Despite bruising effort from Emma Bayer, Knoch blocked in WPIAL girls soccer section loss to Shaler
JEFFERSON TWP — Shaler got started early. Knoch couldn’t finish all night.
The difference was a 3-0 WPIAL Section 1-3A girls soccer victory for the Titans on Wednesday night at Knoch Stadium.
The Titans (4-1, 3-0) claimed their fourth consecutive victory by scoring two goals less than three minutes apart — in the game’s 12th and 15th minutes. Both goals were the result of loose balls Shaler got clean shots on.
“That was unfortunate,” Knoch (1-1-2, 0-1-1) coach Jaci Bowser said. “We didn’t allow many scoring opportunities tonight, but Shaler capitalized on the ones they had.
“I thought we controlled the ball on their third of the field much of the game. But it didn’t show up on the scoreboard. We need to finish our scoring chances.”
Junior goalkeeper McKenna Jones agreed.
“We controlled play for the most part. We just couldn’t get the ball to go in,” she said.
Jones was on the unfortunate end of Shaler’s first goal. A bouncing ball was coming toward the goalkeeper with Titans forward Etta Warner bearing down on her. Jones tried kicking the ball out of harm’s way, but the boot deflected off Warner and bounced forward.
Warner rolled the ball into the empty net to give her team the lead.
“That was a weird play,” Jones said. “I thought I had room to kick the ball away from her. Obviously, that play didn’t work out the way I wanted.”
Shaler added to its lead less than three minutes later as Sydney Huerbin got to a loose ball in front of the net and found the left corner of the cage from 17 yards out.
Knoch’s Emma Bayer — the Knights’ lone senior — came close to getting her team on the board. Shaler keeper Livia Ryan was able to grab the ball in the box a split second before Bayer could knock it home six minutes into the contest.
In the 33rd minute, Bayer drilled a shot from 30 yards out that grazed the crossbar and deflected over the net. In the 54th minute, Bayer fought her way through two defenders, jarred the ball loose from Ryan, and just missed the net on a contested shot from in the box.
“There’s no quit in Emma at any time, regardless of the score,” Bowser said. “She is a very aggressive player. We need other girls to follow her lead and play that way.”
Bayer got injured on an aggressive play with 16:49 left in the game. She was going after a loose ball near midfield and collided heads with a Shaler player. Bayer left the game with a bloodied nose and did not return.
“She was going for a 50-50 ball and unfortunately came into some contact there,” Shaler coach Carlo Prati said. “She is a very quick, heady player who makes a lot of plays from the midfield area.
“We watched some film and knew about her. She’s a tough player to defend.”
The Knights nearly scored on a pair of Avery Ortmann corner kicks in the first half. The first sailed through the crease untouched. The second was headed over the net by Bayer.
Camryn McSwaney took Knoch’s lone corner kick of the second half, but a designed play never developed.
Shaler’s third goal was scored by Lillian Trgovic, knocking home a shot off a corner kick with less than a second to play.
Shaler had nine shots on goal to Knoch’s five. Both teams had three corner kicks.
“We were a little sloppy tonight but got way with it,” said Prati, in his first year with the Titans after coaching eight years at Fox Chapel. “We’re 3-0 in the section. ... I don’t know if Shaler has ever been 3-0 in section play before.”
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Knoch's Emma Bayer (22) speeds to net against Shaler in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Gia Vresko (1) attempts to score against Shaler in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Allie Cristallino (2) catches a pass against Shaler in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Leah Yesconis (23) battles a Shaler player for the ball in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch head coach Jaci Bowser encourages the team in a girls soccer game against Shaler Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Emma Bayer (22) stops a pass from Shaler in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Emma Bayer (22) has a shot blocked by the Shaler goalie in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Gia Vresko (1) tries a header against Shaler in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Rachel Karwoski (6) pushes the ball down the field against Shaler in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Emma Bayer (22) has a shot blocked by the Shaler goalie in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Emma Bayer (22) has a shot blocked by the Shaler goalie in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Emma Bayer (22) has a shot blocked by the Shaler goalie in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's only senior Emma Bayer (22) is escorted by her parents and teammate Camryn McSwaney (21) in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's only senior, Emma Bayer (22) is escorted to the field by teammates Mia LeDonne (9) and Camryn McSwaney (21) in a girls soccer game against Shaler on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at Knoch Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
