Westmoreland girls soccer notebook: Coach DeVito building Norwin back to perennial playoff team

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025 | 3:59 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Getting the Norwin program back on track would come with its own set of challenges, and Ashley DeVito was cognizant of that when she took over as coach last season.

She guided the team back to the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs, which used to be a given for the Lady Knights.

DeVito said the girls are back to believing in their proud tradition.

“When the season ended last year, I asked the girls when they wanted to get together again,” DeVito said. “They said, immediately. Like now.

“They have been giving their all for 365 days.”

Norwin knocked off No. 5 Mt. Lebanon, 2-1, last week to send an early message to 4A teams.

Cameryn Reed and Siena Ali scored goals, and goalie Rebecca Kostrobala made seven saves in the home victory.

Reed and Kostrobala are two of six seniors in the starting 11. They have set an example for the younger girls, a crop that includes talented sophomores Neeve Graham and Tatum Casper.

Freshman Leesia Phetsomphou also shows promise.

“This isn’t something that just happened,” DeVito said. “It’s about the girls putting in the time and effort. It’s a year in the making.”

…

Milestone for Gesinski

Morgan Gesinski didn’t score a goal in Mt. Pleasant’s first two games. But she delivered a hat trick in the third matchup in milestone fashion.

Gesinski, a senior forward, became just the second girl in program history to score 100 goals. The 100th came on her third goal in a 5-0 win over Hopewell.

A Robert Morris commit, Gesinski is second on the program goals list behind Jordan Toohey, who scored 143 before playing at Washington & Jefferson.

…

Patterson’s buzzer-beater

Hempfield didn’t win its season opener at Connellsville, but standout forward Jiana Patterson still made the highlights.

The senior literally played until the final buzzer and beat it. She launched a shot into the back of the net with 1 second left in a 2-1 loss.

…

This week

Section play resumes Wednesday after a long Labor Day weekend.

In Section 1-4A, Latrobe visits Penn-Trafford, and Hempfield goes to Norwin.

Franklin Regional at Indiana and Elizabeth Forward at Kiski Area are Section 4-3A matchups, and Ringgold visits Belle Vernon in Section 1-2A.

Section 4-2A matchups include Deer Lakes at Yough, East Allegheny at Southmoreland and Ligonier Valley at Mt. Pleasant.

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

Tags: Hempfield, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin