CLARION — Scoring chances were few and far between.

But after Emily Olszak made her shot count and goalkeeper Lauren Downs made her stop count, the Karns City girls soccer team will return to the District 9 Class A championship game as a result.

The Gremlins (16-4) made Olszak's 16th goal of the season with 21:06 left in the game stand up for a 1-0 semifinal victory over Brookville Tuesday night at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium.

The teams split 1-0 decisions during the regular season.

"It's nerve-racking playing against this team," said Olszak, a junior midfielder. "They want to beat Karns City so badly. Our games with them are always like this."

The teams combined for six shots on net all night — four by the Gremlins. Both of Brookville's shots occurred in the first half.

KC nearly took the lead in the first 40 minutes when freshman Emily Schumacher lofted a penalty kick from 35 yards out that deflected off the lower end of the crossbar.

The ball bounced away from Raiders goalkeeper Renee Hines and Olszak headed the rebound over the net.

"Emily is a goalkeeper and that's like a goal kick for her," KC coach Lisa Castiglione said. "She's put shots on net like that from 50 yards away this year."

Four minutes later, Brookville's Annie Amsler fed a pass to teammate Michelle Crissman, who was all alone, right in front of Downs.

Downs kicked away Crissman's shot to keep the game scoreless.

The freshman was seeing her first game action in weeks after suffering a broken hand.

"Lauren made me eat my words," Castiglione said. "I told her if a save situation like that occurs, to dive and get her hands on the ball.

"But I'll take that kick save anytime. If they score there, they probably win 1-0."

Brookville (14-5-1) came out in the second half and held the territorial advantage for the first 10 minutes. But the Raiders couldn't get a shot on net.

"We were in control, then they get a transition play and they finish it," Brookville coach Chip Mason said. "Things like that can happen in this game."

The lone goal of the contest was set up by freshman Breann Wood, who feathered a pass between two defenders to Olszak.

As the Brookville goalkeeper came out to cut down the angle, Olszak slid the ball past her and into the right corner of the net.

The Gremlins are back in the finals while starting only three seniors: midfielder Kirstie Price, defenders Meghan Haskins and Kara Yasika.

Karns City, the No. 2 seed, will face top-seed Elk County Catholic — a 1-0 winner over DuBois Central — in a rematch of last year's district title game.