Valley girls soccer closes in on rare playoff berth

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 | 7:38 PM

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The Valley girls soccer team has a chance to set a record and do what only one other team has done in the program’s 20 years.

With a win or a tie Wednesday at Deer Lakes, the Vikings (6-6 overall, 5-5 Section 2-2A) will clinch a WPIAL playoff spot for only the second time. The other came in 2016.

A victory also will give Valley six section wins, which would eclipse the previous single-season mark of five set in 2016.

“We’ve been targeting a playoff spot all year,” Valley coach Tim Beckes said.

“This section is super tight, and every game has been super tight. For a school who doesn’t have a historically strong girls soccer program, this has been a special run for the girls. The girls have a chance to make history, and they fully recognize that history. This can be as good as any season Valley has ever had, and it is because of the girls’ determination and work ethic.

“We also have a chance for a winning record for the first time in school history. It won’t be easy, but they have a chance to do it. They are all really excited.”

Valley has four games remaining. The Vikings will face Riverview on Thursday and Class 3A Penn Hills on Oct. 18.

Beckes said he saw growth in the team through several offseason tournaments. Of 10 tournaments played, including several indoor events, Valley won five.

“Those tournament wins really built their confidence, and they established a name for themselves coming into the season as a team who could play and play well,” Beckes said.

Wednesday’s game at Deer Lakes is a rematch of a Valley 2-1 overtime win Sept. 19.

“The girls were super pumped to win that first match, and I know that Deer Lakes is going to be ready to come back at us, for sure,” Beckes said.

Senior midfielder/forward Jordan Kirkwood scored both goals that night, and she leads the team with 15 of its 30 goals this season. Fellow senior Taylor Heuser has five goals.

“To never beat (Deer Lakes) in (the seniors’) time here, and to finally beat them, it was an amazing feeling,” Kirkwood said.

Deer Lakes is fighting for a playoff spot, too. At 3-6-1, the Lancers, who suffered a 3-1 loss to Apollo-Ridge on Monday, need to win Wednesday and then beat Knoch in their section finale and have Valley lose to Burrell to secure a postseason berth.

“It is going to take everything everyone has to get that win (Wednesday),” said Kirkwood, a Saint Vincent College commit. It’s going to be a tough game, but we beat them once, and we will go into the game confident.”

Valley is 3-2 this season in section games decided by one goal. Two of those wins came against Apollo-Ridge (3-7, 3-7), including a 2-1 overtime triumph in the season opener in which sophomore Brianna Mariskanish netted the game winner.

The Vikings suffered 3-2 and 2-1 losses to second-place Knoch (11-3-1, 7-1-1).

“It’s been insane all season with how many close games there has been,” said senior defender Natalie Beckes, an Earlham (Ind.) College commit.

“So many games could’ve gone the other way. That really shows just how competitive the section is and how hard you have to play to get a win.”

Because of lower numbers — just a few players over the minimum for a starting lineup — the Vikings players dedicated themselves to being as physically fit as possible coming into the season. And the work has paid off.

“Our preseason camp really focused on that,” said senior Alayna Carlisle, the team leader in assists with seven.

“We knew coming into the season we wouldn’t have that many coming off the bench. A lot of us knew we would be playing a full 80 minutes and even more with overtime. It’s hard sometimes to run the field for 80 minutes, but it’s also rewarding to be able to do that and rewarding when all that running results in a win.”

In addition to the goals scored this season, the defense, led by Beckes and senior Leah Taliani, has surrendered just 24 in 12 games.

“It is such a special feeling to be a part of what we hope is a continued uprising of girls soccer at Valley,” Taliani said.

“Hopefully, what we are doing will inspire more girls to come out for the team and want to keep this going and possibly do better than we do this season. We’ve all dedicated ourselves over the past couple of years to making this happen, and hopefully, it can keep going.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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