Mars Remains Perfect With WPIAL Girls AA Soccer Championship

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, November 7, 2010 | 12:00 AM

The Planets capped off a perfect run through the WPIAL season with a 2-0 win over Beaver Saturday at Baldwin High School. Second seeded Mars ends its championship season at (22-0) and even though the Planets controlled the ball and most of the play against the Bobcats, it took a while for the games first goal to be tallied.

Senior Alanna Haefner, who was shaken up in a head-to-head collision with Beaver's Shelby Lloyd right before halftime, ironically used her head to score the eventual game winner.

Mani Brueckner, who was very active for the Planets in setting up 8 corner kicks and countless other set pieces, started the sequence with a corner in the 65th minute. Haefner was able to sneak a header through the Beaver defense and past goalkeeper Brianna Hellier for the 1-0 lead. Hellier was very active and aggressive in net for the Bobcats and finished with 9 saves as Mars out shot Beaver 11-2.

Brueckner added a beautiful insurance goal in the 78th minute as she broke down the left side after splitting the Beaver defense and beat Hellier to the far post for the eventual 2-0 victory. With the win, Mars became the first WPIAL team since Pine-Richland in 2006 to win a WPIAL Championship with a perfect record.

Senior goalkeeper Meghan Kelly barely touched the ball in the second half as the Planets posted their tenth consecutive shutout. Next up for Mars, the top seed from District 7 in the PIAA Girls AA Playoffs will be the second place finisher from District 10. That match is set for Tuesday night at 6 PM at North Allegheny's Newman Stadium.

Beaver the tournament's 12th seed fell to (16-6) for the year. The Bobcats slot into the state tournament as the #2 team from District 7 and will play City League (District 8) champion Langley on Tuesday at 6 PM at Cupples Stadium. Two other teams will also represent the WPIAL in the state tournament.

The Hopewell Vikings, 8-0 losers to Mars in the semifinals, will be the #3 team from District 7. Top seeded South Park, who was upset by Beaver in the semifinals, will be the fourth team from Class AA to advance into the PIAA AA field.

Box Score:

Beaver: 0

Tags: Beaver, Hopewell, Mars, South Park