Riveters’ season ends in conference semifinals
Minnesota shut down Pittsburgh’s offense in a 2-0 victory Friday afternoon in the USL W League Central Conference Semifinals at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh.
The Riveters’ inaugural season came to an end at 6-2-3, but head coach Scott Gibson’s team won the Great Forest Division and advanced to the postseason.
The Aurora improved to 11-0-2 and will return to Highmark this evening at 7 against Kings Hammer for the conference championship.
Seventeen-year-old Caitlyn Thompson, who will be a senior at South Fayette, started her first USL W League match in place of starting keeper Pauline Nelles, but the Miami (Ohio) commit more than held her own in making nine saves.
Pittsburgh was also without forwards Olivia Damico, Tanum Nelson and Alexis Tylenda, who accounted for 12 of the Riveters’ 24 goals this season. The home team was without captain Tessa Dellarose, as the Brownsville graduate and soon-to-be North Carolina senior was out with a quad injury.
Minnesota carried the play in the first half, but Pittsburgh’s backline and Thompson kept the match scoreless, but the home team gave up a goal in the 43rd minute when Saige Wimes got free and finished with her left foot past a diving Thompson for a 1-0 lead. The sequence began with a corner kick.
Gibson, the Riveters defense and the Pittsburgh faithful protested the call as a chant of “offside” broke out in the stands. Gibson addressed the non-call at the half.
The Riveters had a potential chance at a run in the 51st minute, but, much to Gibson’s dismay, the offside flag went up. Gibson was shown yellow in the 58th minute.
Pittsburgh’s frustrations boiled over to its players, as Sabrina Bryan was shown yellow for dissent in the 63rd minute.
The Aurora added an insurance tally in the 72nd minute when Natalie Tavana buried her seventh goal of the season on a free kick. Camber Hayes faked the shot before Tavana sent the ball to the right far post.
The set piece was awarded due to a foul on the Riveters. Following the call, Pittsburgh’s Gina Proviano was shown yellow for dissent.
The Riveters earned their third corner kick in the 84th minute, which was taken by Abi Hugh, but after whipping the ball toward goal, Proviano and Minnesota keeper Taylor Kane collided, as both were going for the ball. Kane hung on but needed a minute to regroup.
Another South Fayette player got into the action, as 15-year-old Gabby Beineke had a shot from an angle rise over the ball and was tackled by Elizabeth Overberg to break up the play.
Kane only had to make one save for the clean sheet. Pittsburgh had three shots.