NILES, Illinois — The Knights varsity soccer team survived and advanced Friday night in front of another large Northridge crowd, taking down Marine Leadership Academy 3-1 in the IHSA 1A sectional semifinal for the first time in school history.

The Knights got off to a quick start with a goal from Blake Kaczynski, who opened up the scoring with a great header. Before the half was up, the maroon and gold tacked on goals from Tommy Cartwright and Jacob Klatt, and the game was never in doubt from that point forward. All three goals were assisted by Linus Coleman, who had a stellar game on the right wing. The Knights conceded a goal in the second half, but finished off the impressive win without issue.

"Cristo Rey St. Martin is going to be our toughest match of the season," head coach Alvaro Vargas said. "We play similar styles of soccer where we both like to possess the ball for long periods, spread the field and control the tempo of the game. They are highly ranked in Class 1A in Illinois and have had an impressive season of their own. But if our boys put in the performances we have in these past two games, I think we can get the win. We will also count on fans to give us that extra thrust of energy and help us win as they did against North Shore."

Next up for the Knights is the sectional championship match on Tuesday, Oct. 29, where Northridge will take on top-seeded tournament host Cristo Rey St. Martin in Waukegan.

Kick off is set for 7:00pm.

Tickets are available in advance through GoFan. Admission for the game is $8 for adults and students. No cash will be taken at the gate.