WPIAL Girls semifinals
Saturday, October 27, 2018
North Allegheny (3 games), Elizabeth Forward (3 games) & West Allegheny (2 games)
WPIAL Girls finals are all set
4A – Seneca Valley vs Peters Twp
3A – Mars vs Oakland Catholic
2A – Hopewell vs South Park
1A – Freedom vs Bentworth
LIVE SCOREBOARD
4A
Seneca Valley 2, Upper St. Clair 0, FINAL
Peters Twp 1, Norwin 0, FINAL
3A
Mars 1, Hampton 0, FINAL
Oakland Catholic 1, South Fayette 0, FINAL
2A
Hopewell 5, Deer Lakes 2 – FINAL
South Park 3, Avonworth 0. FINAL
1A
Freedom 2, Shady Side 1 – FINAL (2OT)
Bentworth 2, Greensburg CC 1 – FINAL
GAME DAY UPDATES
Raider girls soccer on their way to Highmark Stadium for WPIAL finals with 2-0 win over USC. CONGRATS SV! #SVRaiderPride pic.twitter.com/JPkw14RBeA
— Seneca Valley Sports (@SV_Sports) October 27, 2018
⚽️⚽️Mars girls soccer is headed to Highmark Stadium to play in the 3A WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS!! They defeated Hampton 1-0 today. CONGRATULATIONS! ???? ???? #letsgoplanets #marsproud pic.twitter.com/3K2Rgf0CYL
— Mars Area SD (@MarsAreaSD) October 27, 2018
6:50 – FINAL – Seneca Valley does a tremendous job closing the game out, limiting USC’s talented midfield, holds on, and wins it, 2-0
6:16 – GOAL – Seneca Valley scores again.
Lauren Sileo. Header connects! And just like that, a 2-0 lead for the Raiders.
6:10 – GOAL – Seneca Valley takes 1-0 lead.
Second effort goal by Mia Zec. Upper St. Clair keeper Juls Gianni with a great save on initial header attempt. But Zec is there to clean it up. 45′ 1-0 Seneca leads
5:45 – Scoreless as we get near the end of 1st half. Mostly Upper St. Clair with numerous chances. LIndy Mertz and Nikki Gibbons controlling midfield.
5:01 – Oakland Catholic punches ticket to WPIAL 3A Championship game w/1-0 victory today over South Fayette. OC goal by Anna Sproule on great feed by Catie Hassett. 10th clean sheet of year by Maggie Storti.
It will be Mars vs Oakland Catholic at Highmark Stadium in 3A Final next week.
4:50 – FINAL — MARS WINS 1-0. Advance to 3A title game for second year in a row, and third time in four years. I’ll have a few words with coach Blair Gerlich and some of the heroes.
4:47 – With Hampton pushing numbers up, Wroblewski gets all the way into box on counter. Had nothing but GK Kelly to beat — and shot went wide left. 78′
Still 1-0 Mars.
Final in … South Park is through.
G SOCCER : Final score – SP 3 Avonworth 0. WPIAL Finals vs Hopewell at Highmark Stadium!!
— Eagles (@Southparkpride) October 27, 2018
4:15 – First decent chance of second half goes to Mars.
Good chance for Mars to double lead. Diagonal ball gets through to far side to Caroline Wroblewski. Shot on frame, ball eventually cleared by Hampton, but had a few chance to knock in rebound
54′
Remains 1-0 Mars
3:55 – PK save for Mars keeper Claire Valentine.
SAVE @mars_soccer17 Claire Valentine comes up big to save PK attempt from Hampton's Courtney Coholich
36'#WPIAL #RoadToHighmark pic.twitter.com/At59uTbz6j— John Krysinsky (@PghSoccerScribe) October 27, 2018
3:48 – GOAL – Mars strikes first here at North Allegheny.
Ellie Coffield with the goal. Planets take 1-0 lead — as Caufield was there at far post after cross into box gets through. Taylor Hamlett sent the cross into the box. (32′)
3:18 –
Moment of silence before WPIAL soccer game. Avonworth vs South Park pic.twitter.com/m3V62ObFoQ
— Stephen Cropper (@WPXICropper) October 27, 2018
Early free kick chance for Mars, though Hampton's been on attack in first eight minutes#WPIAL pic.twitter.com/yPymteS3M4
— John Krysinsky (@PghSoccerScribe) October 27, 2018
i have arrived at North Allegheny.
Mars and Hampton are almost ready to kickoff#WPIAL#RoadToHighmark pic.twitter.com/aWxMJMRNuk— John Krysinsky (@PghSoccerScribe) October 27, 2018
After games begin, we will provide updates throughout the day here
Scores from early games coming now – as I’ve arrived at North Allegheny, last year’s PIAA 1A girls champs, Shady Side Academy fall to Freedom, 2-1 in OT. Both goals conceded were on penalty kicks.
At Elizabeth Forward Bentworth upends Greensburg Central Catholic, 2-1.
Bentworth goals- Paige Marshalek, Rori Schreiber; Assists- Jocelyn Timlin (2). B’worth GK Kossel with 6 saves.
GCC: prisoner of great Bentworth goalkeeping, two lapses on defense the difference.
SCHEDULE and GAME NOTES
4A
5 pm – Seneca Valley (14-2) vs Upper St. Clair (13-3) at North Allegheny
- Upper St. Clair were pushed hard in the quarterfinal game that played late into Wednesday night, as Landy Mertz scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime for a 4-3 win over Seneca Valley’s section rivals, Pine-Richland.
- Top-seeded Seneca Valley broke open its quarterfinal contest vs Mt. Lebanon with five second half goals from Breanna Valentovish, Ashley Rea, Lauren Sileo, Julia Redilla, Ally Smith and Mia Zec.
- Seneca Valley are seeking its first WPIAL title since 2014. Upper St. Clair have been a perennial contender, last playing in the WPIAL finals in 2015, and winning the PIAA that same year.
5 pm – Peters Twp (15-3) vs Norwin (15-2) at Elizabeth Forward
- Norwin is no stranger to WPIAL semifinals in recent years — as it’s the fourth straight appearance.
- Bunch of Division I commits on the field for this one. Norwin has three Pitt recruits Katelyn Kauffman, Lacey Burnick and junior defender Eva Frankovic. Senior defender Maddy Genicola is a Duquesne recruit. On the Peters’ side, Regan LaVigna, a Youngstown State recruit, and junior Hannah Stuck, a Bucknell recruit. Both scored on Wednesday to lead Indians past Butler,
- Peters Township is back in the semifinals for the first time since making the Class 3A final four in 2013.
3A
3 pm – Mars (17-0) vs Hampton (16-4) at North Allegheny
- Mars are a team that appears on the mission. After losing an exciting WPIAL final in 2017 against two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion Moon, this year’s Planets squad is without a loss this season.
- Hampton have probably been the toughest opponent for Mars this season though losing two of its four games to the Planets. In two section showdowns — they’ve played a wide-open affair, 4-3 and then a more defensive struggle 1-0, in the final match of the season.
- Mars have allowed only five goals all season — three of them to Hampton.
- The Planets are led by goalkeeper Claire Valentine. Taylor Hamlett, Ellie Coffield and Caroline Wroblewski all are talented scoring threats
- Hampton gutted out its quarterfinal win in overtime, getting a penalty kick goal from Courtney Coholich with 21 seconds left in the first overtime
3 pm – Oakland Catholic (16-1) vs South Fayette (11-6-1) at West Allegheny)
- Oakland Catholic finally got the first-round monkey off their backs, and have been solid defensively, in front of Maggie Storti in goal, with two playoff shutouts over Kiski Area and Gateway to make it to the semifinals. Leading scorer Hannah Henn netted a hat trick in the win over Kiski.
- Seeded 14th in 3A, South Fayette pulled off an upset of section rivals West Allegheny on Wednesday to advance to the semifinal. Annalisa Mariano broke a scoreless halftime tie just more than seven minutes into the second half when she took a pass from Helina VanBibber to blast a shot into the bottom half of the net. VanBibber and Maura Gagliardino added goals in the victory.
2A
South Park (17-2) vs Avonworth (13-5-2) at Elizabeth Forward)
- South Park has been rolling since its only defeat of season against 2A competition (vs Yough in early October). They’ve outscored opponents 36-2.
- Living on the edge, Avonworth knocked off the reigning Girls 2A champs, Waynesburg on Wednesday in a PK shootout.
Deer Lakes (17-1-1) vs Hopewell (14-1-1) at West Allegheny)
- First time Lancers have made it this far in WPIAL playoffs since 2008 — and much like their rejuvinated boys program, top scoring talent are underclassman: Lily Litrun and Abigail Boulos are sophomores along with Madeline Boulos, one of three freshman starters that have provided the bulk of scoring.
- After long tenure at Moon winning state titles and WPIAL crowns, Bill Pfeifer has helped lead Hopewell to a turn-around season. They were a 4-2 winner over Burrell in the quarterfinals, The Vikings, whose lone loss came to Class AAA playoff qualifier West Allegheny, carry an eight-game winning streak into Saturday.
- Hopewell’s attack is led by Raychel Speicher has scored over 20 goals, while forward Katie Callen and midfielder Cristy Senskey are also dangerous players to watch.
- Deer Lakes, meanwhile, is 14-0-1 since an early-season loss to 3A North Hills.
1A
Freedom (18-1) vs Shady Side Academy (11-3) at North Allegheny
- Clash of recent WPIAL champions — and also last year’s 1A PIAA Champs (SSA). In its first year in 1A, Freedom has rolled through the competition, but now will finally face a strong opponent.
- Lots of talent on the field on both side. Krystna Rytel has scored more than 100 goals in her four years at SSA, while just a freshman, Jayden Sharpless has led all girls in goal scoring in the WPIAL this season with 50. Oh, and by the way, she’s accompanied by two senior Division I recruits: Michaela Watkins (Youngstown St.) and sister Myla Sharpless.
Greensburg Central Catholic (12-2) vs Bethworth (16-2) at Elizabeth Forward)
- Defending WPIAL champion in 1A, GCC, has 14 goals in two playoff wins. This will be the ninth consecutive appearance in the semifinals for the Centurians.
- Bentworth features a previous PSN High School player of the week,sophomore Jocelyn Timlin. Bentworth returns to the semifinals for the second time in three years. Bentworth edged Bishop Canevin, 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Timlin had a hat trick in a 3-1 win over Vincentian in the first round.
PSN COVERAGE
John Krysinsky – at North Allegheny
Ed Thompson at Elizabeth Forward
TWEETS OF THE DAY (pregame)
Let’s put on the Red & White and invade North Allegheny today as Girls Soccer plays in the WPIAL Semi Finals @ 1 PM. #onourwaytotheship.
— Freedom Area SD (@FASDBulldogs) October 27, 2018
Boy’s Soccer: Congrats to Waynesburg’s Jack Church, Caleb Blair, Gavin Benson & Dalton Woods on being named “All-Section” – Scott Benco named Honorable Mention. Matt Blair named section Coach of the Year! #RaiderPride #WPIAL
— RAIDER NATION (@WBG_RAIDERS) October 27, 2018