Erin Doucette Breaks Kaneland Girls Soccer Goal Record in Tied Match

Kaneland, IL — Erin Doucette scored her way into history when she netted her 34th goal of the season, breaking the school record during a match against Batavia on May 9, 2025. The goal, which came in the 67th minute, initially left Doucette uncertain of its validity due to the ball deflecting off a Batavia defender before entering the net.

Knights coach Scott Parillo confirmed after the game that the goal counted, marking a significant milestone for Doucette. “We were pushing really hard to get a goal and I got a good pass from Sophia (Rosati), and somehow it went in,” Doucette said. “But I was just so excited afterwards, especially since I didn’t know I got it. Hopefully, we can keep it moving forward.”

Despite Doucette’s achievement, the Knights ended the game with a 2-2 tie after Batavia’s junior Emma Wecker scored just four minutes later. “I was hanging off from the back of the rest of the crowd so that when the ball bounced out, I was there,” Wecker said. “So I just took the shot. Everyone was out from the goal, so I just wanted to sneak a shot behind them.”

Batavia took an early lead in the match just two minutes in when Wecker assisted senior Reece Recker for the goal. Even with this fast start, the Bulldogs’ dominance was evident through the match, as they outshot the Knights 9-3.

Bulldogs coach Mark Gianfrancesco emphasized his team’s strategy from the beginning. “That was our big objective from the get-go to score in the first 10 minutes. We wanted to create those chances early,” he said. “We waned off a little bit. But after they tied it, we had a lot of opportunities afterwards. We just need to keep improving in that area moving forward.”

The Knights managed only two goals on limited opportunities. After a foul drew a penalty in the 21st minute, senior Hannah Boyer sent the ball into the top-left corner, equalizing the score at 1-1. Parillo noted, “We only had a couple of shots and still managed two goals? I’ll take it. We were fortunate to get the result that we got.”

Now with a regular-season home record of 9-0-1, Parillo plans to give his players a rest before they head into the postseason. “We’re happy with this, but we’re tired, and it showed in this game. Batavia is a really good team, and I think we’re continuing to improve and grow,” he said. “But it was a great effort from our girls for as tired as we were to come out with a tie.”