Clayton scores 5 goals as Waynesburg stays unbeaten in 3-AA
HERMINIE – Madison Clayton scored a career-high five goals to lead Waynesburg to a 7-4 Section 3-AA first-place showdown win at previously undefeated Yough Wednesday night.
“Honestly, I thought it would be a close score and I know they are really good,” said Clayton, who will play at Pitt. “We have to make sure that we keep our composure and continue to get better.”
Clayton has 29 goals this season and 114 for her career.
The Raiders improved to 5-0 in Section 3-AA and 8-1 overall. Yough fell to 4-1, 6-1.
Waynesburg coach Joe Kijowski talked about Clayton’s efforts before quickly focusing on the team effort.
“What can you say that hasn’t been said?” he said while smiling. “She has a great supporting cast and the girls are playing well together.
“It was a better effort in the second half.”
Bailey Fudala gave Waynesburg an early 1-0 lead when she scored at 35:59, but Yough scored the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead as Natalie Vilchek scored with 31:21 to play in the half and Justine Appolonia scored with 26:37 left.
Appolonia finished with three first-half goals for Yough, and Clayton spoke about the sophomore who was an All-WPIAL player a year ago.
“She is a very fast and technical player,” Clayton said.
Appolonia’s goal gave Yough a 3-2 lead.
Jillian Kijowski scored at the 21:13 mark off of a pass from Rhea Kijowski to tie the score, but Appolonia countered 45 seconds later to give Yough a 3-2 lead.
Rhea Kijowski again found Clayton for a goal, this time with 17:07 to play in the half, to tie the score at 3-3.
Yough took a 4-3 lead on a penalty kick by Appolonia with 6:39 left in the half, but Clayton tied the score with 4:38 before halftime on a pass from Kylie Sinn.
Each team had given up four goals on the season heading into Wednesday’s match but the defense took a beating in this matchup of high-scoring teams.
“If someone would have told me before the match that we would have been tied 4-4 at the half, I would hope that I would have believed them,” Kijowski said. “You never want to give up that many goals, but I knew they had offense as well.”
Clayton scored three more goals in the second half, with 37:14 left on a pass from Jillian Kijowski, on a pass from Rhea Kijowski with 19:15 to play and at the final horn.
Rhea Kijowski finished with four assists for Waynesburg, who returns to action Monday when it hosts McGuffey in a section match.