Playoff hopes are alive and well for the Beaver Area girls soccer team as their record and gameplay continues to improve.
After the lady Bobcats took on the alleged number-one AA girls soccer team in the state, they took the pitch against the other AA girls soccer WPIAL finalist from the 2020 season—the Avonworth Antelopes. The Avonworth High School girls soccer team is yet another team who has great talent and posed challenges for the last Bobcats, but September 20 the girls were prepared.
Going into the game the girls knew this would be another intense match up and they’d need to work hard to add another win to their record. Although the girls worked hard all game, their hard work was unfortunately not displayed on the scoreboard resulting in a 1-0 lose against the lady Antelopes. Senior Myah Gutierrez was awarded player of the match for being a shutdown defender.
Even though the varsity could not net a goal, the JV had no problem netting goals to get a 3-0 win over the Antelopes with a goal by junior Kat Eck and two for sophomore Sophia Hahn.
“I think we connect very well on the field. We were missing a few essential players, but stuck it out to the end,” shared Gutierrez about the varsity loss. “As a team we need to work on being first to every ball and playing with high intensity from the beginning of the game.”
If you ask any soccer player what their favorite kind of soccer game to play is almost everyone will say rainy games. The lady Bobcats were excited for their rainy September 22 against Ambridge High School. Unfortunately, more than rain moved in and storms postponed the game.
Since the game was postponed, the girls senior night was postponed too, but not for too long: the girls game against Ambridge and senior night was rescheduled for September 27.
After an emotion-packed ceremony, the team took the field and defeated the Bridgers 6-0 with goals by seniors Lindsay Sullivan and Elle Ray, sophomore Katie Reap (x2) and Maddie Boser, and freshman Emerson Connelly. The player of the match was the entire senior class.
“It was a special night for our nine seniors and their families, coaches and teammates. It was a special night for me also because this senior class has a special place in my heart. The entire team is like a big family, and the younger girls wanted to make it a great night for their seniors,” said Head Coach Nick Crivelli about the teams bittersweet victory. “The team played outstanding offensively and defensively and got a convincing 6-0 win to make the seniors’ night one they will remember.”
To keep the win streak alive, the girls blasted another 6-0 win against the Hopewell High School Vikings September 28. With both the offense and defense preforming strongly the girls were able to hold the lady Vikings to one shot all game.
Leading the game in goals, freshman Lilia Battalini scored two for the girls and following her was freshman Sydney Chontos, sophomores Marina and Sophia Hahn, and junior Hailey Tooch who each netted one for the Bobcats.
The girls record advances to 4-2 in section play and 6-2 overall.
This week is going to be a tough one for the lady Bobcats—come out and show some support! Tonight the girls take on Quaker Valley at home, varsity at 6 p.m. and JV at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday the girls are away at North Catholic, varsity at 4 p.m. and JV at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday the lady Bobcats return home and take the pitch against Avonworth, varsity at 12:30 p.m. and JV at 2 p.m.