimmerman for the team lead.

"It was great for us to score the first goal of the game," said Scesniak, who will play in the fall at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. “It really helped all of us to settle and play strong for the rest of the way.”

The first half saw plenty of box-to-box action with Edwardsville having a little more of the play and chances as the volume of rain continued to increase.

Fremd’s Zimmerman parried a Peel corner out of the area. Later a strong Gillespie challenge stopped Olivia Lautz from making her way to the Vikings goal.

"Gwen (Zimmerman) was incredible this year - playing multiple roles effortlessly for us," said Keller. “Her leadership and tremendous ability will be crucial to our future.”

Ayla Homann went wide twice for Edwardsville (17-5-1), and freshmen Josie Thomas and Francesca Calderon did their best to conjure something up before the half came to an end.

Keller played most of his roster on this day. That included his two seniors between the sticks, Goettsche and postseason hero Emily Gordon. Together the pair concede just 15 goals on the season.

Serpico, who made her mark on the club and will be a key figure for the Vikings in the future, opened the second half with an exciting zig-zag run deep into the Edwardsville end that quality defending eventually stopped without a shot.

The Tigers tied the match in the 50th minute with Ellie Neath’s team-best 17th goal of the season. It came on a sublime touch after a Mea Hook free kick bruised the back post.

The offenses heated up as Fremd struck twice between minutes 56 and 61 with a clinical finish into the far inside netting by Serpico, followed by a superb near-post header by an unmarked Gillespie off a Cami Tofilon corner into a wide-open Tigers net.

Edwardsville did not back down. The Tigers pulled one back when Peel struck a thunderbolt from 22 yards in the 68th minute and delivered hope for an equalizer.

"With (Fremd) going up 3-1, it was difficult," Peel said. “When we got our second goal, we all felt like the momentum might be shifting our way. Their late goal ended it for us.

"When we beat (defending champion) O'Fallon (1-0) in our (Pekin) sectional semifinal, it got us over the hump and gave us the confidence in going forward and finally making it downstate. It's been a wonderful season for all of us."

Fremd’s Natalia Wala made the final finishing touch in the 78th minute when she beat Burroughs, who came far off her line to challenge the senior.

"This was such an important game for us - and it was a great way to finish the year," said Catherall who will continue playing at Denison University in Ohio.

"It has been a great four years playing here at Fremd and for Keller. 

"I'll miss the start of open gym, which began in February, carpooling with Bella to school, the good vibes I had being around this team, and all of the great team bonding we put together."

"It's a bittersweet ending for me," said Scesniak, who along with Gillespie provided Keller a Grade A central-defending partnership.

"The ride here today was our last bus ride together. While it was kind of sad, it is something I'll remember for a long time. Going home with a third place state trophy only makes it all that much better."

"I am sad that it has all come to an end,” began Gillespie, who shared Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors along with Peel. "We've been together for such a long time. Before we came to Fremd for many of us, and for me, I was kind of hanging around the varsity when I was in seventh grade.

"I am so grateful to be a part of the Vikings soccer program, and to have a man like Keller as the person who is always there for us in the good times and the not so good.

“He cares so much about us, always has our best interests at heart, and he has made my soccer career better than I could have ever imagined."

Keller had plenty to say following his 23rd season in charge of the program.

"Gemma and Bella led this team to accomplish a feat that most dream of," he said. "I am so proud of those two, who were critical to our success.

"Maddie (McMillan) was brought up at the end of her freshman year and has been a stalwart ever since, and really stepped up her game when the postseason arrived.

"Goettsche and Gordon have been excellent between the sticks along with providing good leadership. Emily saved five PKs in two games to help keep us alive in the playoffs.

"(So) happy that Natalia Wala came back from club to play her senior year with us. She was an excellent playmaker, who really impressed as a player but more importantly as a person.

"I will miss the funny moments and laughs we all had together. Each of these girls has their own unique personality that made this season so enjoyable.

"One memory is the song the girls would play on the bus or in the dance room in advance of every game: Juke Box Hero by Foreigner.

"It was played as the bus pulled up to Fremd for one last time, and although usually played to pump the girls up, today it was met with tears.

"It was touching to see the emotion all of these girls felt for one another.

"These are the things the girls will remember for 10, 20, 30 years from now, and I love witnessing it all, knowing they will have lifelong memories to take with them."

Starting lineups

Edwardsville (3-5-2)
GK- Genny Burroughs
D- Ayla Homann
D- Blakely Hockett
D- Maggie Cadigan
M- Thea Dimitroff
M- Kylie Peel
M- Mea Hook
M- Layne Logan
M- Caroline Wylie
F- Ellie Neath
F- Maggie Young

Fremd (4-3-3)
GK: Riley Goettsche
D- Maddie McMillan
D- Gemma Gillespie
D- Bella Scesniak
D- Lia DiGirolamo
M- Molly Rodino
M- Gwen Zimmerman
M- Ava Catherall
F- Natalia Wala
F- Eleni Sotos
F- Lilly Mayer

Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Gemma Gillespie, sr., D, Fremd; Kylie Peel, sr., MF, Edwardsville

Officials: Trevor Fulk (referee); Paul Marconi (AR1); Mike Schmickley (AR2); Marcin Sierak (4th)

Scoring summary

First half 
Fremd: Gillespie (FK) 10'

Second half
Edwardsville: Neath (Hook), 50'
Fremd: Serpico (Kennedy), 56'
Fremd: mGillespie (Tofilon), 61'
Edwardsville: Peel (unassisted), 68'
Fremd: Wala (unassisted), 78'