Freeport girls fall, 2-0
NESHANNOCK TWP — Freeport girls soccer coach Brittni Grenninger was fine with the way the first half played out.
The second half, not so much.
Hickory's Lauren Bell and Gabby Cataloni both scored in the final 40 minutes as the Hornets defeated the Yellowjackets, 2-0, in Saturday's PIAA Class AA quarterfinal playoff at Neshannock High School's Bob Bleggi Field.
“We knew that Hickory was a first-half team,” said Grenninger. “I thought if we could hold them down in the first half, we'd have a chance to come out and grab momentum in the second half.”
The first half saw the vast majority of action play out in the middle third of the field. The only shot on goal by either team in the first 40 minutes came from Freeport's Olivia Gaspersic, whose free kick from 32 yards was corralled by Hickory goalkeeper Molly Piso in the 19th minute of play.
In the 38th minute, Cameron Lindsay's shot from 13 yards sailed just wide left of Hickory's net.
“The thing that impressed me most about Freeport is the numbers they had in their attack and how quickly they got back on defense,” said Hickory coach B.J. Rudge.
The Hornets (19-2-1) did manage three corner kicks in the opening half, but each one was successfully turned away by Freeport (16-5-1).
Bell, District 10's all-time leading goal scorer, tallied her 57th goal of the season in the 54th minute. After taking a pass from Marissa DeJulia, she created space between her and the 'Jacket defense and booted a shot past Freeport goalkeeper Cassie Suran.
“We knew she (Bell) was a good player,” said Grenninger, “but we didn't do anything differently from the way we played against any good player this season. We had Autumn Kriebel marking her and she did a phenomenal job for us. In the end, we did not lose this game because of lack of defense, but a lack of finishing.”
Hickory's second goal came after Cataloni freed herself from a scrum in front of Freeport's goal in the 57th minute.
“It was a matter of being patient,” said Rudge. “We were able to get that first goal and it set the tone for the second half.”
Trailing 2-0, Freeport's attack turned up the heat on Piso. The 'Jackets made the netminder make four of her six saves in the final 23 minutes of the game.
“We were playing like we had nothing to lose,” said Grenninger. “We played much better after giving up the second goal.”
Suran also made six saves in the game.
“My hat's off to Freeport,” said Rudge. “They definitely deserved to be here and they gave us a great match.”
Freeport earned a pair of firsts for the program this season — the 'Jackets reached the WPIAL title game and won a state playoff game.
“It really was a fairy-tale season,” said Grenninger. “The girls turned the program around.”
