WPIAL girls soccer preview capsules: Norwin readies for North Allegheny, more

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, October 29, 2017 | 8:39 PM

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Semifinals

Class AAAA

No. 4 Norwin (16-1-1) vs. No. 9 North Allegheny (12-6-1)

8 p.m. Monday at Fox Chapel

Winner plays: No. 2 Penn-Trafford (15-3-1)/No. 11 Upper St. Clair (11-5-2) winner in championship Nov. 2, 3 or 4 at Highmark Stadium

Free kicks: Norwin is seeking a third straight trip to the championship game and third straight title. The Knights have overcome a pair of physical games to reach the final four. After defeating Canon-McMillan, they rallied after a tight first half in which they trailed 1-0 to defeat Kiski Area, 3-1, in the quarterfinals. Lexy Kendro (Duquesne recruit) scored two goals, and Emily Harrigan (Rutgers) added another in the victory. Norwin is 10-1 in the WPIAL playoffs the last three years but, surprisingly, has not seen North Allegheny in the postseason. Norwin, however, shut out North Allegheny, 3-0, in the final game of the regular season. … North Allegheny finished third in Section 1. The Tigers upset No. 1 seed and Section 1 champion Pine-Richland in the quarterfinals 2-0. Pine-Richland won the first section meeting 4-2, and the teams tied 2-2 in the second. Junior midfielder Alex Adams had both goals for North Allegheny in the quarterfinal win, and platooning keepers Olivia Ruppersberger and Julia Correa combined for the shutout in goal.

No. 2 Penn-Trafford (15-3-1) vs. No. 11 Upper St. Clair (11-5-2)

6 p.m. Monday at Fox Chapel

Winner plays: No. 4 Norwin (16-1-1)/No. 9 North Allegheny (12-6-1) winner in championship Nov. 2, 3 or 4 at Highmark Stadium

Free kicks: Penn-Trafford won a section title for the first time since 2013, dethroning three-time defending section champ Norwin, and the Warriors have built momentum and confidence as the No. 2 seed. Lauren Stovar (Army recruit) scored two goals as the Warriors held off No. 7 Fox Chapel, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. Penn-Trafford is in the semifinals for the first time since 2014. Defense has carried the Warriors for much of the season, and sophomore goalkeeper Megan Giesey has helped produce eight shutouts. She had 10 saves against Fox Chapel. … Upper St. Clair made it nine wins in its last 10 games with a 1-0 victory over Peters Township in the quarterfinals. Jane Madson had the lone score with Nikki Gibbons providing the assist. The Panthers made the quarterfinals last year but lost to Norwin, 3-0.

Class AA

No. 4 Yough (14-2) vs. No. 1 Freedom (18-0)

8 p.m. Monday at Moon

Winner plays: No. 2 Waynesburg (17-1)/No. 3 Freeport (16-2-1) winner in championship Nov. 2, 3 or 4 at Highmark Stadium

Free kicks: Yough returns to the semifinals after reaching the final four one other time, in 2014, where it fell to Mars, 3-0. This team is young, with a number of underclassmen in the starting lineup, but it is talented and building chemistry. Sophomore scoring standout Justine Appolonia had two goals, including the winner with 5 minutes, 40 seconds left in overtime, to lift Yough to a 3-2 win over Burrell in the quarterfinals. Goalkeeper Sara Krofcheck made 11 saves for the Cougars. … Season-long favorite Freedom, the defending WPIAL champion, has surrendered just 13 goals all season. Michaela Watkins and Lyndsee Monac each scored twice in a 4-1 win over Brownsville in the quarterfinals. Watkins has more than 20 goals.

Class A

No. 3 Greensburg CC (13-3) vs. No. 2 Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (15-4)

6 p.m. Monday at Hampton

Winner plays: Shady Side Academy (12-3)/Seton LaSalle (16-2) winner in championship Nov. 2, 3 or 4 at Highmark Stadium

Free kicks: Greensburg Central Catholic advanced the semifinals for the eighth consecutive time with a 1-0 victory over Vincentian. Freshman Sam Felder scored her 15th goal of the season in the first half, and a strong defense limited Vincentian to one shot-on-goal. The Centurions beat Vincentian, 5-0, in last year's semifinals. They are seeking a seventh straight trip to the WPIAL title game. … Cardinal Wuerl, which lost in the first round a year ago, posted its ninth straight win with a 3-0 shutout of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the quarterfinals. Tori Michalski scored all three goals for the Trojans.

Tags: Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Freedom, Greensburg C.C., North Allegheny, North Catholic, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Upper St. Clair, Yough