GAME PREVIEWS (Friday, May 23)

QUARTERFINAL #1

4:30pm - New Trier vs Stevenson

The Trevians and Patriots both make triumphant returns to the state tournament after a one-year hiatus in 2013. Both teams are also loaded with depth and playmakers, making whoever emerges from the first quarterfinal of the night a strong contender to claim a state title.

New Trier outlasted Loyola last weekend at the GBS Sectional after Jacqueline Glattard scored a late goal and Keelin Frank blocked a penalty shot in the second half of a 7-6 victory. Stevenson earned double-digit wins over Lake Forest and Mundelein to win the Mundelein Sectional and enter the event on a roll and with a significant home-pool advantage.

The Trevians have a wide variety of options on the offensive end, making them a tough team to defend against. Lauren Barrett and Stephanie Jodloman combine to lead the scoring attack, while the Trevians will also look to Glattard, Kaleigh Dolan, Maria Breen, Natalie Goldman, and Shannon Kent to make major contributions. Team defense could also help New Trier advance to the semifinal round, as it did when they made consecutive stops in the closing stages of their sectional final win over the Ramblers. The goalie duo of Keelin Frank and Zoe Gottleib could also be called upon if the team if the team is looking to hold on to a late lead.

The Patriots have no shortage of options as well, with Allison Travetto and Melissa Gartenberg leading the way for the offense. Autumn Hoang, Alexa Kotlyar, Annika Hotchkiss, Ashley Oliver, Joanie Newland, and Sara Ploch also lead a long list of options at the disposal of veteran head coach Jeff Wimer. Stevenson is also boosted by goaltender Becky Callen, who could play a key role in getting the team beyond the first round of the event to challenge for their first-ever IHSA state title.

QUARTERFINAL #2

5:45pm - LWE vs St Ignatius

St Ignatius enters the state tournament looking to defend their first-ever title, but they will have to be at their best when they face Lincoln-Way East for the first time all season in Friday's state quarterfinals. The Griffins hope to make some waves of their own as they make their second state tournament appearance against the 2013 title-winners.

The Wolfpack returned to their winning ways by claiming the UIC Sectional just one week after losing a close contest to Fenwick in the MCAC Tournament's title game. Their defense proved to be the key as they earned a 9-3 victory over Evanston to advance to state. The Griffins handled their business at the LWC Sectional by beating LWN and LWW in the first two rounds before getting past Andrew 9-5 in the sectional final game.

St Ignatius returns plenty of talent and experience from last year's title-winning squad. Their game plan revolves around Tammy Stelnicki, who leads the team on both ends of the pool. Beca Martinez, Diana Fernandez, Karen Juarez, and Maggie Maloney will likely play significant roles on the offensive end, while Stephania Lopez, Nikol Lagodzinska, and Liv Evangelides give head coach Mike Cashman plenty of depth to call on in a tight contest. Sophomore goaltender won a title in her first year between the pipes, so she will be ready to make a difference if the game stays close entering the final period.

The Griffins are a balanced unit that will look to Aimee Schaaf, Haley McCabe, and Lauren VanderVelde to lead a team that won 25 games in 2014. There is no shortage of scoring options throughout the lineup, so expect players like Erica Mangia, Taryn Linke, and Zoe Spada to come up big for East if they hope to get past the Wolfpack on Friday. Veteran goaltender Jill Connolly could prove to be the Griffins' most valuable weapon, so Ignatius will have to be at the top of their game if they hope to get any shots past the reliable keeper.

QUARTERFINAL #3

7:00pm - Fenwick vs Naperville North

Fenwick enters the state tournament with a perfect record in Illinois in 2014. Naperville North has only lost once this season. Something's got to give when two of the top three teams in the state meet in the third quarterfinal contest of the night at Stevenson, as both teams have their sights set on winning a state title over the weekend.

The Friars' two regular season losses came against Florida's Gulliver Prep and Michigan's Okemos, so they enter the event as the favorites to hoist the championship trophy. They are a battle-tested team that beat St Ignatius to win the MCAC Tournament two weeks ago and claimed the Lyons Sectional after beating the hosts 11-1 last weekend. Meanwhile, the Huskies advanced to the state tourney in dramatic fashion, as goalie Kate MacDuff scored the game-winning goal at the end of regulation to beat Naperville Central 9-8 last Saturday at the Metea Valley Sectional.

The Friars will look to Catie Wallace and Colleen Barron to supply the bulk of their offensive production, while all-around talent Alexa Ovalle makes things happen on both ends of the pool. Bridget Carey, Janette Angelini, Maggie Sheean, and goaltender Lexi Buglio are amongst a strong contingent of Friars who should also make significant contributions on Friday night. The Huskies will look to a trio of scorers that includes Dani DiMatteo, Jilian Eiken, and Katie Horn to help them attempt to reach the semifinal round. North also has a tremendous amount of depth, as players like Caitlin Holzer, Helen Wei, and Taylor Stoner should play vital roles in this contest. MacDuff could also be the key on the defensive end if North hopes to make it to Saturday's semifinal round.

QUARTERFINAL #4

8:15pm - Mother McAuley vs Palatine

Mother McAuley returns to the state tournament looking to improve upon last year's third-place finish. To do so, they will have to deal with a surging Palatine team making their state tournament debut on Friday night.

The Mighty Macs survived a scare last weekend in the sectional finals of the Stagg Sectional, battling back from a 6-3 deficit entering the fourth quarter against Bremen to emerge with a 9-7 overtime win. On the other side, the Pirates outlasted Fremd in overtime in the sectional semifinals and finally got past Conant after two regular season losses to reach their first-ever state tournament.

McAuley boasts two potent offensive stars with Clare Bryar and Fran Williamson filling up the scoresheet in most games. They also have several key components that make them one of the most dangerous teams at the event, as Claire Mueller, Julie Olivares, Maggie Hennigan, and MaryJune O'Connell will be relied upon by head coach Vanessa Carroll. The team received a major boost early in the season when sophomore goalie Geena Peyton emerged as the starter; she could prove difficult to score on for Palatine.

The Pirates will rely on the fearsome duo of Caroline Wojtas and Rachel Chumbook to supply the scoring, while veteran goalie Kim Butler can be tough to score upon in front of the Palatine defense. Lauren Rasor, Caitlin McHugh, and Maryana Dvorska also played important roles for a team that won 27 games in 2014, while sophomore Kristen Anderson could be a difference-maker, as she proved when she connected on the game-winning goal in sudden-death overtime to beat Fremd in last week's Palatine Sectional.