WPIAL soccer: Freeport girls waste no time in commanding playoff victory over Belle Vernon
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Freeport vs Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport vs Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport vs Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport vs Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport vs Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (29) Addy Kristofik takes the ball past Belle Vernon (10) Chessa Mertz in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport vs Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (18) Peyton Los controls the ball against Belle Vernon (6) Samantha Simcone in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (8) Elena Jenkins wrecks into Belle Vernon goalkeeper (99) Skylar Salay in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (27) Natalia Urik brings the ball down with her chest as Belle Vernon (17) Grace West covers her in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (9) Alyssa Cooper celebrates with (8) Elena Jenkins after Jenkins scored a goal against Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (8) Elena Jenkins scores her third goal against Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (18) Peyton Los celebrates with (1) Brinley Sullivan after she scored a gaol against Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (5) Ella McConville takes the ball past Belle Vernon (4) Payton Walsh in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Freeport (27) Natalia Urik celebrates with (8) Elena Jenkins after she scored a hat trick against Belle Vernon in a WPIAL Class 2A first round girls soccer game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at Freeport High School. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
BUFFALO TWP — Belle Vernon had an upset on its mind, but it took just 52 seconds of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 2A girls soccer first-round playoff for the Leopards to feel discouraged.
Freeport’s Brinley Sullivan headed in a corner kick off the foot of Ella McConville to give the host Yellowjackets the early lead, one Freeport never came close to giving up in an 8-0 win.
“We didn’t want to give them any hope,” Freeport coach Steve Kukic said. “Getting off to a fast start was important for us. We had a game against Riverview canceled last week and hadn’t played a game in almost two weeks.”
After the initial goal, Freeport had a number of scoring chances over the next 29 minutes — Camryn Woods and Peyton Los both had shots denied, but Elena Jenkins sent the team rolling into halftime with a pair of goals less than three minutes apart.
Her first tally, in the 30th minute, was challenged by two Belle Vernon defenders and goalie Skylar Salay.
Jenkins added a third goal in the 60th minute.
A freshman, Jenkins does not start, but provides valuable ability off the bench.
“She’s a spark,” Kukic said. “On just about any other team, she would be a starter, but she has size, is very direct and gives us a good change of pace.”
Los began the second-half scoring three minutes in. CeCe Schlegel found the net less than a minute later. The Leopards, unable to counter with chances at the other end, were simply trying to keep the heat off Aurora Bastedo, who had replaced Salay in net.
Woods scored to make it 6-0 before Jenkins’ final goal. Nia DiSanti capped the barrage in the 74th minute.
“We talked all week about having the right mindset,” said Woods. “We didn’t want to be laid back, had to play to our full potential.”
Freeport’s defense, including goalie Alyssa Alcorn, was not pressed Tuesday, but is sure to encounter a stiffer challenge moving forward.
“I have a lot of faith in them,” Kukic said of the unit.
Belle Vernon (9-10) was the No. 12 seed. The No. 5 Yellowjackets (12-1-1) will face No. 4 South Park, which defeated Central Valley, in a quarterfinal on Saturday at a site and time to be determined.
South Park knocked Freeport out of last year’s district playoffs by a score of 5-1.
