By Jeffrey Kaufman, The Sentinel
HERSHEY – The dream is over.
Mechanicsburg’s run in the PIAA girls soccer playoffs ended Saturday evening at Hersheypark Stadium with a 1-0 loss to Penn Manor in overtime.
Penn Manor (22-3-2) advances to the state semifinals to meet Lower Dauphin on Tuesday at 1 p.m. back at Hersheypark Stadium. The Falcons knocked out Hempfield on penalty kicks Saturday.
Mechanicsburg’s dream season ultimately ended Saturday when Emily Hess punched a cross into the net behind Wildcats keeper Shelby Koch.
On the play, Logan Kramer sent the ball toward the net, where Hess redirected it behind Koch.
“I didn’t see anything on that last play to indicate a goal … I was trying to get her to pass the ball back but she went forward,” Penn Manor coach Bill Zapata said. “I didn’t see the tip on the ball. I was very pleased with our effort tonight. Our kids never quit.”
Despite the loss, Mechanicsburg coach Tony Lougee was proud of his team, which finished with a 19-6 record.
“We played very well tonight,” Lougee said. “We just didn’t get that key finish. It was a tough loss for us in that manner. I’m not real sure what happened there.
“We have a good nucleus coming back and we will start planning for next year tomorrow.”
The game was well-played between the 18-yard boxes, but had very little offense beyond that point. Each team had six corners kicks, which forced the defenses and keepers to step out of the box to snag crosses and direct traffic.
The first half was played more on the Penn Manor offensive end of the field, but the Wildcats were able to sustain the counterattack to their offensive end of the field.
Mechanicsburg’s Megan Mateja had a tip of a Natalie Zelenky cross but it deflected right to Comet keeper Veronica Willig.
The Wildcats looked a bit slow and out of sorts in the opening half of the contest as their second and third passes were off target or short, which allowed the Comets to control the ball.
Early in the second half, Koch came up with the defensive save of the game as Lindsay Hutchinson broke in on a 3-on-1 and, as she wound up to shoot, Koch slid into the shot and deflected the ball away from the net.
“Our seniors have been so key to our program,” Lougee said. “They have been models for our program and our younger children.”
