Katelyn Mrozowski is getting a big opportunity as a freshman midfielder for Lincoln-Way West.

Being thrown into the varsity starting lineup right away and being counted on to play a key role can be daunting, but Mrozowski was confident she could handle it.

“Everybody’s older than me and I have these expectations on me as a freshman, so it’s just about living up to those expectations,” Mrozowski said. “You just have to step up and take on the challenge. Just accept it.”

Mrozowski was definitely ready for that moment Thursday night.

She scored her first high school goal and converted in the penalty kick shootout, which the host Warriors won 4-2 for a 2-1 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Sandburg in New Lenox.

Cora Franczyk made two saves in regulation and two more in the shootout for Lincoln-Way West (4-4, 1-1). Jaiden Hughes, Molly Gillis and Kiersten White scored in the shootout.

Moira Conway scored in regulation for Sandburg (3-1-1, 1-1), assisted by Ellie Driscoll. Gabby Dittmer and Maeve Durkin converted PKs, while Alanna Noone made two saves in regulation and one in the shootout.

Conway put in a rebound after Driscoll’s shot was saved in the ninth minute and the Eagles nearly made that goal hold up the rest of the way.

The Warriors’ fabulous freshman had other ideas, however. Mrozowski broke free in the middle of the field and ripped in a high shot from 30 yards to tie the game with 20:15 to go.

Her teammates then mobbed her with a huge celebration for her first goal.

“I was so excited,” Franczyk said. “I was jumping so high over there.“Everything about the way (Mrozowski) plays is impressive. She does so good. Did you see that goal? Beautiful. Top-right corner. It was perfect.”

Mrozowski soaked in the moment.

“They all came and hugged me and it was really fun,” she said.

Lincoln-Way West coach Joe Stephens and his assistant coaches have been imploring Mrozowski to take some chances and look to score.

“We’ve been telling her, ‘Just shoot, just shoot, just shoot,’” Stephens said. “She finally let it go, and I think everyone on the team was more joyous for her than she was herself. It was great.

“She’s something else. We don’t bring a lot of freshmen up. She’s very tactical on the ball.”

Mrozowski said the goal will give her more confidence to take her shots when she has the chance.

One situation where Mrozowski showed no hesitation was ahead of the penalty kick stage when Stephens picked her to be one of the team’s five shooters.

“I asked her if she was confident and she was like, ‘Oh yeah,’” Stephens said. “I was like, ‘Beautiful, that’s what I like to hear.’

“A lot of freshmen will shy away because they’re afraid of losing the game for their teams, but she was just like, ‘Yep.’ And she went up there and did it.”

Mrozowski calmly buried her penalty kick. Franczyk, meanwhile, stepped up with back-to-back stops on Sandburg shooters, including a nifty kick save.

Franczyk said she wanted revenge for last spring’s season-ending loss in the regional final that also came in a shootout to Homewood-Flossmoor.

“I had to take out all my anger from that game,” Franczyk said. “I’ve been working on PKs a lot and I just told myself, ‘Save these, put your body on the line and go for it.’”

White then converted the clinching penalty kick, finishing off a comeback Mrozowski started.

It was an exciting new chapter on a soccer journey that started when Mrozowski was 4 years old.

“I was a really energetic kid and my parents always wanted me to get out and exercise, so they put me in soccer and it stuck,” she said. “I just loved it.

“I love the competition. I love the rush of winning.”