Carroto scores 2 as Charleroi moves to top of section
HOUSTON – Chartiers-Houston carried the play in the first 27 minutes of action in Tuesday’s Class A Section 2 girls soccer match, but Charleroi showed the only statistic that matters at the end of a contest is the score in a 2-0 victory to sweep the season series.
“We probably had four of five chances early on, and we didn’t capitalize on those, and I think that defeated us a little bit in the first half,” Chartiers-Houston coach Bob Acor said. “Charleroi is a good team with a good coach, and at least three or four good players that have been playing since ninth grade.”
The Cougars (7-1-0, 10-1-0), who took over sole possession of first place in the section, didn’t have a shot on goal until 12:29 of the first, but they made it count as Bella Carroto buried a shot to the upper right-hand corner of the net from 15 yards out for a 1-0 lead. The goal was unassisted.
“Those kids show the heart and resilience to win this game,” Charleroi coach Tom Cameron said. “It took all 14 of those kids to play hard. That defense with Aryana (Chiplaskey), who is only a freshman, but she has played a high-level of soccer, and then you have Camryn (Musser) and Ella (Sypolt), they’ve been with me for three years. They have the tenacity and they don’t give up and quit. I am so proud of that back three.”
Carroto scored on a penalty kick at 22:29 of the second half after the Bucs were called for a foul in the penalty area. Carroto went to the lower left of the cage for the goal, her second of the match. The senior has 17 goals this season.
“That was unfortunate in the penalty box,” Acor said. “I think that was a miscue on our part. We start seven, eight sophomores every game, so we are still growing and maturing into that role.”
Charleroi, who beat the Bucs, 3-0, on Aug. 28, sits atop the section standings with 21 points. Chartiers-Houston (6-2, 10-2) is second in the standings with 18 points. Waynesburg, who defeated the Cougars, 2-1, on Sept. 13, is third with 15 points. The rematch is Oct. 9 at Waynesburg.
“We still have a lot of soccer to play, but we are in a good position now,” Cameron said.
The Bucs are at Waynesburg on Oct. 2. Chartiers-Houston defeated Waynesburg, 4-1, the first time the teams met Sept. 6.
“We have Waynesburg on Monday, and that’s big for us,” Acor said. “We talked about that briefly in the huddle after the game. Two losses don’t define your season, and we could still win the section with a little help, and we still have the playoffs, and the seeding is very important in the playoffs.”
The Bucs had two chances to score in the first eight minutes of the first half, but Charleroi goalkeeper Addison Conrad stopped both shots. She earned the clean sheet with five saves.
“She (Conrad) kept us in the game in the first half,” Cameron said. “She made at least three save that were top-notch saves.”
Chartiers-Houston had an opportunity inside the Cougars’ goal box with 25 minutes remaining in the first half but couldn’t get the shot off.
Carroto had two shots go wide of the net before capitalizing.
The Bucs had a chance with 6:40 remaining in the first half on a run by Amelia Brose, but Conrad came out to challenge and blocked the shot away.
Ava Capozzoli had a shot on target for Chartiers-Houston with 2:05 left in the first half, but Conrad made the stop. Capozzoli had a corner kick bend toward Seanna Ringgle, who put a shot on target with 34 minutes remaining in the second half but Conrad was again up to the task in keeping the home team off the scoreboard.