In fourth consecutive semifinal, Ironwood Ridge girls soccer team primed for breakthrough

After losing three consecutive years in the state semifinals — two in shootouts — the Ironwood Ridge girls soccer team was starting to think it was cursed. But the curse, in part, may have finally been broken.

The top-seeded Nighthawks (20-3-2) came out on the winning end of a shootout in the 5A quarterfinals Wednesday, after the scoreless game against No. 9 Cactus Shadows went into overtime. Once in penalty kicks, I-Ridge finally edged past the Falcons 6-5.

The win moved I-Ridge into the semis against No. 5 Campo Verde at 3 p.m. Saturday, at Coronado High School in Scottsdale.

“That PK win in the quarterfinals was almost like a rite of passage to get into the semifinals,” senior Isabella Santavicca said.

And the Nighthawks are hoping it turned the tide.

“We’ve also lost in PKs ... so winning is kind of breaking the curse,” senior Clare Merrigan said. “We broke one curse; time to break another. That’s our motto right now.”

The Nighthawks controlled the tempo of the quarterfinal game and had more shots on goal than Cactus Shadows, but were just unable to score during regulation.

Nikki Suckell, who’s been on the varsity squad with Santavicca and Merrigan since freshman year, said the seniors weren’t ready to see their season end. They wanted to make it to the semis all four years.

“If they won, they would get away with the win,” Merrigan said. “I felt like a lot of people felt a lot of pressure because we deserved to win it, so now we had to perform.”

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For Suckell, the game became even more nerve-wracking when it went into the shootout because her younger sister, sophomore Kelli Suckell, was the team’s goalkeeper.

“That was my sister I was watching get shot on,” Suckell said. “She saved one, too, so it was good. It was a great win for her.”

Ironwood Ridge was unable to practice Friday because the overnight rains had made the fields unplayable. Instead, the Nighthawks went on a team run, followed by a captains’ dinner.

The captains’ dinner has become an Ironwood Ridge tradition before big games, when the Nighthawks enjoy a catered meal and prepare for the upcoming contest, Santavicca said.

The Nighthawks played Campo Verde two times earlier this season with split results.

During the Oro Valley High School Soccer Invitational in December, I-Ridge beat Campo Verde 1-0. A few weeks later, the Coyotes routed the Nighthawks 6-0.

Merrigan, Santavicca and Nikki Suckell said they have a lot of respect for Campo Verde (15-6-1) because of their sportsmanship and competitiveness.

If I-Ridge comes up just short of the state championship game a fourth straight year, Suckell said she’d still be happy with how far her team was able to make it.

“Of course it (would) be so heartbreaking, but I know this match is going to be a really good, competitive one,” Suckell said. “At least we’ll end with a lot of competitiveness and just a good match.”