Norwin girls avenge loss to Penn-Trafford, stay in section title hunt
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Monday, October 7, 2024 | 10:07 PM
Norwin’s Siena Ali celebrates her goal against Penn-Trafford during the second half Monday.
Norwin’s Tatum Casper (center) celebrates her goal against Penn-Trafford with Carmella Simco and Julia Bursick during the first half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Lindsay Reese is mobbed by teammates after scoring against Penn-Trafford during the second half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin goalkeeper Rebecca Kostrobala makes save against Penn-Trafford during the second half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Julia Bursick celebrates her goal against Penn-Trafford during the first half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Bella Buscemi battles for possession during a game against Penn-Trafford on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Penn-Trafford’s Isabella Rager battles Norwin’s Alexa Kobus for possession during the first half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Lindsay Reese (20) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Penn-Trafford during the second half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Tatum Casper scores against Penn-Trafford during the first half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Tatum Casper celebrates her goal against Penn-Trafford with teammates during the first half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Tatum Casper heads the ball against Penn-Trafford during the second half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin head coach Ashley DeVito watches from the side line during a game against Penn-Trafford on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Delanna Colarusso works against Penn-Trafford’s Alexis Brown during the second half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Penn-Trafford goalkeeper Rease Solomon makes a save on Norwin’s Bella Buscemi during the first half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin’s Siena Ali celebrates her goal against Penn-Trafford during the second half on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Harrison City.
Norwin watched film Sunday to get ready to play rival Penn-Trafford.
They didn’t like the ending.
“Our girls were a little ticked off because P-T celebrated on our logo last time,” Norwin girls soccer coach Ashley DeVito said. “That was the last taste we had playing them. Our girls were focused. They blocked out the noise, and they were relentless tonight.”
Four girls scored for the Knights as they upended Penn-Trafford for a Section 1-4A split with a 4-1 victory on Monday night at Warrior Stadium.
Suddenly, a program that was down in the dumps is chasing a section championship.
“This was a complete team win and effort,” DeVito said. “Everyone did their job for the greater good, and they all bought in.”
Penn-Trafford (11-4, 8-1) began the night with a two-game lead in the section and was looking to clinch the outright section title.
The Warriors, who blanked Norwin, 1-0, earlier in the season, already had secured a share of their first section title since 2017. But the script has changed, thanks to Norwin (8-7-1, 7-2), which is peaking at just the right time and making its turnaround count.
A co-section title might now be in the works as Norwin suddenly is seeking a piece of its first section crown since 2019.
Both teams have one section game left. Norwin has to beat Woodland Hills and have Penn-Trafford lose to Armstrong to tie for first.
“Give Norwin all the credit,” Penn-Trafford coach Jimmy Mastroianni said. “I thought we started well, but as time went on, they got the advantage and switched the tables on us.”
The Knights, who have won three of their last four games, are headed back to the WPIAL playoffs after two years away.
Penn-Trafford, which had won three in a row and 11 of 12, had posted back-to-back shutouts — six clean sheets all season.
But Norwin quickly dashed that streak.
Tatum Casper gave Norwin an early lead in the 10th minute, blasting a rising line-drive attempt past standout keeper Rease Solomon.
Julia Bursick made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute when she bumped in a cross from Jordan Lechner. Solomon had come out to defend so the net was open.
It was a two-goal advantage at halftime.
Just over midway into the second half, Penn-Trafford’s Alexis Brown had a perfectly angled free kick saved by Rebecca Kostrobala. Brown won the second battle with the keeper, though, when she launched another free attempt at the net.
The ball curled to the left from 28 yards, and Kostrobala got her finger tips on it but couldn’t make the save and it was 2-1 with 13 minutes, 35 seconds to play.
“Offensively, I thought we regrouped,” Mastroianni said. “But then we kind of got out of character.”
Just three minutes later, Solomon corralled a loose ball, but it popped out of her grasp. As she tried to recover and make the save, lunging backward, Lindsay Reese touched it in to give the Knights a 3-1 lead.
“All of our girls were committed to the game plan,” DeVito said.
Siena Ali high-kicked a bouncing ball in front for the fourth goal with 6:20 to play.
Kostrobala made four saves, and Solomon had five.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Norwin, Penn-Trafford
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