Naperville Central's girls soccer season ended one win short of a state title on Sunday, June 7, when New Trier defeated the Redhawks 2-1 in the IHSA Class 3A championship game at North Central College.

It was the program's first state final appearance since 1995.

The Redhawks finished 22-1-1, their lone loss coming in the title match after entering the final without a defeat. New Trier came in at 26-1-1.

The road to the championship was dominant. Naperville Central beat Yorkville 8-0 in the regional final on May 23, edged Benet 1-0 in the sectional championship on May 29, routed Wheaton Warrenville South 5-1 in the supersectional on June 2, and dismantled Warren 5-0 in the state semifinal on Friday, June 6.

Junior forward Emerson Burke, a Michigan recruit, powered the offense all season with 40 goals, scoring in every game except a weather-shortened 0-0 tie against Barrington. She put in two against Warren in the semifinal, including her 40th of the year off a penalty kick. Sophomore forward Natalie Liesch, sophomore midfielder Reece Mudd, and sophomore defender Sophia Cochran also scored in that rout.

"I feel like this is us staying true to who we are, keeping up the hustle we've been doing, just working harder than everyone else," Burke said after the semifinal, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.

Senior Erin Hackett played her final game in a Naperville Central uniform in the championship. Head coach Troy Adams built a squad defined by depth and daily habits. Burke, sophomore midfielder Kira Lambin, Wyoming recruit Nicole Sacek, and Cochran met at Knock Park at 6:30 a.m. every Wednesday to train together throughout the season.

Sophomore Emily Tilton anchored the defense, limiting Benet's Loyola-recruit forward Annie Fitzgerald to just two shots in the sectional final.

The Redhawks return Burke, Liesch, Lambin, Mudd, Cochran, Sacek, and Tilton next season. All are sophomores or juniors.