Lady Falcons post another shutout with 7-0 win
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Connellsville’s Mary Kate Lape slips the ball under diving Laurel Highlands goaltender Jayden Ruvalcaba to score a goal in the first half of Saturday’s Section 2-AAA match at Connellsville. Lape scored four goals in the Lady Falcons’ 7-0 victory.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ goalie Jayden Ruvalcaba (63), Meagan Marinelli (20), and Chloe Deguia (6), and Connellsville’s Abby Urie all look to control a loose ball in front of the Laurel Highlands net during the first half of Saturday’s Section 2-AAA match at Connellsville.
Connellsville's Shelby Basinger pushes the ball through midfield during the first half of Saturday's Section 2-AAA match against Laurel Highlands at Connellsville.
Connellsville's Kayde Koballa chases down a loose ball in front of Laurel Highlands' Kate Chiado during the first half of Saturday's Section 2-AAA match at Connellsville.
Laurel Highlands goaltender Jayden Ruvalcaba leaves her feet to make a save in the first half of Saturday's Section 2-AAA match at Connellsville.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Connellsville’s Mary Kate Lape dribbles the ball away from Laurel Highlands’ Journey Greer in the first half of a Section 2-AAA match at Connellsville on Oct. 17. Lape was named the Herald-Standard Girls Soccer Big School Player of the Year. Greer also was named to the All-Area team.
The Connellsville girls soccer team remained unbeaten and unscored upon after Saturday’s 7-0 Section 2-AAA victory over visiting Laurel Highlands.
The Lady Falcons have outscored their opponents, 93-0, in running up a 10-0 section record. Connellsville closes with section matches at home against Trinity on Monday and on the road Tuesday at Ringgold.
“Both of those teams will bring it. It will be a challenge. We need that challenge now,” said Connellsville coach Jeff Puskar.
The Lady Falcons’ Mary Kate Lape scored a hat trick over an 11-minute span early in the first half. Lape scored her first goal at 33:33, her second 10 minutes later, and the third at 22:01. Jocelyn Gratchic assisted on all three goals.
Gratchic then scored an unassisted goal at 8:58.
Lape netted her fourth goal at 26:32 of the second half. Gratchic completed her hat trick with goals at 23:35 and 15:12. Hambosky assisted on Lape’s goal and the first scored by Gratchic.
Connellsville’s Madison Kinneer saved the only shot she faced in just over a half of action. Brianna Soltis did not see a shot.
Laurel Highlands’ Jayden Ruvalcaba made 21 saves, including several solid, aggressive saves in the first half.
Puskar gave a spirited halftime talk and feels his team responded a little sharper in the second half.
“To be a successful team, we need more than just Mary Kate (Lape). We need our marginal players to step up,” said Puskar.
Laurel Highlands (3-10) finish section play with a 3-9 record, and have home matches scheduled with Uniontown on Tuesday and Southmoreland on Wednesday.
Bentworth 3, Beth-Center 0 — Three different players scored for the short-handed Bentworth girls Friday night in the Lady Bearcats’ Section 2-A road victory at Beth-Center.
Mallory Schreiber, Cassidy Sicchitano and Taylor Leonetti all scored a goal apiece for Bentworth (10-4), who pulled into a third-place tie in the section with Seton-La Salle at 8-4.
Jasmine Manning earned the shutout victory for Bentworth.
“We went into the game without 3-4 starters. Beth-Center can be a tough place to score even when healthy,” said Bentworth coach Tyler Hamstra. “I’m really proud of the way the girls stepped up. New girls has to start tonight and many defenders had to push up the field. We had a big game by Lilly Schultz and Kenzie Aloe, who had to fill in big today.
“Captain Taylor Leonetti has to move up from usually outside back position to play in the attack. She scored her second career goal today and came up big for us.”