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Lily McLaughlin’s late extra time strike lifts Fox Chapel past South Fayette for WPIAL Girls 3A crown

WPIAL Girls Class 3A Final

FINAL: Fox Chapel 1, South Fayette 0 (AET-2)

PSN Coverage Team — Matt Popchock, Reporting — Ed Thompson, Photography

WPIAL Championship History (Class 3A)

Match Summary

In a battle that nearly went the distance between two talent-laden squads — Fox Chapel found a golden goal from Lily McLaughlin in the very late stages of extra time to defeat South Fayette, 1-0, in the WPIAL Girls Class 3A Final at Highmark Stadium on a rainy Wednesday night.

With Pitt recruit Emily McKee setting her up with a well-placed ball into space, McLaughlin buried her chance as she broke into space on the right edge of the box to give the Foxes (19-1-1) their third WPIAL championship, second in three years, and in the process, denied South Fayette its bid to win its third straight District title.

Look for more detailed recap and reaction to follow on this thread late Wednesday and early Thursday. 

 

Match Updates

108′: GOAL TO THE FOXES!

HEAR YE, HEAR YE, THE QUEENS HAVE BEEN DETHRONED!

Pitt verbal commit McKee with the through ball for Lily McLaughlin, who lifts it over Thompson!

Fox Chapel 1-0 South Fayette.

Second WPIAL title in three years for the Fox Chapel girls, and in two different classifications!

106′: Zapf, off the Lions bench, goes for it from distance, and Pizzella has to leap to her right to keep it out! Destined for penalties? (FC 0-0 SF)

97′: A deliberate buildup to Miller atop the box, but once again, the resulting strike is right at Pizzella’s stomach. (FC 0-0 SF)

95′: We’ll go to a 2nd extra time period! The rain and the truncated playoff schedule are taking a toll on both sides. (FC 0-0 SF)

92′: The Lions do well to work it to Deramo above the arc, but she can’t catch a diving Pizzella out of position. Most of what the champs have put on target has been well played by the Foxes keeper. (FC 0-0 SF)

84′: McKee remains snake-bit. Henderson, off the Foxes bench, crosses for the former, who puts it just over the bar from 30 yards away. (FC 0-0 SF)

82′: A corner by Classen at the flag on Thompson’s right is mishandled by the Lions keeper, but a pack of defenders are there to bail her out and draw a foul on the Foxes. (FC 0-0 SF)

80′: To 15 minutes of extra time we go–but not without drama at the other end! A dangerous strike by Deramo on the left wing is knocked away by a leaping Pizzella with under half a minute remaining.

Fox Chapel 0-0 South Fayette. Now seeking a golden goal, and with it, a Girls 3A champion.

72′: Oh my! Thompson with the save of the night, sliding and cutting down the angle on McKee, who, somehow, beat the white-clad traffic in the 18-yard box. (FC 0-0 SF)

60′: No rest for the weary, the working press, or Thompson–whose fingertip save, leaping to her left, keeps the Foxes from converting a chip shot from 12 yards out. The Lions easily negate the resulting corner kick. (FC 0-0 SF)

56′: Good buildup into the box by Deramo and Rossi, but ultimately, the shot from beside the left post catches the side of the mesh for a Foxes goal kick. Lions continue to knock on the door. (FC 0-0 SF)

49′: Another, even closer, close call for the Lions…and this time, Deramo, from deep on the left, puts it through the 6-yard box, and it flirts with the line, but does not cross. Lions have been the better side since the break, but nothing to show for it yet. (FC 0-0 SF)

44′: Oh, boy…Ferrari, coming off the Lions bench, can’t redirect a ball at the left post on frame, otherwise the Lions, undoubtedly, would be dancing. Their best chance of the match. (FC 0-0 SF)

43′: McKee coerces her way past a Lions defender who wanted a foul, and her bad-angle chip from deep on the right is parried aside harmlessly by a leaping Thompson. The Pittsburgh Riveters SC product continues holding her own against this Foxes attack. (FC 0-0 SF)

41′: The rain at Highmark is coming down harder as the Foxes and Lions return to play. 40 minutes–and maybe more?–to decide a Girls 3A champion! (FC 0-0 SF)

40′: Halftime at Highmark. Fox Chapel 0-0 South Fayette. Last year, the champs overwhelmed the 3A newcomers, but tonight, the Foxes have generated some early chances and kept the Lions on the fringes, save for a couple uneventful corner kicks.

37′: Beinecke has had a high volume of touches in the final third. Her 40-yard at-’em ball, on a turnaround attempt, is easily caught by Pizzella. (FC 0-0 SF)

32′: McKee, making a great run down the right wing, forces a diving stop by Thompson, and the Lions pounce on the loose ball just in time. The Foxes have four of the five on-target shots in this match. (FC 0-0 SF)

18′: Classen takes a corner to the right of Thompson. The Lions keeper punches it aside in traffic before the Foxes play it out erroneously for another South Fayette goal kick. (FC 0-0 SF)

12′: The Foxes earn a direct free kick from the edge of the arc, but Taylor Wilkinson’s strike misses wide to the right for a Lions goal kick. Both sides have taken chances from distance, but neither have been able to get anything on frame. (FC 0-0 SF)

1′: The Lions get the first touch, attacking right to left, and this Girls 3A Final rematch is underway! (FC 0-0 SF)

SOUTH FAYETTE XI: Thompson (GK), Spalla, Rossi, Gabriel, Chiappetta, Deramo, Binion, Davidovich, Medvec, Miller, Beinecke.

FOX CHAPEL XI: Pizzella (GK), Hill, Levy, C. Wilkinson, Linzoain, T. Wilkinson, McKee, Classen, Korczynski, McLaughlin, Capek.

8:02 – Matt Popchock reporting from a rainy Highmark Stadium, where the Lions are going for a three-peat, and the Foxes are going for two out of three in two different classifications. Watch this space for updates!

Match Preview

Rosters: Fox Chapel | South Fayette

How They Got Here

  • South Fayette — def Elizabeth Forward, 7-0; def Montour, 5-3, def Moon, 4-1
  • Fox Chapel — def #16 Laurel Highlands, 7-0; def #9 West Allegheny, 6-2, def Plum, 2-1

Looking at the top two seeds, South Fayette and Fox Chapel, posted impressive regular season campaigns once again, with identical 15-1-1 records, with each loss coming to Class 4A schools.  Though there were moments each team was pushed in the previous three rounds, each pulled away in matches where they took control and dictated terms of their matches.

Last year, South Fayette struck early and quickly to dispatch Fox Chapel, 4-0, in a rare final that featured two defending WPIAL champions, to win its second straight Class 3A WPIAL title (Fox Chapel had won Class 4A title in 2023).

Fox Chapel Head Coach Carlo Prati warned before the tournament started, that his team cannot afford to have an off day against South Fayette, as they were punished for it last year, in that loss.

The Lions, led by Head Coach, Nick Rosser, have all the ingredients to make it a three-peat, bringing back the heart of its core talent including Mia Deramo, Gabby Beinecke, along with goalkeeper Caitlyn Thompson.  The latter two, who are part of Riverhounds Development Academy, also trained and competed with Pittsburgh Riveters SC this past Summer.  Deramo, a Youngstown St commit, scored the game-winner for South Fayette in the 2023 WPIAL final to beat Moon.

The Foxes started the season with six new starters, but with Pitt commit, junior Emily McKee leading the attack, they still remain a very dangerous squad.   If you recall, McKee was a freshman when Fox Chapel won th WPIAL title in 2023, after stunning the top three seeds in the Class 4A tournament.

FC Head Coach Carlo Prati told PSN that heading into the season, it was a rebuilding year for the Foxes. Prati said that while his squad isn’t as dynamic on the width this season, having McKee pulling the strings and utilizing her ability on the ball has helped the Foxes control tempo and dictate terms in most matches.

Once again, Prati made sure the Foxes took on a challenging schedule, which they earned some impressive wins but more importantly, has the team battle-tested and ready for another deep run.

Still, Prati admits, there’s a gauntlet of tough teams in this classification.

“In Class 3A, it’s anyone’s match, any day of the week. That’s why I try to make it as tough as possible during the season, so they’re ready come playoffs,” Prati explained.

In the playoffs, it’s just as good as (Class 4A).  You can’t take any days off. We try to keep the competitiveness as high as we can for our girls.”

 

PSN’s WPIAL Girls Class 3A Recent Coverage

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