Norwin defenders make behind-the-scenes impact en route to PIAA semifinals

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, November 13, 2017 | 8:33 PM

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For a split second — flash, bang — senior defender Natalie Durmis looked like Norwin's best goalkeeper. Even on a day when the Knights' all-WPIAL netminder, Sam Wexell, broke the school record for shutouts, Durmis made one of her team's most impactful saves of the season.

And Wexell became her teammate's biggest fan Saturday after Durmis picked up the slack in front of a wide-open net just four minutes into the game to help prevent a sure North Allegheny goal in a PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal at Fox Chapel.

Wexell came out to contest and overplayed a North Allegheny charge.

Norwin overcame a slow start with a big second half to post a 4-0 win to reach the semifinals for the second time in three years, but the outcome might have been different had the Tigers scored on that play.

In state-playoff soccer, the first goal can mean everything.

“Natalie's play was huge,” said Wexell, who has been in net for 51 of Norwin's 56 clean sheets since 2014, including 14 this season. “Once she saved that, everyone got back up. She is such a solid defender. All of my defenders are.”

Durmis was simply a case in point. Norwin (19-2-1) has a battle-tested defense that has propelled the team to another deep postseason run, and perhaps one that produces the school's first PIAA finals appearance in 20 years.

Norwin faces Conestoga Valley (23-2-1) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the semifinals at Chambersburg High School.

With expectations befitting an elite team at the beginning of the season, Norwin is looking like one again. After losing to rival Penn-Trafford in the WPIAL championship — the Knights were 0-2-1 against the Warriors — Norwin has won back-to-back state playoff games, both by 4-0 scores, against State College and North Allegheny.

Wexell is proven, finding rarefied air with her latest shutout. She is now third all-time in WPIAL clean sheets and ranks eighth in the PIAA. But while Wexell can be considered the cornerstone, her four defenders make up what coach Lauren Karcher calls the team's “brick wall.”

The defenders are a key reason Norwin came close to a fourth straight section title and third straight WPIAL title and a key to why it rekindled so quickly for the state bracket.

With the fanfare of linemen on a seven-on-seven football team, the defenders play on.

“You don't hear their names too often,” Karcher said. “They're a part of all those shutouts, too. They have been huge for us. They're our defensive heroes.”

The unit includes Durmis, senior Emily Arnold (Slippery Rock recruit), junior Maddy Genicola (Duquesne), and sophomore Eva Frankovic (Kent State), a fast-rising left backer.

Their annoying play helps Norwin tilt the field and get the ball to all-WPIAL playmakers in Rutgers recruit Emily Harrigan (26 goals) and Duquesne recruit Lexy Kendro (28 goals, 14 assists). The latter was a decent flag-football quarterback in grade school, rumor has it, but even Kendro would prefer a blocking line.

“They're just a really solid group of girls and they play very well together,” Karcher said. “We really depend on them.”

Harrigan is Norwin's all-time leader in goals with 93. She passed Lexie Kolano, who had 80 scores.

Arnold, the right backer and an All-WPIAL player, led Norwin with 18 assists during the regular season.

“We have good chemistry in the back,” Arnold said. “We all know where we're supposed to be. We make sure everyone is marked, and we're there to back each other up.”

Wexell remains the big sister of the group, an experienced leader and Ohio recruit. Arnold said the respect for Wexell is mutual. A bond of trust has been strengthened with the state playoff run.

“We have been playing with Sam since the fourth grade,” Arnold said. “Any time there is a shot on goal, we know she'll be there.”

In three years, Norwin is 16-4 in the postseason with 12 shutouts.

“We want to go all the way — for our coaches and our section,” Karcher said. “All the other coaches are rooting for us. We have been there before, but we have to do some scouting to see what we have coming at us.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Norwin