A Golden First: Waynesburg Beats Freedom for WPIAL 2-A Girls Soccer Title

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, November 5, 2017 | 1:34 AM

The Waynesburg Lady Raiders made the most of their first ever trip to the WPIAL Championship Game, taking the 2A title with a 4-2 win over the defending champion Freedom Bulldogs. 

The Raiders came out strong and really controlled the play throughout the first half, but two misses on very good scoring opportunities and some stellar play by Freedom goalkeeper Jacklyn Hartle kept the game close. 

Waynesburg scored the game’s first marker when freshman Rhea Kijowski scored directly off a throw-in at the 24:59 mark, and that 1-0 Waynesburg lead would stand at the half. 

Freedom seemed to come out with a purpose in the second half putting together their best attack of the match right out of halftime break. The attack would quickly lead to the equalizer less than two minutes into the half, as the Waynesburg keeper McKenzie Booth made a diving save on a Chloe Keller shot only to have the rebound go right to the foot of Alexsia Barlamas who buried the shot in a wide open net. 

Waynesburg’s response after that goal may have been the pivotal moment in the match.  Just over two minutes later, senior Madison Clayton fought for a loose ball in front of the net and fed it outside the box to Jillian Kijowski, who drilled the straightaway shot for a 2-1 lead. 

That lead would extend to 3-1 when Kylie Sinn got space in front of the net and nailed a shot just off the bottom of the crossbar that bounced straight down and in. 

Clayton would add the dagger on a breakaway at the 13:52 mark to put the Raiders up 4-1. 

Freedom did draw a little closer with just under five minutes to play when Lyndsee Monac scored off a nice feed from Michaela Watkins, but it was too little too late for the Bulldogs and Waynesburg held on for a 4-2 win and the first WPIAL title in program history!

Tags: Waynesburg Central