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Freedom girls soccer team rolls past Springdale for WPIAL Class A title

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Friday, November 4, 2022 | 9:24 PM

The Freedom girls soccer team is back on top in WPIAL Class A.

The top-seeded Bulldogs scored once in the first half and added two more over the second 40 minutes to finish off a 3-0 victory over No. 2 Springdale in the Class A championship game Friday at Highmark Stadium.

“Springdale is a really good team,” said junior forward Shaye Bailey, who scored both second-half goals for the Bulldogs.

“At the beginning of the season, I said that we had to get here. I knew we had a good enough team, and here we are. I know (head coach) Colin (Williams) is proud of us, and we’re proud of ourselves.”

The WPIAL title is the third for the Bulldogs, adding to the Class A crown secured in 2018 and Class 2A championship in 2016.

Springdale, playing for a WPIAL title for the first time since 2011, was denied the fourth title in program history.

The Dynamos had won in 1996, 1997 and 2009.

“The girls battled to the very end,” Springdale coach Marc Bentley said. “Freedom was strong. They were fast.”

The three goals Friday gave the Bulldogs 20 over their four WPIAL tournament games.

Both teams turn their attention to the PIAA playoffs, starting Tuesday. Freedom (17-4) will take on District 5 runner-up Rockwood at a site in WPIAL territory.

“I think it came down to our confidence,” said senior Julz Mohrbacher, who reached 100 career goals in a first-round win over Bishop Canevin and added to her total Friday with her team’s first-half tally.

“We’ve got a good group this year, just working together with each other and bringing the intensity each game. We came out strong against Springdale and kept the momentum going in the second half.

“I think we have the team to go all the way to the state final if we really keep working, keep playing as a team, and just do what we do.”

Springdale (16-4) will face District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep at a site and time to be determined.

“It is a whole new tournament,” Bentley said. “I told the girls it’s OK to take the night and some time to be a little sad, but the girls have had a great season, and they have another opportunity to keep playing. We’ll prepare hard and be ready for Tuesday.”

Freedom recorded its first shot in the fifth minute, and a Bulldogs corner kick yielded a dangerous chance at the 30-minute, 8-second mark when freshman Brianne Casto headed one toward the Springdale goal off a corner kick. Dynamos senior keeper Caity Stec was there for the save.

Springdale came back at 29:20 with a shot by sophomore Briana Ross that sailed right over the crossbar.

Three straight Freedom corners were unsuccessful in the 18th minute, but the Bulldogs broke through with 21:42 left on the first-half clock on a penalty kick from Mohrbacher.

Sophomore Riley Tokar crossed a pass into the box, and the ball deflected off the forearm of Springdale midfielder Mikayla Dileo setting up the penalty kick.

Mohrbacher’s shot sailed into left side of the Dynamos goal and caught Springdale senior keeper Stec flat-footed.

Freedom wasted no time in making it 2-0 early in the second half, as Bailey scored 18 seconds in off an assist from Mohrbacher.

“Starting off, I kept missing, and I was getting in my own head,” Bailey said.

“But as soon as halftime came, I kind of loosened up. I took a little bite of ice cream from a kid that I know. He said it was my luck.”

The score was the Bulldogs’ 100th of the season.

“That goal right after halftime deflated us a little bit,” Bentley said. “We were hoping to keep it tight and work to get a goal to get back in it. But all credit to Freedom. They were the better team tonight.”

The Bulldogs made it 3-0 with 25:26 left in regulation as Bailey turned on the speed, raced to the ball through a couple of Springdale defenders and unleashed a shot past Stec.

It was Freedom’s seventh shot on goal of the second half.

The two goals give Bailey seven in the playoffs and 36 for the season.

Springdale had a strong scoring chance with 16 minutes left as sophomore Molly Hurley raced down the right wing and into the box, firing a shot on Freedom freshman keeper Trinity Vojtko.

Vojtko got her right foot on the ball for the save to keep the Dynamos off the scoreboard.

A Bailey breakaway with 12 minutes left was denied as Stec came off her line and stopped the attempt.

Freedom finished the game with 22 shots, and 14 found their way on goal. Stec made 11 saves.

The Bulldogs outshot Springdale 15-3 in the second half.

The Dynamos collected 10 shots with seven on goal.

Watch an archived broadcast of this game on Trib HSSN.

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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