Westmoreland County girls soccer notebook: Before knee surgery, GCC senior scores one last goal

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Senior night could have been a bummer for Ella Machusko, who has a torn ACL and had written off playing the rest of the season.

It could have been a grin-and-bear-it kind of game for the senior defender, who is still supporting a team with low roster numbers.

Machusko played in the season opener but was injured in the second game at Springdale. She had not played a single minute since — but then came Monday night.

Not only was she honored for being a 12th grader but she also scored the first goal in a 10-1 win over Serra Catholic.

Playing at an unrushed pace with her knee brace on, Machusko logged about 15 minutes at forward. Her goal came about four minutes in and she added an assist later.

“I was super excited to be back on the field one last time,” Machusko said. “The plan was just to stand around a little just so I could be on the field for senior night. I never thought in a million years I would score a goal and add an assist, too. It was just perfect timing. Sienna (Voetsch) crossed a great ball over from the corner and it hit the goalie and left a window and opportunity for me to shoot the ball into the net.”

Machusko decided the day before that she wanted to be considered to play in the game.

“If you’re going to play your last game and score,” GCC coach Derek Cuthbert said, “what a way to go out.”

Machusko will soon have surgery on her knee.

“She got a storybook ending,” GCC assistant coach Martin Kerr said. “It could not have turned out any more perfect for her.”

Streak continues for MP

Mt. Pleasant is on some kind of tear — offensively and defensively — as it races toward another playoff run.

The Vikings have won 12 games in a row, all by shutout, while scoring 118 goals.

Mt. Pleasant (12-2) is ranked No. 1 in WPIAL Class 2A by the Tribune-Review.

Just this week, the team moved into the No. 10 spot in the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association’s 2A poll.

Overall, Mt. Pleasant has outscored teams 105-3.

Monessen hurting

Monessen is another local team fighting slim numbers.

In fact, the Greyhounds (4-9-1) had to forfeit Monday’s section game against Chartiers-Houston because it didn’t have enough to fill out a lineup.

The team started with 17 players, but with injuries, illness and other reasons, coach Matt Stine has only had nine or less at times.

“I know I could have played with seven (Monday), but also know that one more injury would have ended the game anyway,” Stine said.

Monessen played with only eight players last week against Bentworth which, Stine said, played with a full 11.

Nice debut

Greensburg Central Catholic junior Erica Rodriguez never played goalkeeper — she barely played any soccer growing up — but she was thrown into the fire last week against Seton LaSalle.

A late-season addition to a short-handed team, Rodriguez started against the Rebels out of necessity and did more than look the part.

She made nine saves as GCC won, 4-1, in the team’s first game back after three straight postponements.

Bulava nominated

Four girls soccer players from the WPIAL, including Latrobe senior Ella Bulava, made the watch list for the 2023 High School All-American Game set for Dec. 9 in Charleston, S.C.

Bulava is out with a knee injury but is hoping to rehab and be back potentially by game time — if she is selected.

The game brings together the top girls and boys senior players from across the country.

Moon has two players on the list in forward Sydney Felton and goalkeeper Serayah Leech, while the other player is Riverview forward Lola Abraham.

Abraham will play at Pitt. Leech will continue her career at IUP.

One WPIAL presence is guaranteed a spot at all-star weekend. Moon coach Bill Pfeifer was selected to coach the East girls team in the event. Pfeifer, who has 499 career wins, will be the first coach from the WPIAL to coach in the game.

Games to watch

Wednesday has some notable matchups that could affect positioning in the standings with a week left in section play.

Franklin Regional (10-4-1, 7-3) visits first-place and No. 3 Plum (13-0-1, 10-0) looking for an upset in Section 3-3A, while Penn-Trafford (11-4, 6-4) visits No. 4 Latrobe (10-2, 8-2) in the same section.

All four teams have qualified for the playoffs.

In Section 3-2A, playoff teams meet as No. 1 Mt. Pleasant (12-2, 8-0) visits Southmoreland (9-3, 8-1) with first place still on the line.

And in Section 1-A, first-place Riverview (12-1, 9-1), which is ranked No. 5, visits No. 3 Greensburg Central Catholic (7-1, 7-1). Both have clinched a playoff berth.

Seder to SRU

Junior Aubrey Seder might be considered the rock in Southmoreland’s lineup.

That is fitting because she made a verbal commitment to play college soccer at Slippery Rock.

Seder leads the Scotties this season with 19 goals.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland