Mt. Pleasant uses surgical approach to run past Yough in latest dominating win

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 11:09 PM

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Yough wanted to play with aggression and spirit. Mt. Pleasant chose to lean on tactics.

One approach was the clear winner, and so was the team that used it as No. 4-ranked Mt. Pleasant coasted to a 9-0 victory over the visiting Cougars in a Section 4-2A girls soccer matchup Wednesday night at Viking Stadium.

“One of the things about us is how we respond to teams who are emotional against us,” Mt. Pleasant coach Rich Garland said. “Teams want to be physical and work hard against us, but that doesn’t always work. You take a surgeon and a boxer. Which one is more intense? It’s the surgeon.”

Mt. Pleasant (7-1-1, 5-0) posted its fourth straight victory while bringing a stop to a four-game winning streak for Yough (4-5, 3-2), which had outscored teams 33-2 during its hot stretch.

The Cougars had to deal with the loss of one of their best players, goalkeeper Carly Fitzgibbons, who has been her team’s netminder for four seasons.

Fitzgibbons appeared to take a cleat to the face, causing a cut above her eye. She left in the 14th minute and did not return.

Several other Yough girls also left the game with injuries.

While backup Abby Dodson filled in well with seven saves, losing Fitzgibbons sent the Cougars reeling.

“Carly is our captain and one of our leaders,” Cougars coach Rob Broadwater said. “She gives 100% all the time. When someone like that has to come out, it deflates spirits. My goalie had to get nine stitches.”

The Vikings have outscored their opponents 50-2, including 44-1 in section games.

“We wanted to carry over what we did in our last game against Southmoreland into today,” said Mt. Pleasant forward Morgan Gesinski, who had three goals for her fourth hat trick of the season and one assist. “We want to have the same mentality going into our game Saturday against Penn-Trafford.”

Mt. Pleasant, which beat Southmoreland 8-0 on Monday, has seven shutouts. Also a fourth-year starting goalkeeper, Laurel Rummel has 58 career wins and 49 shutouts. She had a quiet night with only one save, but that was because Mt. Pleasant dominated possession.

Yough had one shot on goal, which didn’t come until the 70th minute.

“The shutouts show how sound we are defensively,” Gesinski said.

Yes, but that offense is pretty good, too.

Six Vikings scored at least one goal. Caitlyn Fullman and Camryn Kapr each had a goal and two assists.

Izzy Overly cashed in on a corner kick from Fullman to open the scoring 10 minutes into the game.

Gesinski followed with another goal before Kapr and Jaden Kantorek each hit from long range, Kapr’s score rattling between the ground and crossbar before crossing the goal line, to make it 4-0.

“We said, ‘Let’s get off to a good start and set the tone,’ ” Garland said.

Fullman finished another corner, and Gesinski found the back of the net again before Sophia Coppula, a freshman who is showing promise for Mt. Pleasant, finished off the first-half scoring to make it 7-0.

Gesinski’s 12th goal of the season came 10 minutes before Emma Hatcher’s score to cap the victory.

“We had a game plan, and they didn’t allow us to execute it,” Broadwater said. “Mt. Pleasant was on fire. They have an outstanding team. The ball moves, and there is no standing around. We knew what they were going to do; we just didn’t stop it.”

Raygan Mizikar and Addison Czekaj each had one assist in the win.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Mt. Pleasant, Yough