Lady Falcons rally past Deer Lakes, 3-2
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Brownsville’s Sarah Lemesh battles with a Deer Lakes player during Monday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff match at Warrior Stadium. Lemesh scored the game winner in the Lady Falcons’ 3-2 victory.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Brownsville’s Mary Lemesh plays the ball during Monday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff match against Deer Lakes at Warrior Stadium. Lemesh scored two goals on penalty kicks.
Brownsville's Mary Lemesh takes a corner kick during the first half of Monday's WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff match against Deer Lakes at Warrior Stadium.
Brownsville's Gracie Stetson falls over Deer Lakes keeper Gabby Weber during the first half of Monday's WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff match at Warrior Stadium.
ELIZABETH — The Lemesh sisters made sure Brownsville’s first trip to the WPIAL playoffs was a memorable one.
Mary scored on two penalty kicks and Sarah netted the game winner in the Lady Falcons’ 3-2 victory over Deer Lakes on Monday in the first round of the Class AA playoffs at Warrior Stadium.
“I think for the most part players have the character of their coaches,” Brownsville coach Cedar Brunache said. “My motto is play like you’ve been here before. We will enjoy this tonight and get ready to play Thursday.”
Brownsville (14-4-1) plays top-seeded Freedom (17-0) on Thursday in the quarterfinals with the site and time to be determined.
“We know Freedom is a good team but we’ll be ready for them,” Sarah Lemesh said. “This is a great experience for us being able to make it to the playoffs and win this one. Mary and I are really proud of the other girls on the team for stepping up tonight.”
The Lady Lancers (11-7-1) took a 2-1 lead at 11:01 of the second half when Abigail Boulos scored.
The Lady Falcons didn’t allow Boulos’ tally to affect their tenacity, as they drew a foul in the box for a penalty kick at 10:15.
Mary Lemesh buried the chance to the upper right-hand corner past Deer Lakes keeper Gabby Weber.
“I try to keep calm and tell myself to pick a corner,” Mary Lemesh said. “I usually take the penalty kicks for us when we get them, so I am pretty comfortable taking them. I really didn’t focus on what she was doing in goal on either of the penalty kicks. I just went with what I know.”
Lady Lancers coach Frank Accetta was issued a yellow card at 9:57, and Brownsville had a chance in the ninth minute but the shot was wide.
Sarah Lemesh capitalized with the game winner at the seven-minute mark for a 3-2 advantage. Aniya Tarpley assisted on the goal.
“We had a long pass and it ricocheted off of their player, and Aniya (Tarpley) hit it into the pocket where I was standing,” Sarah Lemesh said. “Mary (Lemesh) did a great job coming from the back through the midfield and passing up to our forwards and target players. We had to just get it out wide and look for those through balls.”
Deer Lakes had a shot sail over the cross bar in the fifth minute, and its final effort with 19 seconds left went wide and the Lady Falcons went into a frenzy as the final seconds came off the clock.
Mary Lemesh got Brownsville on the scoreboard when her penalty kick went past Weber’s left for a 1-0 lead at 16:01 of the first. The kicked was awarded after the Lady Lancers committed a foul in the box.
The Lady Falcons had a chance in the ninth minute that Deer Lakes cleared, and Weber made a save in the fourth to keep the match at 1-0.
The Lady Lancers tied the match just before halftime when a shot that was deflected in the box sailed past Brownsville keeper Alexis Carson at 1:38 of the first.
“They anticipated well and were able to make a good interception, and that is what good players do,” Brunache said.
Deer Lakes focused on stopping Lady Falcons leading scorer Gracie Stetson, who came into the match with 41 goals as a freshman. Stetson didn’t score, but it allowed the Lemesh sisters to come up big.
“They did a phenomenal job of screening her away from scoring goals,” Brumache said. “We have players that can score, and Gracie happens to be in the right place at the right time. Gracie is an elite scorer and she will get her chances. That opened up things up for the other girls to score.”
Brownsville had 11 shots on goal and the Lady Lancers had 10. Carson and Weber each had eight saves. The Lady Falcons earned four corner kicks.