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Springdale pulls out shootout win over Conemaugh Township in PIAA 1st round

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Tuesday, November 5, 2024 | 10:17 PM

The Conemaugh Township girls soccer team made a 90-minute trek west to Fox Chapel on Tuesday with the hopes of upending WPIAL champion Springdale.

But the Dynamos didn’t allow the District 5 runner-up Indians the opportunity to come away with the PIAA Class A first-round win.

In a game that extended to a penalty-kick shootout with the score tied 2-2 after 80 minutes of regulation and two 15-minute overtimes, Springdale’s Molly Hurley, Briana Ross and Lacey Shondeck converted their attempts to give the Dynamos the win with a 3-2 advantage over the five rounds.

Shondeck tallied the game-winner in the fifth penalty-kick round to break a 2-2 tie. The ball hit the post and went in.

Dynamos keeper Baileigh Haas then denied Conemaugh’s Briar Berkey to seal the win for Springdale (18-1).

“When it first hit the post, I almost freaked out,” Shondeck said. “I thought it was going out. But when it went in, I was really excited and happy.

“I always have confidence in Baileigh that she will be able to make those saves. She did it at the right time. It was amazing.”

With the win, Springdale advances to the quarterfinals Saturday when it will face District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle. The Lady Marauders outlasted District 10 champion Seneca, 5-4, in overtime Tuesday.

Conemaugh Township, a veteran team with 10 seniors, concluded its season at 16-5-1.

Both defenses dug in during the first overtime. Springdale had the only shot on goal.

Each team had one shot in the second 15-minute golden-goal overtime.

The Dynamos and Indians played an even first half, both on the scoreboard and in possession.

Ross rang a well-struck shot off the cross board one minute into the game.

Conemaugh came right back with control of the ball, and senior captain Ashlyn Fetterman gave her team a 1-0 lead.

The goal was Fetterman’s 21st of the season. She tallied the 100th of her career in the District 5 title-game loss to McConnellsburg.

Springdale hoped to tie the game a short time later. Senior Carissa Walsh took a crossing pass and fired off a shot from just inside the Indians goal box, but Snyder was right there to make the save.

The Dynamos did tie it in the 13th minute as Ross took control of the ball at about 30 yards, dribbled in and unleashed a shot that beat Snyder. It was Ross’s 41st goal of the season.

Both teams played at a frenetic pace through the first 30 minutes, stopping when Walsh went down with a knee injury with 9:25 left on the clock.

After being tended to for several minutes, Walsh was helped off the field.

Shortly after play resumed, Dynamos junior Hailey Marchlewski fed a streaking Ross into the box. Snyder came out and met Ross as soon as she got to the ball and prevented her from getting off a shot.

Springdale took the lead with 3:28 to go until halftime.

Conemaugh was whistled for a foul in the box, setting the Dynamos up with a penalty shot.

Hurley took the kick. Snyder saved it, but the ball bounded back to Hurley, who cleaned up the rebound for the score.

Conemaugh senior Izzy Slezak tallied her 33rd goal of the season in the 10th minute of the second half to draw the Indians even at 2-2.

“I think we controlled large parts of the game, but we weren’t able to break them down because they were a well-organized team,” Springdale coach Marc Bentley said.

“They defended us pretty well, and they were able to hit us on the counterattack. They had some really fast players and good goal scorers in Fetterman and Slezak. But I am just really proud of the resilience of the girls all the way through to the shootout. They stayed mentally tough, and we were able to pull it out.”

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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