Oct 9, 2017 By Bill Hughes for The 2 min read

ROSTRAVER TWP. — Elizabeth Forward clinched its first girls soccer section title since 2004 with a 4-0 win at Belle Vernon Monday night, paced by Cassidy Kern’s hat trick.

“This is huge and it is something that these seniors, they have worked hard,” said EF coach Brandon Gerba. “They are the last group to be in the playoffs (as freshmen) and they made it a goal this year.

“They wanted to qualify for playoffs first, but second to win the section.”

“They took advantage of a foul and it got them going,” Belle Vernon coach Cori Stark said of the first Elizabeth Forward goal. “We will have to watch the tapes, come back and learn from (the loss).”

Neither team had a solid chance to score on in the first half as EF had six shots to Belle Vernon’s one.

“We played our game the first half,” said Stark. “After they scored the first goal, we didn’t play our game.”

“The girls said at halftime that they were nervous,” said Gerba. “I told them to calm down, take a deep breath and once they did that, the second half happens.”

Elizabeth Forward keeper Bailey Lindberg stopped the one shot, while Belle Vernon’s Erin Sassak stopped all three Lady Warrior shots on goal in the first half.

Kern opened the scoring on a free kick with 35:08 to play, and then she scored from 30 yards out with 30:31 to play in the match.

Natalie Chornak added a goal with 24:29 to go and then Kern closed out the scoring with 8:44 remaining.

“This was Cassidy’s first hat trick and she has busted her butt for it through injuries,” Gerba said. “I am so happy for her.”

Although Elizabeth Forward’s win put a damper on Belle Vernon’s Senior Night, Gerba spoke highly of Belle Vernon coach Tom Cameron and his staff.

“I want to give my hats off to Tom and his staff for how hard the team plays,” Gerba said. “I have nothing but respect for Tom.”

Both teams close out section action Wednesday as Elizabeth Forward hosts Albert Gallatin and Belle Vernon is at Uniontown.