There have likely been occasions this fall when the Mentor girls side being more youth-laden than it’s been in recent memory has been a detriment. Oct. 21 in a Division I Northeast 4 District semifinal against visiting Brunswick, it may have been a dividend instead. It’s not that the Cardinals didn’t understand the stakes that rode on extra time, of course, their season hanging in the balance. It’s that they may not have understood it enough to be nervous about it. All the way to a strike from one of the leaders of that youth movement to keep their 2024 season alive. Juliana Odorcic’s strike in the 85th minute gave Mentor a gritty 2-1 win over a fellow Greater Cleveland Conference side in the Blue Devils. The Cardinals (12-5-1) will take on Massillon Jackson in the D-I Northeast 4 District final at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at Twinsburg. Mentor senior midfielder Mackenzie Culler discusses her side's gritty 2-1 extra-time win over Brunswick in a D1 district semi to get to 12-5-1 pic.twitter.com/mzw64Gi1vD — Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) October 22, 2024 Mentor went from an opening 40 effusive in attacking quality, particularly on set pieces, into a trudge after halftime, as a better-than-its-record side in Brunswick (4-11-2) worked its way back into the match. Enter Odorcic for heroics to send the Cardinals on. In the 85th minute, freshman Sophia Minardo crossed from the left flank. Two Blue Devils defenders attempted to get a touch in the box, but to no avail, setting the stage for Odorcic to crash in and get one of her own. Juliana Odorcic with the walkoff strike in the 85th minute to give Mentor a 2-1 D1 district semifinal win over Brunswick pic.twitter.com/0M3oGoGBGA — Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) October 22, 2024 It was a hammer of a right-footed strike, the sophomore’s 11th goal of 2024 and, given the stage and moment, easily the most consequential. “It was all a blur,” Odorcic said, looking off to see her teammates getting an honor guard with the corner flags into the locker room from members of the boys side. “I just saw Soph play the ball through. Two girls whiffed it, and we’ve been practicing crashing. So I just ran through and finished it. “It’s really important (to listen when coaches emphasize crashing). Especially since it’s something we’ve been practicing. To see it actually translate in the game is really important and nice to see.” Mentor’s Mackenzie Culler passes Oct. 21 during a Division I district semifinal against Brunswick. (Paul DiCicco – for The News-Herald) Mentor had taken a 1-0 lead out of the opening 40. On a corner in the 10th, senior Mackenzie Culler got a touch for a right-footed finish on the edge of the six to give her side an account opener in her final home match. Mentor 1-0Mackenzie Culler 10th min pic.twitter.com/jYac5EIjjE — Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) October 21, 2024 The Cardinals generated five shots on target and four corners before halftime. Then, against Brunswick, which they drew, 1-1, in GCC play Aug. 28, the second 40 was a struggle with no shots on target and difficulty finding a final ball to break a Blue Devils’ side that was physical and kept shape. Brunswick got an equalizer in the 44th on a chipper from distance by Rylan Sheets that snuck under the crossbar. “I think they knew what they needed to do,” Odorcic said. “So they came out strong, and they kind of had an idea of some things we were doing. They just knew they had to come out strong, compete with us and they did that.” Despite the struggles relocating their attacking quality from earlier in the match, Mentor got to extra time anyway. That’s where Odorcic’s intervention kept this campaign moving forward. Maybe being such a youth-laden side was a detriment on occasion before. Not here. “I’m really excited,” Odorcic said. “I think it’s a good opportunity, especially because we’re such a young group. We haven’t had a full game with all of our players. So to be able to win our first (postseason) game is really nice.” The score Mentor 2, Brunswick 1 (OT) PHOTOS: Mentor-Brunswick girls soccer, Oct. 21, 2024