WHITEHALL — Penalty kicks decide a fair share of high school soccer games once the postseason arrives and Seneca Valley girls coach Dave Sylvester knew it.

“We've been going about two or three rounds at the end of our practices,” he said. “We knew who we were going with if it came to that.”

That preparation paid off Monday night at Baldwin High School.

After 110 minutes of play had decided nothing in a WPIAL Class AAA semifinal against Penn-Trafford, the Raiders bettered the Warriors 3-1 in penalty kicks to advance to the championship game for the third consecutive season and fifth time in eight years.

The game was knotted at 1 after double overtime.

Undefeated Seneca Valley (21-0) will face Canon-McMillan, a 1-0 winner over Moon, in the title game at Highmark Stadium at a date and time to be determined.

The Raiders built a 2-1 lead in penalty kicks after makes from Alicia Hart and Kelsey O'Connor. Following a diving save from Seneca goalkeeper Jess Neill on an attempt from the Warriors' Athena Biondi to start the fourth round, Emily Cekella came in with a chance to clinch the victory.

The junior midfielder stepped in front of Penn-Trafford goalkeeper Victoria Anderson and booted a shot that sailed into the right side of the net. Cekella was soon mobbed by her teammates.

“I've been doing well with penalty kicks in practice, making almost all of them,” she said. “I just try to stay calm because if I freak out, I'll end up kicking it long or wide.”

Neill, who made 10 saves in regulation and overtime, came up with two more stops in the penalty-kick round. Aside from denying Biondi's shot, she also made a diving stop on Casey Aunkst to begin the third round. The lone penalty kick she allowed past her was from Kristina Wallace in the second round.

“I've been to penalty kicks in club soccer before, but not in a high school game,” said Neill. “I look at their (opponent's) hips and try to read which way they are going.”

“She's been solid for us her whole career,” Sylvester said of Neill, “but has been great the last two years.”

After a scoreless first half, the Raiders broke the ice with Cassidy Testa's goal in the 51st minute. The score came after the Warriors (18-2-1) were unable to clear the ball following a short goal kick. Testa sidestepped a defender and beat Anderson to the right side of the net.

Penn-Trafford mounted decent pressure in the final minutes and finally tied the game in the 78th minute. Following a Warriors' corner kick to the right of the net, the Raiders were in the process of clearing the threat when Hannah Nguyen sent the ball back toward Neill. Taylor Karan jumped and headed the ball past the senior keeper.

“We thought they (Warriors) may have been offside when they scored,” Sylvester said. “But the referee had a better view of it than we did.”

Anderson, a freshman, came up with 10 saves on the night, including one on a shot from Kalyn Serman in penalty kicks. Anderson stopped a blistering shot from Testa in the 65th minute that kept her team's deficit at one goal.

“I'm proud of her,” said Penn-Trafford coach Rick Nese. “She came up with a few big saves for us. Seneca Valley was what we expected. We just didn't take advantage of our opportunities tonight.”