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Monday, November 1, 2021, TRIB-LIVE
It was an unusual way for Fox Chapel’s girls soccer run to end.
After goalkeeper Molly McNaughton left the game with an injury following a collision with a Seneca Valley player, the Raiders took advantage of the situation and scored the game’s lone goal.
Natalie Matthews, who was named all-WPIAL earlier in the day, tallied on a free kick that went over the head of substitute goalkeeper Sydney Schutzman for the 1-0 semifinal victory at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Fourth-seeded Seneca Valley (16-3-2) will head to the Class 4A title game against No. 2 Moon at 8 p.m. Thursday at Highmark Stadium. The Raiders will be seeking their fifth WPIAL title in the last 15 seasons.
It was the only goal yielded by No.9 Fox Chapel (10-8-1) in six halves of regulation play in three playoff games. The other Foxes victories came via penalty kick shootouts against Bethel Park and North Allegheny.
“We wanted to get that free kick on goal, especially when their goalie wasn’t in the game,” said Raiders coach Mark Perry. “Natalie got a good shot, it went in, and we’re thrilled to be going to Highmark for the final.”
Fox Chapel gave up just 17 goals in 19 games.
McNaughton quickly recovered from a leg injury and was ready to re-enter the game at the next stoppage, but she couldn’t get back on the pitch before the goal was scored.
“We played well, and we had our chances at times, but I’m a little disappointed that our goalkeeper got clipped and had to come out of the game for a brief moment,” said Fox Chapel coach Peter Torres. “They couldn’t have put up a better ball, and it beat our field player we had to put in.”
Seneca Valley had four corner kicks in the first half. On the third, Olivia Kamarec was stopped at close range by McNaughton and the Plum goalkeeper came far out of the goal area to make a sliding stop before Zoe Simpson got a shot off.
“We were very nervous in the first half,” Perry said. “With a veteran team, I don’t know why. We had some chances in the first half to try and get a goal, but no one’s scored on her for what it seems like two weeks. We were pretty confident we could get one. They are so well organized defensively. Peter does a great job with them.”
After the goal with 17:55 remaining, Fox Chapel had a two big chances. A header by Schutzman caromed off the football crossbar and a later shot by was stopped by Virginia Fronk.
Said Torres: “I thought we were in control before that and we wanted to increase our chances and we did. We couldn’t get that one connecting header or anything to go in.”
Seneca Valley, winners of 10 in a row, played without the services of Julia Lozowski, who was injured celebrating a goal in the quarterfinal victory over Penn-Trafford. Perry indicated she might be available Thursday.
It was Seneca Valley’s 14th shutout of the season.