No mercy for Mars
NESHANNOCK TWP, Lawrence County — Scoring chances weren't the problem. Making the most of them was.
The Mars girls soccer team earned eight corner kicks and countless free kicks and throw-ins within the attack zone, but the Planets were denied each time in a 3-0 loss to Mercyhurst Prep in a PIAA Class AA semifinal at Neshannock High Tuesday night.
“We got unlucky tonight,” said Mars coach Blair Gerlach. “But kudos to Mercyhurst. They found a way to score three goals.”
The Lakers (21-0-3) scored in the 10th minute when Lauren Elia's corner kick from the left of the Mars goal was headed past goalie Meghan Kelly by senior midfielder Kaylin Akerly.
It was the first score against Mars in 13 games.
“Mars was going to come out strong,” said Mercyhurst coach Pedro Argaez. “We knew the first goal would be huge.”
“The irony is that the winning goal was scored on a header off a corner kick, and we've beaten a lot of teams that way this season,” said Gerlach.
In a night filled with scoring chances, possibly the Planets' best opportunity came in the 33rd minute, when Karli Paracca made two moves to get by a pair of Lakers defenders to the left of Mercyhurst's goal.
The freshman forward then put her foot into a shot that smacked off the right post and bounced several times in the goal box before a Mercyhurst defender kicked it out of play, awarding Mars a corner kick.
By the end of the first half, Mars had taken five corner kicks, but still trailed 1-0.
“More than half of Mars' goals this season came on corner kicks,” said Argaez. “Our girls knew where to be and how to defend them.”
Akerly scored two more goals, one in the 67th minute and again in the 72nd minute.
“I think the second goal hurt more than the first one,” said Gerlach. “Even after (Mercyhurst) went up 1-0, our attack was still strong. But the second goal really hurt us.”
With a trip to the state finals on the line, the game was very physical.
“Our three attackers were each fouled six or seven times, and never was a card given out,” said Gerlach.
“But Mercyhurst is a good team, an experienced team,” he added.
Kelly made five saves for the Planets and Jessica Armagost had five stops for Mercyhurst.
Despite the defeat, the 2010 season was a success for the Planets as the program won its second WPIAL title and finished with an overall record of 24-1.
“I honestly feel that we were good enough to win here tonight,” said Gerlach. “To go 24 games without a hiccup, that's pretty amazing.”
It was the final high school game for the Planets' six seniors: Kara Angeletti, Nicole Soose, Dana Wonderly, Alanna Haefner, Meghan Kelly and Audra Sitterly.
“We're going to miss these seniors,” said Gerlach. “They're great leaders.”
Note: Mercyhurst Prep will face South Park (19-2-3) in the state championship Friday in Hershey.
