Uneasy Street
JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley girls soccer coach Mark Perry felt uneasy about a scoreless first half Thursday night. By the time the game was over, he felt even worse.
He watched Ashlee Libby give the Raiders a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the second half, but still couldn’t shake the feeling that missed opportunities earlier in the game would come back to haunt his team in a WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal against Canon-McMillan.
The Big Macs scored twice and held off a late rush from the Raiders to prevail 2-1 at NexTier Stadium.
SV’s season ends with a record of 13-3-1. The Big Macs improved to 9-6-2.
“We lost this game in the first half,” Perry said. “Anytime an underdog stays in the game, they’re going to gain confidence as the game goes on.”
The Raiders had a number of chances to take a lead in the first 40 minutes. Ayla Ward, the team’s top goal scorer with 25 on the season, was involved in several of the chances.
The most notable opportunity came in the 30th minute when Karly Majeski lined up to take a penalty kick. The sophomore chose to place her shot in the middle of the net, but goalkeeper Cianna Butera stayed put and made the save.
“I think their coaches know (her tendencies) from playing club, but Karly has taken our PKs all year and if we had another one, she’d probably take that one, too,” Perry said.
Big Macs coach Matt Fonagy lauded Butera’s effort.
“She’s been our rock all season and there’s no question, we would not be here without her,” he said.
Butera and Canon-McMillan’s defense fell victim to a perfect pass from Ward to Libby that the latter buried for a 1-0 lead.
But the Big Macs tied the score with Lilly Bane’s goal 15 minutes later, then took the lead when Rachel Tomley’s boot from 30 yards proved too high for SV goalie Mia Humphreys in the 70th minute.
SV earned a corner kick with just under three minutes remaining. It resulted in a shot off the foot of Delaney Mansfield from 15 yards, but was saved by Butera, her 10th of the game.
“We have a lot of respect for Seneca,” said Fonagy. “All their lines have good players and they have excellent strikers and forwards.
“We’ve gained a lot of confidence with our recent training.”
Humphreys stopped four shots for the Raiders.
“It was a great season,” Perry said. “Unfortunately, you’re judged by how you do in the playoffs, especially here at Seneca Valley.”