WPIAL lacrosse: Penn-Trafford’s second-half rally ends Butler girls’ season in Class 3A first round
-
Butler's Brooke Steyer (8) scores a goal in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Brooke Steyer (8) celebrates after a goal in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Penn-Trafford's Georgia Vislocky (22) scores on Butler's goalie Campbell Clouse (36) in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Penn-Trafford's Annabelle Aquino (1) races downfield as Butler's Malina McElroy, right, defends in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Malina McElroy (1) and Penn-Trafford's Georgia Vislocky (22) battle for possession of the ball during a draw in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Elliette Smith (39) looks for a window of opportunity to run downfield in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler family and friends showed up to give their support for the Golden Tornado during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Brooke Steyer (8) defends against Penn-Trafford's Ayla Moffa (6) as she races down the field in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Brooke Steyer (8) wins the draw against Penn-Trafford's Georgia Vislocky (22) in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's goalie Campbell Clouse (36) is consoled by teammate Brooke Steyer (8) after the loss against Penn-Trafford during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Penn-Trafford's Georgia Vislocky (22) looks to get by Butler's Brooke Steyer (8) in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler goalie Campbell Clouse (36) shows her emotions as she is consoled by teammate Jolene Plaisted (33) after the loss against Penn-Trafford during the WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Brooke Steyer (8) tries for a shot on goal and gets hit by Penn-Trafford's Adalyn Hawk (55) in a WPIAL Class 3A girls lacrosse first-round game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Penn-Trafford High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
HARRISON CITY — The first half was one of seizing opportunities for Butler’s girls lacrosse team, but the second was taxing and brutally unforgiving.
Isabella Skal’s goal with just 21 seconds left in the second quarter gave Butler a 7-2 lead over host Penn-Trafford in Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A first-round playoff.
Little did the Golden Tornado know it would be their final score of the game. The Warriors managed an 8-0 run over the final two periods to end Butler’s season with a 10-7 decision.
The two teams met in the first game of the season in mid-March, and Penn-Trafford scored a 13-4 win.
“We knew who their top players were, and assigned certain girls to mark them,” Butler coach Cory Hurley said of the rematch. “We did well with that early on, but ended up running out of gas.”
The Warriors’ deficit remained at five goals until four-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter. Georgia Vislocky scored the second of her game-high six goals to make it 7-3.
But it was later in the period when P-T truly put Butler on its heels.
Ayla Moffa’s goal began a string of four scores in the final 3:53 of the quarter to tie the game.
“We told the girls that we can’t score five goals on one shot,” Penn-Trafford coach Rich Vislocky said. “It started with the first draw of the second half, that first ground ball.”
Butler had tried to slow the pace, playing deliberately on offense, but a pair of turnovers near Penn-Trafford’s net helped spur the run.
“The turnovers hurt. We were playing defense in our own end almost the entire second half,” Hurley said. “You can’t score if you don’t have the ball.”
Moffa’s goal with 10 minutes left in the game gave the Warriors (13-6) the lead for good.
Vislocky, who has scored over 100 goals in her varsity career, scored twice more against Butler goalie Campbell Clouse.
The latter had stopped seven of the nine shots she faced in the first half.
“She’s broken up, believing it was her fault we lost, but it had nothing to do with her,” Hurley said.
Clouse made two saves early in the game, and teammates Skal and Malina McElroy scored shortly after each one.
Leading 2-0 after one period, Butler weathered Penn-Trafford’s answer — goals from Annabelle Aquino and Vislocky that tied the game.
Elliette Smith (two), Addison Pino, Brooke Steyer and Skal each found the net in Butler’s 5-0 run before halftime.
Madison Hagan stopped four shots for the Warriors, including a pair from free position late in the game.
Butler finishes the season with a record of 11-7.
“These seniors have had some people, coaches, quit on them the last few years,” Hurley said. “They were 3-11 as freshmen, and to now have back-to-back playoff appearances, it’s a testament to them.”
Penn-Trafford will travel to Upper St. Clair for a quarterfinal Thursday.
