RLO makes it three in a row:

Regional titles have become a regularity for the Random Lake/Ozaukee high schools’ girls’ soccer team, and now RLO is doing it as the favorite rather than the underdog.

No. 2-seeded RLO beat No. 10 Kohler, 5-0, at home last Saturday for its third consecutive Division 4 regional crown.

RLO beat Kohler, 8-0, on April 28, but the Blue Bombers were missing some players and coach Matt Wilson knew his team had to step it up in the rematch.

“I told the girls, ‘We didn’t play the team we’re going to play today. You need to come ready to go.’ They did,” he said.

Leading scorer Mya Schroeder netted three first-half scores, one on an assist by Savannah Quade and another from Faith Wilson.

In the second half, Lexi Wilson scored from Lexi Gruman.

“Right before it I was toe kicking. It hurt my toe. I saw a chance to kick it again so I shot and it went in the corner,” Wilson said.

Mia Evraets netted RLO’s final goal on a header from a Marissa Ter Maat pass to the box.

“I was hoping for a header and I knew Missy was going to cross it so I was just making sure I was open and I just took a chance,” Evraets said.

Schroeder dominated the team’s scoring early in the season, but others have since stepped up.

“That’s what I love about this team,” Wilson said. “You can try to double up on Mya. Someone else is going to hurt you, and the attack through the air. We’ve had a lot of success doing that.”

RLO kept the ball on Kohler’s side of the field for most of the game. Keeper Bianca Marini was rarely threatened.

“They packed the box on us. We had to adjust and still play our game,” Schroeder said.

After the game, Schroeder and defender Abby Depies ran to the sideline to get the regional plaque, then brought it back to their cheering teammates.

“It means a lot to this team, a lot to our history,” Faith Wilson said. “Continuing to do it really shows how much of a team we’ve built combining both schools together.”

“I think it just shows our hard work of combining together,” Gruman said.

Schroeder said, “It means a lot playing my first year with these girls. It will definitely give us momentum going into the sectionals.”

Wilson, who has coached the co-op the  last two years, is proud of his squad.

“It means a lot, just with the number of seniors we lost last year,” he said. “I loved my team last year but I think we’re stronger this year. They’ve-been-there-before-type of thing.”

RLO advanced to the state title game last season as a bit of an upstart. This season, despite losing several key seniors to graduation and missing two current ones to injury, the team wasn’t going to sneak up on anybody.

“I think last year was kind of like a crazy thing. We didn’t think we’d go to state,” Depies said. “This year it’s like everyone is expecting us to. It’s a lot more pressure than it was last year, but I think it’s really cool and it’s been really fun.”

Faith Wilson said,  “It’s very challenging. We have a lot to lose. Some of the other teams, they have nothing to lose. That’s what makes them come out stronger. But we still keep in our minds that we made it this far so we just keep going.”

Evraets said, “I feel like teams might not like us as much. I think we all have the same drive as last year.”

Coach Wilson said he would rather not be the favorite.

“I think it brings more stress. I like being the underdog,” he said.

RLO has kept winning despite missing all-conference forward Reese Prom, who injured her knee on May 9 last season and has yet to fully return. RLO lost first team all-conference defender Chloe Dybul to a knee injury early this season.

“As a defense it’s been really difficult losing Chloe. Stepping into that position was really hard for me. Having (Addison) Kurlinski back for me has been a big thing. I think we work really well together,” Depies said.

RLO reached the regional final by beating No. 15 Hustisford/Dodgeland, 12-1, on June 4. Wilson pulled most starters 20 minutes into the game.

Schroeder tied a season-high with five goals and had two assists. Lexi Wilson scored twice. Evraets, Gruman, Kurlinski, Alex Schmit and Alyssa Urness each scored once. Evraets and Gruman each had two assists, and Ter Maat, Hailey Wiebelhaus, Schmit and Faith Wilson each had one.

RLO, 16-3-1, hosts No. 3 Living Word Lutheran, 11-2-4, at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 11, in a sectional semifinal. The winner plays in the sectional final at Kohler on Saturday, June 13.