Quick-strike Mustangs
LH scores twice in 34 seconds en route to decisive win over Raiders
Laurel Highlands scored two goals in 34 seconds to take control of Monday’s match against crosstown rival Uniontown at Mustang Field on the campus of Laurel Highlands High School.
The Mustangs turned a level contest into a two-goal lead before pulling away from the Red Raiders, 12-3, in Section 3-3A play.
Laurel Highlands improved to 3-4-0 in the section and 4-7-0. The Mustangs lead Albert Gallatin (2-5-0) by three points for fourth place and the final spot in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.
“We are progressing, and I was pleased with our performance tonight,” Laurel Highlands coach Simon Mulindwa said. “This is the way we are supposed to be playing all the time, so hopefully, we can come out with the same intensity against Albert Gallatin.”
Laurel Highlands hosts the Colonials this evening at 7. The Colonials finish section play next week against Belle Vernon (5-0-2, 7-1-4) and Uniontown (0-7-0, 1-8-1).
The Mustangs play Thomas Jefferson (3-2-2, 4-6-3) and the Leopards to finish their section schedule.
Laurel Highlands was also celebrating Senior Night, and it seemed fitting that seniors Camryn McClean and Lola Mitchell combined for seven goals. The duo had one assist apiece, and fellow 12th grader Ava Ruvalcaba had a helper.
McClean scored her second with 16:01 remaining in the first half for a 2-1 lead and Gracie Cicci extended the home team’s advantage to two with 15:27 left.
“It was a great night for our seniors, and I was glad they got involved in the scoring,” Mulindwa said. “We wanted to get our other players in the match for some experience, and they were able to contribute.”
McClean added her three and fourth goals for a 5-1 lead with 7:24 left in the opening 40 minutes.
The Red Raiders cut the deficit to three with 57 seconds remaining in the first half when freshman Piper Schrock recorded her brace. Mustangs keeper Addison Stroko came out to challenge Schrock, who was free, but Schrock was able to avoid Stroko and put the ball into a wide open cage.
“I thought Piper played a great game,” Uniontown coach Emily Baker said. “She is a player who I nominated for all-section because she is a deserving player, and we hope to keep building the program. It was competitive in the first part of the game, but that is where I think our lack of depth showed later on in the match.”
Camilla Frantz restored Laurel Highlands’ four-goal advantage with a blast into the upper right-hand corner of the net with 38:19 left in the second half.
Ella Doman scored at 33:18 of the second half for a 7-2 lead before Mitchell recorded her first off three tallies off a rebound with 29:23 left in the match. Doman had one of four assists for the home team.
Mitchell added her second at 26:30 and completed the hat trick with 23:10 remaining in the second half to up the Mustangs’ advantage to 10-2.
Claire Schoener scored for Uniontown at 20:05 of the second half. The sequence to the goal started with a corner kick.
Stroko, who was relieved of her duties as keeper in the second half for Brooklynne Smith, scored Laurel Highlands’ 11th goal with 5:27 left in the match.
Stroko made three saves and Smith had four.
Lyric Franks added the Mustangs’ final tally with 3:09 remaining.
Laurel Highlands put 29 shots on Kendal Nehls, who made 17 saves.
McClean opened the scoring at 34:32 of the first half prior to Schrock tying the match at 28:25 on the Red Raiders’ first shot on target.
Sadie Hostetler sent in a corner kick that was corralled by Schrock and sent into the back of the net.
“We were able to earn some corner kicks tonight, and we capitalized on those opportunities,” Baker said.
The Red Raiders are still searching for their first section win, but Baker has her team focusing on earning victories within the game.
“They are individually improving, and in the long haul, that adds to the overall program,” Baker said. “I never look at the goals against as much as the goals for, and we have not scored three goals against this team. There are not a lot of games where three goals are scored against this team, and I am proud of the effort we brought tonight. I thought Cadence Hinzy played her best game of the season tonight.”