Soggy ending
JACKSON TWP — The mood on the Seneca Valley bench was as dreary as the weather.
Long faces meeting a long offseason thinking about what could have been.
Alexis Wehrle scored on a cross from Veronica Gibbons seven minutes into the second half for a 1-0 Upper St. Clair lead and then Cassandra White gave the Raiders' season its death knell with a goal with just under 15 minutes left to sink Seneca Valley, 2-0, in the first round of the WPIAL 4A girls soccer playoffs on a soggy Monday night at NexTier Stadium.
“It's disappointing to lose. There's disappointment,” said Seneca Valley coach Mark Perry. “It's like you're there in the playoffs and then suddenly you're gone and for eight players, their careers are over and it just hits them.”
Seneca Valley (12-6) made a few frantic late runs, but was unable to dent the scoreboard — something that hasn't been much of a problem for the Raiders this season and especially late in the year.
Seneca Valley came into the playoffs with 27 goals in its last seven matches.
But the playoffs are a different animal.
“When you don't have a go-to goal scorer, you need some breaks in the playoffs to get through,” Perry said. “I think Upper St. Clair wanted to win more than we did.”
The first half, played mostly in a deluge, resulted in few chances for each team.
Upper St. Clair had the best of play and the opportunities, particularly early.
Gibbons had two shots on goal that were stopped by Seneca Valley keeper Bella DeFabbo in the first 10 minutes. Her best chance, however, came a few minutes later on a shot from 30 yards out that hit the crossbar.
“Whenever she has the ball, we expect something electric,” said Upper St. Clair coach David Gray.Seneca Valley also had a few chances that went high or wide — or both.Ashley Rea had two strikes, the first just a hair over the crossbar and the second high and wide right.Mary Sinan also had a shot soar over the crossbar.Sammy Stevwing had a breakaway chance late in the first half, but stumbled on the wet turf and was unable to get a shot off.Upper St. Clair (10-5-2) quickly got the upper hand in the second half and keeper Jill Rocco did the rest with five second-half saves.“Whoever got the first goal was going to be key,” Perry said.The first goal did little to reassure Gray. Neither did the second.“When you have Jess Frank and Breana Valentovish at the top (for Seneca Valley), they can score in a hurry,” Gray said. “Even at 2-0 we're weren't that comfortable.”Both coaches lamented having to play each other again in the first round.The two teams played to a 0-0 draw in a scrimmage in August.“We're two even teams,” Perry said. “It's unfortunate we'd draw each other in the first round. The conditions made it just as tough.”
