Late goal lifts Burrell girls soccer team past Yough in 1st round

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 20, 2018 | 8:15 PM

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Burrell sophomore midfielder Jordyn Kowalkowski scored 17 goals in 16 regular-season games.

Her 18th of the season Saturday put the Bucs girls soccer team into the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals.

Kowalkowski scored from 22 yards with 3 minutes, 27 seconds left to lift Burrell to a 1-0 victory over Yough in a first-round game at Kiski Area High School.

“I got the ball in the middle, and I knew I had two options: pass it or shoot it,” Kowalkowski said. “With only three minutes left, I figured shooting it was the best option. So I just took my space, shot it and hoped for the best.”

The No. 7 Bucs (13-2-2) are in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. They will take on No. 2 Hopewell (13-1-1) Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.

“It’s the best feeling,” Kowalkowski said. “We’re really happy with this win.”

Burrell gained a measure of revenge for a 3-2 overtime loss to Yough (11-6) in last year’s quarterfinals. As much as that was on the minds of Bucs players, so too was simply winning this playoff game and advancing, Burrell coach Gregg Dale said.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time, and you have to play them all to get to the top,” he said. “I didn’t really care who we played in the first round. It was about moving on to the next round, and we did that.”

Burrell and Yough had their fair share of possession and scoring chances throughout the game as they negotiated a stiff wind that changed directions and made play challenging at times.

“Both teams were evenly matched, even going back to last year,” Yough coach Dann Appolonia said. “We talked at halftime about it coming down to whoever puts the ball in the back of the net first was going to win the game.

“We had our chances. We just weren’t able to put any in. I think we definitely left a couple goals on the field today.”

Yough won five in a row to close the regular season, scoring 27 goals during that span.

Cougars junior striker Justine Appolonia, the team’s leading scorer with 31 goals during the regular season, rang a shot off the crossbar from 25 yards with 27 minutes left.

In the first half, she got free on a mini breakaway. Burrell junior keeper Delaney O’Brien came out to challenge and got a hand on the shot.

The ball was redirected, and it bounced off the left post and out of play.

Ten minutes later, Appolonia connected on a hard shot from 20 yards, but O’Brien gobbled it up to keep the game scoreless.

Dale credited senior defender Kaylee Pagane and junior midfielder Maia Ferra with limiting Appolonia’s chances in the offensive zone.

“Justine’s a fabulous player, and our game plan was to mark her man to man because we knew what she was capable of. She’s an outstanding player, and Yough’s an outstanding team. If we played 10 times, each team might win five. Who knows? I know each game would be close.”

Yough sophomore forward Natalie Vilchek, a 17-goal scorer in the regular season, also was stymied by the Bucs.

“If you would’ve told me before the game that we would hold Burrell to one goal, I would’ve liked our chances,” coach Appolonia said. “But credit to (Burrell). They were able to do it.”

Burrell finished with a 10-7 advantage in shots on goal.

“We’re excited to be given this opportunity to advance in the playoffs,” Dale said. “Hopefully, we can make the best out of it.”

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-388-5825, mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MLove_Trib.

Tags: Burrell, Yough