Plum girls soccer team gets shot at redemption in PIAA 1st round

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 10:07 AM

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Kaley Simqu was a starter at Cedar Crest High School two years ago for Plum’s PIAA Class 3A girls soccer first-round game against District 3 champion Manheim Central.

Now a junior, the midfielder/defender and a number of other current Mustangs teammates experienced the heartbreak of a shootout loss to the Barons.

Plum returns to the PIAA playoffs Tuesday at District 6 champion Hollidaysburg. Simqu and the rest of the Mustangs hope there is no early exit this time from the state tournament as they also look to bounce back from Saturday’s loss to Mars in the WPIAL final.

“It was a tough loss (Saturday), and everyone was upset, but now we are pretty positive about what we can do in the state playoffs,” Simqu said.

“We’ve always been a team that is quick to turn the focus to our next game, and that’s what we’ve done to get ready for Tuesday. Hopefully, it’s the beginning of a longer run at states. We’re not forgetting about Saturday, but we’re not putting too much focus on it, either.”

Plum wasn’t able to get past Mars in the WPIAL final for the third straight season. Under normal state-qualifying circumstances, the Mustangs also would have qualified for the state tournament last year.

But the PIAA implemented covid-related restrictions that limited the state playoffs to the district champions.

While Plum knows Hollidaysburg will present some unique challenges, the coaches and players mainly used Monday’s practice to work on themselves.

“We just focused on us, our way of playing, working on passing, set plays and things like that,” Simqu said. “We wanted to make sure we are ready to play our style.”

Junior Kaitlyn Killinger, who scored Plum’s lone goal in Saturday’s 3-1 loss, heads into the game with Hollidaysburg as the team leader in goals with 29.

Plum (19-2-1) had not lost in 10 games since a 1-0 nonsection setback to Class 4A Norwin on Oct. 2.

“I am super proud of the effort (against Mars), especially in the second half,” Plum coach Jamie Stewart said.

“We were down 2-0 in the second half, but we didn’t give up. We got the goal to cut the lead in half, and I think there were other chances which could’ve tied the game.

“It didn’t go our way Saturday, but we’ve turned the page. It’s a whole new opportunity with a whole new tournament. We’re going to jump in there and see what we can do. It’s a long trip out there to Hollidaysburg, but we’re looking forward to giving them the best we’ve got, and, hopefully, it’s a happy bus ride home.”

The Tigers captured their sixth consecutive District 6 Class 3A title with a 2-1 overtime victory over Tyrone on Nov. 3.

Last year, Hollidaysburg wasn’t able to get past District 3 champion Mechanicsburg in the first round. Two years ago, the Tigers were edged out in the first round by West Allegheny, 2-1. The streak has included PIAA-opening setbacks to Oakland Catholic, Moon and Montour.

Tigers coach Dave Soellner hopes this matchup against the WPIAL turns out in his team’s favor.

“I’ve talked to the girls and told them to not feel satisfied with just the district championship,” he said.

“We want to see how far we can go in state play. It will be a great challenge against a very good Plum team, but the girls are ready. We just have to go in there and play our game, nothing more, and see what happens.”

Hollidaysburg comes into the game winners of three in a row and is 13-5 overall. The Tigers finished as runners-up in the Mountain League with a 10-3 record.

Junior Abby Bell, senior Natalie Despot and sophomore Chloe Stoehr have been leading goal scorers for the Tigers this season. Stoehr scored the OT winner against Tyrone with an assist from Despot. Freshman Lauren Stevenson tallied Hollidaysburg’s goal in regulation

Hollidaysburg is a fairly young team with three seniors on the roster.

“We’ve set goals all year, and we’ve reached a lot of them,” Soellner said. “This is that next goal on the list.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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