Colonials’ historic season ends in WPIAL playoffs
HARRISON CITY — When summarizing the match and season for his team, Albert Gallatin girls soccer coach Justin Cerullo looked at the small and big picture of his club’s 8-0 setback to No. 1 seed Penn-Trafford on Monday in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs at Warriors Stadium.
“Small picture, I would have loved to see a different outcome and have a few plays go our way, but when I looked at the big picture, I am so unbelievably proud of these girls and so impressed with how much they have fought, and how far they have come,” Cerullo said. “This is our first game this season that we’ve given up more than four goals. I am truly blessed to have gotten to coach such an extraordinary group of young women, and it’s been a true joy.”
The Colonials finished their season with a record of 9-9 after ending the regular season with the first above .500 record in the 28-year history of the program. Albert Gallatin also qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in the history of the team.
The Colonials came into the season under the radar, but stunned the section in their opener with a 3-2 victory over Thomas Jefferson on Sept. 10 at Albert Gallatin. The Jaguars also earned a berth in the district postseason in third place.
The Colonials suffered a 1-0 home setback to Laurel Highlands on Sept. 16, as the Mustangs scored a goal in the last 90 seconds to break a scoreless match, but Albert Gallatin returned the favor with a 1-nil triumph over Laurel Highlands at Mustang Field on Oct. 7.
Two victories over Uniontown put the Colonials into the playoffs.
Albert Gallatin will have three seniors to replace next season in Caileigh Theodori, Olivia Eicher and Isabella McClelland, but the majority of the team will return.
“We have three seniors in Caileigh, Olivia, and Isabella who have been fantastic players, people and leaders, and we will miss them dearly, but at the same time, there is a very strong core of girls coming back,” Cerullo said.
Despite being in a battle with the top-seeded team in Class 3A, the Colonials were in the match during the first half, as the Warriors scored 90 seconds into the match on the first of two goals by Ellie Lebe prior to Ashley Hetrick putting a shot past Ellie Seese with 3:29 remaining in the first half.
Albert Gallatin’s offside trap frustrated Penn-Trafford in the first 40 minutes, as the home team was offside six times in the first half.
“Our girls did really well with the offside trap in the first half,” Cerullo said. “We got a lot of free kicks for ourselves. In the second half, we were still getting some of those, but they were able to get through a couple of times, and that’s what happens when you get tired. Some of their players were talking to our girls at halftime, and said they were surprised at how well we were playing. You want more than moral victories when you get into the playoffs, but I think it shows how far we have come as a program.”
Kylee McClintock extended the home team’s lead to 3-0 with 37:55 remaining in the second half
The Colonials earned their first corner kick of the match with 33:16 left, but the Warriors were able to clear Theodori’s service out of danger before a shot could be taken.
The offside flag was raised for a seventh time against Penn-Trafford with 29:30 remaining, but the Warriors scored two goals 29 seconds apart for a 5-0 advantage when Tori Yurt found the back of the net at 28:34 and Lebe recorded her brace at 28:05 of the second half.
Lauryn Francis extended the home team’s lead to 6-0 at 26:21.
Zoe Bell and Gaby Geary scored the final two goals.
Albert Gallatin put its first shot on target with 19:42 remaining, but P-T keeper Natalie Broadwater made the first of three saves to keep a clean sheet.
Theodori put a shot on target on a free kick from 35 yards out with 8:15 left, but Broadwater made the stop. AG had its third shot on goal with 2:22 remaining.
Penn-Trafford (13-2-3) hosts Hampton (11-6-1) on Thursday in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m.