Our team was excited to host the third ever home playoff in PW Girls Soccer history. We had a film session today and spoke about the 2013 and 2019 teams who hosted and won the only two home playoff games ever.

Our goal from August 18th on was to host and win a home playoff game. We were returning all but two players who played in the OT loss to Abington last year in District playoffs. W

While not at full strength, we’re as healthy as we’ve been since the crossover games.

Even at home, we started the game tonight with some nerves. The first ten minutes, PV was really on the front foot. After that we settled in and Mia Baron wins a header from Caitlyn Dinh’s punt. Mia heads the ball to Keira Whelan and then Mia darts down the field. Whelan carries and plays Mia into space. Mia makes an incredible individual play with the ball at her feet out wide and plays a ball into the box to freshman Maddi Lazaroff. Maddi brings it down to her feet and puts the ball into the back of the net. Maddi had a terrific game. PV has a really impressive freshman, #18, and we have one of our own in Maddi Lazaroff.

This is sophomore Mia Baron’s first season with us and she has brought an incredible energy to our program. I had her for a bit at JV basketball last season and I told her if that is the type of effort that she gives at soccer then she’s going to see the field easily. She is incredibly fun to watch. She never stops running. She’s all of 5-foot tall and will challenge any center back in the air. She wants to learn. She wants to be coached. Our assistant coach, Ryan Kirby – him and I have been together all 8 years in this program….is a forward and he’s worked with her a bunch. She’s really put into practice what he’s been preaching. She just hasn’t found the back of the net as much as she would like. But, that has never affected her work rate.

PV came out really strong in the second half. We were under fire for the first 20 minutes and #18 and #2 for PV were really causing problems for us. With 19 minutes left in the game, we turned the ball over at midfield and PV transitioned quickly. #18 made a great move to her left foot and took an incredible shot from 25 yards out.

For the next five minutes, we were really under pressure. Senior keeper Caitlyn Dinh made three incredible saves in a row – one of which may have the best save I’ve seen a keeper make in high school. But, I’ve probably said that a few times about Dinh’s work in net.

After we survived that five minute push, we had the ball for the remainder of the second half.

I really want to highlight the work of junior midfielder, Liv Reilly. Liv played forward for us for the first 15 games of the season. For the final three, she’s had to move to midfield due to injury. Tonight, she had the unenviable task of marking #18. She did a terrific job. Liv works so hard, she allows herself to be coached, comes from a great family. The coaches are so proud of her.

With 1:59 remaining, Liv played a ball from deep in midfield through to Mia Baron who made a great run on to the ball. Mia played a cross in from the endline to sophomore Marleigh Burton who made a great run into the box. Marleigh brought the ball down and guided it towards sophomore forward Keira Whelan who passed it into the side netting, for her 7th goal of the season. Marleigh and Whelan, both sophomores who play club together, have a great connection on the field. That was Keira’s 7th goal of the season and that’s with missing 6 games. In the 6 games that Keira missed, we lost four of those games and tied one. She is so key to everything we do offensively. They were both really excited to score, obviously, and it was great to see them celebrate together.

I can’t finish without mentioning the play of Bri Reynolds, Meg Wendler, and Katie Lukens who have played all-league level defense together all season. PV was dangerous up top and those three did what they’ve done all season. They directed their teammates where to be and who to mark. They cover for each other and their teammates. They’ve just been really really good in front of Caitlyn Dinh all season. This season is – without a doubt – the littlest I’ve coached defense in my 8 years in the program. Those three have my complete trust. We’re able to put our time at practice into other parts of the field and I think that has made a difference. All three have a high soccer IQ. They took their bumps & bruises as freshmen and sophomores and are now seeing the fruits of all of that labor they’ve put in. They were excited tonight and they deserve to be.