Missed shots early cost Mars in 2-1 loss
SLIPPERY ROCK — Plenty of chances.
Plenty of misses.
Plenty of frustration.
The Mars girls soccer team dominated play in the first half, firing off 11 shots — six on goal — against Villa Maria Academy.
And came away with nothing.
That opened the door for the Victors, who slammed it shut on Mars and its season in a 2-1 win in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals at Slippery Rock High School on a blustery Saturday afternoon.
“If we finish half the quality chances we had in the first half,” said Mars girls soccer coach Blair Gerlach, “that game is over at halftime.”
But it wasn't and Villa goalkeeper Emma Shimek had a lot to do with that.
The junior keeper was aggressive, coming far out of the goal box on several occasions to thwart attacks and made four stellar saves in the first half to keep the contest scoreless.
Villa (19-1-1) had just two shots in the first half, one of which clanked off the post.
Mars (19-5) had plenty more chances than that, all going for naught.
“I'll say I feel like we were the better team the whole way through,” Gerlach said. “I feel like they got a couple of opportunities on counter-attacks because we had to open up there toward the end, but to be fair, in the first half, that's a 4-0 game.”
Villa made it a 1-0 game just three minutes into the second half when Morgan Putnam found the net.
Mars, though, finally broke through on a goal from Tori Kopchak with 25:51 remaining in the match.
The Victors needed just two minutes to score the winning goal when freshman Makena Silber poked the ball into the net after it had squired away from Mars keeper Sammy Papik.
“Regardless, at the end of the day, they scored two goals and we scored one,” Gerlach said. “That's how it works out. I'm proud of the girls. I honestly felt like we played well enough in the first half that the game should have been over at halftime.”Villa, though, has made it a habit this postseason of pulling out wins late.The Victors trailed Hickory 4-2 at the half in the District 10 title game before rallying to tie it and then win on penalty kicks. They were down 1-0 with less than seven minutes remaining in the state playoffs against South Park before breaking out for two goals and the win.“I love these girls to death,” said Villa coach Afrim Latifi, “but they are giving me a heart attack.”Latifi admitted his team was “very weak” in the first half, but regrouped at the break.“We talked at halftime about getting back to playing our game, and our game is playing on the ground,” Latifi said. “The two opportunities we had in the first half was because we played the ball on the ground. We came out in the second half and that was what our mentality was.”Mars' mentality now is one of what could have been.With only two seniors on the roster — Sabrina Edwards and Casey Merritt — not much was expected of the young Planets this season.Mars, though, was able to reach the WPIAL final and the state quarterfinals.“I feel good for them, that they added to the experience, but you're a little disappointed for the seniors,” Gerlach said. “I've coached those two kids for eight years and, to me, it's tough because it's probably the final time I'll coach those two.“Kudos to (Villa),” Gerlach said. “We wish them the best going forward.”
