SV girls fall short in section title showdown, 1-0
WEXFORD — Mia Humphreys’ effort was spectacular, but it stopped just short of being enough.
Seneca Valley’s junior goalkeeper got in front of 13 North Allegheny shots Monday night, but a second-chance marker sealed a 1-0 Tigers victory and gave them the WPIAL Section 1-4A title.
“This was a night where it felt like a playoff game,” North Allegheny coach Chuck Kelley said. “It was going to come down to one play and, fortunately, we were able to create that play tonight.”
The contest’s lone marker came in the 43rd minute when senior forward Lucia Wells’ try bounced off the crossbar and to junior midfielder Jadyn Coy, who poked the rebound home.
The icebreaker could have come well before that, on multiple occasions.
“We had plenty of chances,” Kelley said. “As soon as a team opens up and gives us a little bit of space, we have the players that can create and score goals. We just wait for the opportunity.”
The Tigers (17-1-0, 13-1-0) almost went up not two minutes in when Humphreys misplayed a ball and watched it roll slowly past her and off the right upright.
Another shot, by Wells nine minutes after that, went inches outside of the same pole. Humphreys played aggressively out of the box for most of the game, halting several of North Allegheny’s chances.
“Mia’s played great all year,” Raiders coach Mark Perry said. “She’s the best goalie in the section. Tonight, she saved us, because we had to commit players to try to get to the attack.”
On the other end, the Tigers’ defense — which notched its fifth straight shutout and 10th of the year — gave Seneca Valley (12-1-2, 11-1-2) trouble. North Allegheny’s chances vastly outnumbered those of the Raiders.
“If people would’ve told us at the beginning of the year — with us losing 12 seniors to graduation from last year’s WPIAL runner-up — that we’d get to play the last game for a section championship, I think we would’ve taken it,” Perry said. “It’s disappointing … We didn’t seem to have the energy we needed.”
However, Perry is encouraged by the fact that his squad only allowed the neighboring rivals two goals over 160 minutes. North Allegheny’s offense scored a total of 91 goals against the other teams it played this season. In fact, Seneca Valley entered having given up a single score in their seven prior games, dating back to Sept. 19.
“They (the Tigers) just have some very good offensive players,” Perry said. “That’s only the fifth goal we’ve given up all year … Now, we just have to regroup and get ready for the playoffs.
“Truthfully, if we want to win a WPIAL championship, we’re going to have to beat N.A., because they’re the favorite.”
Having split the regular season series with the Tigers, Perry hopes to see North Allegheny again, with higher stakes. Kelley wouldn’t mind another meeting, either.
“We want to play against the best and give us an opportunity to try and test ourselves,” Kelley said. “That’s the biggest part … You only see that through games that are going to push the limits.”
