PT edged on PKs in championship game
Eleanor Bailey/for the Observer-Reporter
Ella Neupaver (3), Camryn Klein (5) and Molly Kubistek (88) attempt to console Lexi Pirosko (center) after Peters Township lost in a shootout to North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer championship match Thursday at Highmark Stadium.
Ellie Gambill
Ellie Gambill of Peters Township battles for a header during WPIAL Class 4A girls championship soccer action against North Allegheny. The match went into overtime and ended too late for publication in this edition. For details, visit www.observer- reporter.com
Eleanor Bailey/ for the O-R
Ella Neupaver
Eleanor Baileyfor the O-R
Ella Neupaver, right, of Peters Township fends off Elliana Vitale (16) of North Allegheny to reach the ball during WPIAL Class 4A girls championship soccer action.
Ella Neupaver (3) of Peters Township fends off Elliana Vitale (16) of North Allegheny and races to the ball during WPIAL Class 4A girls championship soccer action.
Eleanor Bailey/for the Observer-Reporter
Camryn Klein (5) of Peters Township finds herself surrounded by North Allegheny defenders as she attempts to control the ball on offense during WPIAL Class 4A championship action.
PITTSBURGH – Peters Township returned to the WPIAL championship game after three straight semifinal losses.
That makes this season successful, but the Indians fell short of a district title, losing to North Allegheny 2-1 after 120 minutes, plus penalty kicks (3-2) late Thursday night at Highmark Stadium.
“We battled all year through adversity,” Peters Township coach Pat Vereb said.
Peters Township (14-2-3) had to battle adversity against North Allegheny (20-1), with its top player, Brooke Opferman, limited because of illness. Opferman only played about 15 minutes.
Playing a team that came into the night with two of the last three WPIAL championships didn’t make things easier for the Indians.
“NA’s a powerhouse,” Vereb said, “and I thought we played them pretty even the whole game. “Unfortunately, at some point, they have to get a winner. We didn’t perform very well in the shootout and that’s why we didn’t win.”
After 48-plus minutes of nobody scoring, Peters Township finally broke the ice. Bella Spergel, who scored the overtime winner in PT’s quarterfinal triumph over Butler, scored off multiple rebounds. Bliss Plummer had the assist.
However, 22 seconds later, North Allegheny tied it on a goal by Lucia Wells.
“We never even got the moment to sort of take the momentum,” Vereb said. “I think we gave it back to them in less than 30 seconds. Maybe it would have been a different game had we got our feet set and played with the lead, but immediately, it’s 1-1.”
It stayed 1-1 through the rest of regulation and two 15-minute overtime periods.
Either overtime would have ended with a golden goal. The golden goal never came.
So it went to penalty kicks.
North Allegheny’s Wells, who scored the team’s lone goal in regulation, led off penalty kicks.
She made her shot.
PT’s Spergel, who scored her team’s lone goal in regulation, led off for her side.
She made her shot.
NA’s Sophia Palmerio made it 2-1 in PKs, and it stayed 2-1 after a miss by PT’s Ella Neupaver.
Peters Township goalkeeper Molly Kubistek saved a shot by NA’s Aubrey Wells to keep it 2-1, but Camryn Klein couldn’t tie it for the Indians.
North Allegheny’s Riley Cerqua made it 3-1, but the Indians’ Christina Sefer made it 3-2.
An NA miss didn’t matter as Peters’ Lexi Pirosko couldn’t convert, thus ending the game.
For Vereb, there was no way to simulate kicking penalties in front of a big crowd.
“We practice every day for three weeks,” he said. “But I don’t think you can replicate the moment itself.”
The Indians’ season isn’t over. They will be playing in the state tournament Tuesday.
The Indians lost the 2019 WPIAL title game to Seneca Valley, then made a run to the state semifinals.
Yes, losing the title game will hurt, but for Vereb, just getting there was a significant accomplishment, especially considering what the squad went through.
“People who don’t know the program have no idea the adversity and injuries that we’ve had this year,” he said. “We had three major season-ending injuries to starters. So it’s a big deal.”