PIAA girls soccer preview capsule: Steel Valley vs. Greensburg Central Catholic, Tuesday, Nov. 16

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, November 15, 2021 | 4:05 PM

Purchase Photo Options

PIAA soccer preview

Girls

Class A

Semifinals

Greensburg Central Catholic (17-2) vs. Steel Valley (20-3)

7 p.m. Tuesday, Warrior Stadium, Elizabeth Forward, Elizabeth

Road to the semis: GCC — Defeated Mercer, 3-2; and Freedom, 1-0. Steel Valley — Defeated Northern Bedford, 6-1; and West Branch, 5-0.

Winner plays: Winner of South Williamsport (20-2)/Southern Columbia (18-7) at 11 a.m. Saturday in PIAA championship at Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey.

Coaches: Hope Creamer, GCC (interim); Bill Abraham, Steel Valley.

Corner kicks: A WPIAL title-game rematch looms in the state final four as Greensburg Central Catholic tries to avenge a 2-1 overtime loss to the Ironmen on Nov. 5 at Highmark Stadium. Freshman Therese Doering scored the winner nine minutes into extra time, converting a long free kick sent in by Kylie Salopek. Kelsey Salopek, a Kent State commit, has 59 goals this season and 120 in her career. She also had an assist in the WPIAL final. It was Steel Valley’s first title in its first championship appearance. … Junior standout Sara Felder had GCC’s goal in the 63rd minute to give the Centurions a 1-0 lead. Senior Soraya Gibbs delivered the equalizer for the Ironmen, off another free kick from Salopek, with about five minutes remaining. … GCC advanced to the semis for the third straight year with a tight, 1-0 win over Freedom in the quarterfinals. Freshman Riley Kerr netted the only goal, in the 25th minute, and the defense did the rest, limiting the potent Bulldogs and talented scorer Renae Mohrbacher. … Steel Valley posted its 11th shutout of the season with a 5-0 win over District 6 champion West Branch. … GCC senior Tatum Gretz, a Villanova commit, has more than 100 career goals. … The Ironmen’s losses are to Chartiers-Houston (4-3), Peters Township (9-2) and Bishop Canevin (3-2). … This will be one of seven all-WPIAL matchups in the girls and boys state semifinals. … The Centurions were in the title game last year seeking their third PIAA crown but fell to Southern Columbia, 2-1. They beat Southern Columbia in the 2013 Class A state final, 2-1.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Steel Valley