Fudala’s late goal gives Waynesburg leg up in section
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Waynesburg’s Kaley Pell fights for the ball with Yough’s Natalie Vilchek Wednesday during a match at Waynesburg High School’s football stadium.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Waynesburg’s Bailey Fudala will play soccer at Winthrop University.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Waynesburg’s Abby Virgin, right, goes after the ball as Yough’s Nicole Croushore tries to takes control Wednesday during a match at Waynesburg.
WAYNESBURG – It’s a new season, but it was the same result for the Waynesburg girls soccer team Wednesday night in its Section 3-AA opener against rival Yough as the Raiders tallied a 2-1 victory.
Since 2015, Waynesburg is 7-0 against Yough and has held a 23-8 scoring edge.
“It’s always a physical battle when we play Yough,” Waynesburg coach Joe Kijowski said. “I think both teams came out with a lot of confidence in the season opener. It was hot and I think a lot of the kids were just gassed near the end. I really like our resilience against a tough foe.”
With less than a minute left to play in the second half, senior Bailey Fudala took a free kick from 32 yards out and was able to get just enough air under the ball for it to go over the leaping goalkeeper for what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Raiders (1-0, 1-1).
“I really like taking those free kicks in the offensive zone,” Fudala said. “I think I focus in better when the pressure is on and the kick means more to the outcome of the game. I don’t try to think of the pressure, I’m just focused on lining up the kick. That’s my range.”
Fudala has been a starter since her freshman season and with the notable absences of some top scorers – Madison Clayton graduated and is at Pitt and junior Jillian Kijowski suffered a season-ending injury over the summer – Fudala knows she must be a force in the offensive end.
“We just had a better flow on offense in the final 20 minutes,” Fudala said. “The field was titled in our favor and I think we just believed that somehow we would get that game-winner.”
After a pretty even first half, defending WPIAL champion Waynesburg controlled the pace in the final 40 minutes and held an 11-3 advantage in shots. The Raiders also hit the crossbar twice and had three quality corner kicks that just missed the back of the net.
“I really didn’t like our overall performance tonight,” Yough coach Dann Appolonia said. “We didn’t attack enough on offense and I thought we were just out of sync in the second half. We have 10 returning starters from last year and I know Waynesburg is tough, but we have to be better than what we were tonight.”
Kijowski added that conditioning played a huge part in the second half for Waynesburg.
“I think our conditioning was key late in the game,” Kijowski stated. “We just got to more balls and we possessed the ball more in the attacking zone. This is why we condition in the summer and why we run so much. Bailey was fantastic and has gotten some big goals for us throughout her career. That was her best game of her career.”
After both teams collected some quality, scoring chances in the early stages of the first half, the Raiders struck first after some strong play in the midfield.
Senior Abby Virgin booted a ball toward the front of the net and sophomore Rhea Kijowski was able to corral it. She scored a goal at the 12:25 mark of the first half.
The Cougars (0-1, 0-1) quickly responded with a marker of their own as junior Justine Appolonia broke free and found the net with a hard shot to the left of the goalkeeper.
“We had some few bright spots tonight,” Dann Appolonia said. “I liked how we answered back after they got the first goal. We just couldn’t maintain that pressure and that’s very disappointed. We didn’t pass the ball very well and we gave them too many chances late in the game.”
Both squads hit the crossbar in the late moments of the first half, as the contest was knotted up at 1-1 at halftime. Yough held an 8-7 advantage in shots in the opening 40 minutes.
“Yough is always a tough test for us,” Fudala said. “We have some new faces in our lineup, but I thought we just came together as a team. It was a total team effort. I think Yough brings out the best in us and every time we see them on the schedule it raises our game.”
Sophomore goalkeeper McKenzie Booth made six saves for Waynesburg. Yough’s junior Sara Krofcheck recorded nine stops.