Costly Mistakes
BUTLER TWP — The score proclaimed it was a North Allegheny rout.
It was anything but.
The Butler girls soccer team had more opportunities against the Tigers, but couldn't convert them.
Meanwhile, North Allegheny made the Golden Tornado pay dearly for three mistakes in a 3-0 win at Butler Intermediate Wednesday night.
“We had more corners,” said Butler coach Steve Perri. “We made their goalie make more saves and she did.
“I think people are going to see 3-0 and think, 'Wow,' but it's not indicative of what the game was. We made mistakes and you can't do that against teams like this.”
North Allegheny (13-1-1, 11-0) showed why it is still undefeated in a very strong section.
After Butler had the better of play for most of the first half, Emma Bundy made a move to her right and sent a bending shot that found the top of the net for a 1-0 lead.
That advantage stood until the Tigers broke the match open late in the second half with a pair of goals from Sara Schupaski less than three minutes apart.
Schupaski's first goal was another bending shot that found the top of the cage with 7:29 remaining.
Schupaski scored again at 4:49 on a penalty kick.
“They're a good team,” said North Allegheny coach Chuck Kelley. “They're really well-prepared. It was a good match up. They challenged us. It went end to end. We were fortunate none of their corner kicks or breakaways went in.”Both teams found playing on the grass field at the Intermediate school a challenge.Even though it's Butler's home pitch, the Golden Tornado have played a number of games on the new turf at Art Bernardi Stadium.“I think, honestly, it hindered both teams,” Perri said. “It made it a little sloppier of a game.”NA had already clinched a section title.“That's the best team out there right now,” Perri said of the Tigers. “They're the top team in the district in Quad-A. They're going to put a lot of people under pressure.“We don't feel scared about having to play them for a third time,” Perri added about a potential playoff meeting.First, though, Butler has a key match against Seneca Valley Monday.That could be for second place in the section and could be paramount for seeding.Butler (11-4, 7-4) may have to do it with some injury concerns.Gabby Boden turned an ankle against North Allegheny and had to be helped off the pitch.Hannah Stutz was also injured and Chloe Weiland played, but has an elbow issue.“Chloe went down on Monday at Shaler with an elbow and that came back clean and Hannah and her head,” Perri said. “We'll hope that'll come back clean.“The big one is really on Monday against Seneca Valley,” Perri said. “That will really be about who gets second and who gets third.”
