PIAA soccer playoffs: Mars’ Meredith Ashbaugh turns tide in quarterfinal win over South Fayette
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Mars’ Morgan Duker takes possession of the ball away from South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars girls soccer team celebrate after beating South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Mars’ Jade Breese kicks a pass so the team can keep control of the ball in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Mars’ Morgan Duker takes possession of the ball away from South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars girls soccer team celebrate after beating South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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The Mars Fightin' Planet girls soccer team defeated South Fayette 1-0 in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Mars’ Jade Breese kicks a pass so the team can keep control of the ball in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
WEXFORD — Mars wasn’t going to wait around. Not this time.
The Planets’ Meredith Ashbaugh nodded in Maeve O’Leary’s corner kick before two-and-a-half minutes had passed in Saturday afternoon’s PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal game against South Fayette. That marker stood as the lone score in a 1-0 Mars win at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
“It was great getting a goal early on,” Ashbaugh said. “We’ve obviously lost to them (recently). It just brought our momentum.”
In a WPIAL semifinal victory Oct. 29, the Lions (19-4) held the Planets scoreless through regulation and overtime, identical to what they’d done on the same stage last year.
The Mars girls soccer team celebrate after beating South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
“They’re really good in the air,” Lions coach Nicholas Rosser said of Ashbaugh’s marker. “They came at us and it was a big cluster, but they got up higher than we did and they were able to get that ball right on the net.”
Mars coach Blair Gerlach didn’t dwell on the early lead long.
“Don’t get scored on in the next five minutes,” he said of his thoughts at that moment. “(With) the roller coaster of emotion that happens in a high school game when there’s finally some people in the seats, everybody knows it’s a one-game season. The seniors are getting antsy, and you’re trying to hope that the excitement isn’t overcome by the nervousness.
“But you score that goal and it’s very easy to relax for a second and go, ‘Oh, we’re good.’”
Mars’ Jade Breese kicks the ball so a teammate can keep control against South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Planets (20-3) freshman goalkeeper Ciara Spaun registered seven saves in the initial 40 minutes. She had 11 in all, while her teammates shielded her from plenty of other South Fayette tries.
“It gave us a sense of urgency,” Rosser said. “We needed to step up. ... They dropped (back) their six or seven girls. They really defended us well on all the opportunities we created.
“The goalie down here, she had a really great day today. She made a couple good saves, too.”
Spaun brushed away Gabby Beinecke’s breakaway try as the halftime horn sounded. In the 65th minute, she lunged to push away one of South Fayette’s best chances of the second half.
Mars’ Morgan Duker takes possession of the ball away from South Fayette in a PIAA Class 3A girls soccer quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at North Allegheny High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
In the 70th minute, a Lions free kick from 25 yards out zipped barely over the crossbar. With a minute and a half to go, they had a shot sneak just wide of the right post.
Mars has outscored its last 10 opponents 44-2, not counting the penalty shootout goals it allowed in the previous meeting with the Lions. The Planets have not given up a score in the flow of game action in five games.
Up next, Mars will play District 3 champion Lower Dauphin (21-2), a 2-1 winner over WPIAL runner-up Fox Chapel in another Saturday quarterfinal, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Altoona High School.
