The transformation of Alyssa Flood has been unlike anything Lockport’s Todd Elkei has seen in nearly 30 years of coaching.
A junior defender and Green Bay recruit, Flood has developed into a force in the back and on the attack, becoming a key piece as the Porters went out and won their first 24 games of the season.
“She’s the most improved player, by far, that I’ve ever seen since I’ve been coaching,” Elkei said of Flood. “From one year to the next. Just her confidence with the ball, her speed, everything she does joining the attack, being dangerous, connecting passes.
“It’s just tremendous watching her play. She’s really blossomed in the last year.”
Flood also did her best to save Lockport’s dream season Wednesday night.
She drew the foul that set up the game-tying penalty kick by Meghan Mack, but the host Tigers responded to stun the Porters 2-1 in a Class 3A Plainfield North Sectional semifinal game.
Liz Rock made six saves for top-seeded Lockport (24-1), which broke the program record for wins.
Lauryn Amico and Katelyn Haiser each scored a goal and Sam Jurgens made seven saves for fourth-seeded Plainfield North (22-2-1), which advanced to take on seventh-seeded Naperville Central (13-5-1) at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the sectional final.
In addition to being a key defensive presence all spring for the Porters, Flood has been able to push up the field and get involved in the offense, often working down the sideline to send passes to her forwards.
She finished the season with seven assists.
“I like running forward and being able to help us score goals,” Flood said. “I feel like the way our formation works and everything, we have great mids that are good at feeding the ball out.
“Our forwards are good with making those runs in the box. So being able to make those outside runs, me and Meghan Mack are able to get the ball in to them.”
With Lockport trailing 1-0 nearing the midway point of the second half, Flood got aggressive.
She took a pass from Milwaukee recruit Natalie Zodrow and dashed into the box, where she was taken down from behind, drawing a penalty.
“I was just really hoping I’d get the ball in and get a cross and get a goal in,” Flood said. “It ended up working out that we got a PK and got a chance to score.”
Mack, a Cumberlands recruit, stepped up and ripped a shot into the right side of the net to tie the game with 21:32 to go.
And Mack wasn’t surprised to see Flood set her up.
“Alyssa’s a great player,” Mack said. “She’s really good on defense and she’s an offensive threat, too. She does a really good job making those runs, and she has all season. She’s a solid player.”
Mack hoped her goal would push the Porters to another win.
“I think our momentum went up after we scored and it fired us up a little bit, but the more time went on and we didn’t get another one, it was tough,” Mack said.
Lockport had several close calls down the stretch, including a sequence during which Jurgens twice denied Marquette recruit Ava Kozak near the net, the second save denying a point-blank opportunity off a rebound.
Haiser then broke the Porters’ hearts, catching Rock out of the net to score on a 30-yard shot with 7:02 left.
“We waited a long time to have a bad game, and we picked the wrong time,” Elkei said. “It’s not going to define their season. They’re still the greatest group of girls we’ve ever had.”
Already, Flood feels she’s ready to push Lockport to more big things next season.
“I think I can take away the leadership from this year,” Flood said. “We had some great seniors who we’re really going to miss who set a great example for us.
“I plan on paying that forward.”
