Lady Raiders play well in 4-1 loss to Greensburg Salem
Uniontown's Crystal Bendishaw (22) has the inside track for the ball at the sideline over Greensburg Salem's Brittany Schaller (23) in Monday's Section 1-AA game at Bill Power Stadium in Uniontown.
Greensburg Salem's Ali Sheffler (left) tries to move the ball past Uniontown's Cassie Riley in Monday's Section 1-AA game at Bill Power Stadium in Uniontown.
Paul S. Brittain
Uniontown’s Haley Peck (7) cuts the ball off from a Greensburg Salem player during Monday’s game at Uniontown High School. Peck scored the only goal for the Lady Raiders in a 4-1 loss.
The small turnout at Bill Power Stadium on Monday saw one of the best games played this season by the Uniontown girls’ soccer team despite a 4-1 Section 1-AA loss to Greensburg Salem.
Uniontown (0-8, 0-9) is in the midst of a tough stretch of games against section teams that are battling for WPIAL playoff berths. But the Lady Raiders rose to the occasion behind the 18-save effort of goalkeeper Alexis Rider.
Uniontown coach Lara Dowling said Rider kept her team in the game from start to finish. “Alexis had a lot of blocks and catches. She’s been a super punter for us and has also taken over the goal kick duties,” Dowling said.
Rider and defenders Holly Guthrie, Sara Brown, and Maddie Bendishaw were equal to the occasion in the early going.
At the 15:24 mark of the first half, Greensburg Salem’s Ali Sheffler scored the first of her three goals to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Just five minutes later, Uniontown’s Haley Peck got the ball past GS goalkeeper Rachel Ott to tie the score.
Both teams played on even terms for the next 10 minutes before Sheffler struck for a rebound goal and then finished her hat trick six minutes later to give the Lady Lions a 3-1 halftime lead.
Brittany Schaller scored the only other goal 10 minutes into the second half to provide GS with the winning margin.
But Rider was equal to the task for the most part, along with Brown, who kicked away what seemed like a certain goal late in the game.
Greensburg Salem (6-3, 8-6) is in the midst of a tight playoff battle with Southmoreland, Mount Pleasant, and Waynesburg Central, while unbeaten Yough has the inside track to the section title.
Coach Alaine Nativio credited Uniontown with rising to the occasion, though she said her team usually starts slowly in most games. “It’s a tight race. Every game is big for us,” Nativio said.
Dowling said her players stayed with their game plan. “Our girls stayed with their marks, hustled, and got to the ball. It’s a good game to build on.”