WPIAL Girls Soccer Semifinal Previews: Class 3A & Class 1A Tuesday showdowns

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Tuesday night brings elite girls soccer postseason action with a massive twin-bill in Class 3A (Penn-Trafford vs Mars | Shaler vs Plum at Fox Chapel HS) and an electric pair of Class 1A battles (Bentworth vs Sewickley Academy — in rematch of last year’s final | Winchester Thurston vs Riverview).

We break down the marquee matchups and have more from coaches as the road to F.N.B. Stadium narrows!

📌 Match Preview Capsules (Tuesday, Nov. 3)

Girls Class 3A Semifinals — At Fox Chapel HS

• #1 Penn-Trafford vs. #4 Mars — 6:00 PM

  • The Breakdown: Top-seeded Penn-Trafford (14-2-3) survived an absolute thriller in the quarterfinals, fending off an upset bid from No. 8 Hampton 4-3 in overtime thanks to freshman star Zoe Bell’s golden goal and multi-assist nights from Kylee McClintock and Ellie Lebe. They now face a heavyweight clash against No. 4 Mars (15-1-1).

  • The Intel: Mars defended home turf in the quarterfinals to eliminate reigning PIAA champion South Fayette 2-1 behind late strikes from Reese Vuckovich and Miley Gratton.

  • Mars Attacks, Part Two!  The sequel is on! Mars made a statement near the close of the regular season with an impressive 5-0 win against section champs and No. 2 Shaler.  To close out the season, Blair Gerlach, who has led Mars girls program to so much success over the years (most recently winning three straight WPIAL titles from 2019-21), has this team clicking on all cylinders at the right time of year.  One thing about Mars, is that they always defend well and are tough to break down.  That will be the challenge for the high scoring Warriors.  This is a Penn-Trafford team led by sophomore Ellie Lebe, as the primary threat up top, and standout defender Aurelia Solomon, which scored three goals against No. 2 Shaler, Class 4A’s top seed Mt. Lebanon and another 4A playoff team, Norwin.  Sense here is that each side will be doing their best to dictate terms. A tight, tense affair favoring Mars?  Or a wide-open, back-and-forth pace that would suit Penn-Trafford?

• #2 Shaler vs. #6 Plum — 8:00 PM

  • The Breakdown: No. 2 Shaler (14-3) cruised into the final four with a 3-0 shutout over Elizabeth Forward, anchored by a brace from Etta Warner and Livia Ryan’s 11th shutout of the year (including a clutch penalty save). They will square off against No. 6 Plum (11-5-3), which edged Montour 1-0 on an Ali Joyce goal assisted by Emily Grubich, with Sophia Robinson preserving the clean sheet.

  • The Intel: Both teams boast elite defensive structure and high-flying counter-attacks, setting up a very good tactical battle under the lights at Fox Chapel.

  • Coach’s Perspective: Shaler head coach Carlo Prati has emphasized building a culture of relentless work ethic, high expectations, and long-term program growth since taking over the Titans. Speaking on the podcast ahead of the playoffs, Prati noted how crucial it has been to keep the squad grounded and focused on defensive shape: “I’m really excited about the opportunity to build a culture where players work hard, support each other, and take pride in representing their school and community.” That discipline will be heavily tested against a dangerous Plum counter-attack.

Girls Class 1A Semifinals

• #1 Sewickley Academy vs. #5 Bentworth — 6:00 PM @ Peters Township MS

  • The Breakdown: Unbeaten top-seeded Sewickley Academy (17-0) advanced past a tough Carlynton side 1-0 on a winner by Claire Karsman. They now face defending champion Bentworth (16-2), which pulled off one of the most legendary playoff comebacks in recent memory, erasing a 2-0 halftime deficit against Shady Side Academy to win 3-2.

  • The Intel: Bentworth coach Tyler Hamstra reflected on their quarterfinal grit: “The second goal really went against us and could’ve broke us, but the girls really fought back and we were so hungry.” That hunger will be tested against the district’s top-ranked Panthers.

  • Coach’s Perspective (Tyler Hamstra): Reflecting on the unique nature of Class 1A soccer and his team’s remarkable journey, Hamstra shared profound perspective with PSN:

    “I think all the Class A girls players and coaches have to be so proud. We are talking about mostly very little rural public schools, very small suburban schools that are not very large, and private schools that at times can even be smaller. In a sport where numbers really help you and the marathon and attrition battle can be tough, all these players and coaches have done a really great job to make it a great regular season and postseason.”

    On the competitive balance across the bracket, Hamstra added:

    “The playoffs have been very competitive. We also knew that the runners-up in each section could really be dark horses… having six section champions really pushed everything back where everybody in the top 10 could really win on any given night. That’s probably not a good thing for Class A girls soccer, where usually the contenders come from the same few private schools and the same three public schools.”

    Looking ahead to the clash with Sewickley Academy, Hamstra emphasized staying true to their identity:

    “For my girls, I’m very proud. We really had an amazing season… Every playoff game is tough; playoff wins can be the most elusive thing for so many programs. Each game has so many momentum shifts and little moments defensively and attacking that can really change the game. For us, we just want to continue to follow our game model, play on the front foot as much as we can, and limit mistakes, so as the game goes on, it could become a little bit more of a chess match and we can make some changes as we see fit. It’s an amazing group of girls I’ve been coaching since they’re in fourth grade. For me, I’m just proud of this generation and the entire program.”

• #2 Winchester Thurston vs. #6 Riverview — 7:00 PM @ Gateway HS

  • The Breakdown: No. 2 Winchester Thurston (17-2) captured the Section 3 crown behind senior midfield maestro Ava Keller and an experienced, battle-tested roster. The Bears advanced past Eden Christian 1-0 in overtime on a golden goal by freshman phenom Claire Dobson.
  • The Opposition: They meet No. 6 Riverview (14-1), which defeated Springdale 3-1 behind goals from Juliette and Isolina Brun, alongside key contributions from Hannah Hudack. Riverview is firing on all cylinders and playing with immense confidence.
  • The Narrative: Both teams are playing exceptional, cohesive soccer, making this an incredible tactical chess match where midfield control from Keller and the Raiders’ high-press will dictate who punches their ticket to F.N.B. Stadium.

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