NTL GIRLS' SOCCER: WYALUSING'S RALLY COMES UP JUST SHORT AGAINST MUNCY (2024-10-26)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
MILTON — Wyalusing nearly overcome a slow start with a strong final 25 minutes, but couldn’t quite complete the comeback in their 2-1 loss to Muncy during the District IV, Class AA Girls’ Soccer quarterfinals Saturday.

The Rams gave up two early goals but got their second wind at the half - then had the wind at their back - as they rallied against the second seeded Indians. They managed to cut it to a 1-goal game off a long shot from Chloe Bennett, but couldn’t quite get the final touch in the final third that they needed to even things up.

“We had a tough 10 minutes right at the beginning of the game,” said Wyalusing coach Gary Haley. “We gave up two goals, but the girls fought all the way to the end. We keep telling the girls, sometimes it’s not always about winning and losing, it’s about how hard you’re willing to play. Certainly, Mario (Alvarez) and I are really proud of them, because for 80 minutes they fought and fought right to the end.”

Muncy out shot Wyalusing 11-5, though the Rams out shot them in the second half 5-3. The Indians also had an 8-2 edge in corner kicks.

The Indians came out strong, pushing the Rams into their own end for much of the first half. It paid off as Ella aNgel hit on a shot 20-yards out into the far corner to put the Indians up 1-0 with 30:40 on the clock.

A minute and a half later Ava Eyer got a pass into the box and also found the far corner to make it 2-0 Muncy.

The Indians nearly had two more goals at 20:44 and 17:58, with Sophia Alvarez coming away with two big saves to keep it a 2-goal deficit.

After changing ends Wyalusing had the wind at their back, and it showed, beginning with an Addy Bly free kick that was just out of reach for her forwards under five minutes into the half.

A Muncy counter attack two minutes later ended with a long shot just over the cross-bar.

Then, with 25 minutes left in the game, the Rams got their first shot on goal as a long Bly attempt was pushed away by the keeper.

Wyalusing would get on the scoreboard as Bennett took a free kick from the 18 off a Muncy tripping call. She put on the frame with Kenzie Kintner crashing, which distracted the goalie, Addi Gresh, enough that the ball went through her hands and into the net.

“Crash the goal, be aggressive in front of the goal, we tell the girls that all the time,” Haley said. “I think that’s what happened, we just crashed the goal.”

Three minutes later Bennett came within inches of tying the game on a long shot just that Gresh just got enough off to knock it off the cross-bar and away from the net.

With 14:20 left a Bly free kick was just wide, while with 4:20 to play Wyalusing’s last gasp attempt by Bennett was deflected wide by Gresh.

“We had them on their heels for the last 20 minutes of the game,” Haley said. “They didn’t give up, had lots of fight in them.”

Alvarez finished with 10 saves on the day while Gresh had five.

After decades of struggles in districts Wyalusing has gotten a playoff win in their last three postseasons, and coach Haley believes this year’s seniors are a big part of that.

“Our seniors, were certainly going to miss them,” he said. “They’ve been with us a long time. We got five of them, and they’re going to be missed, but still a great season for them. It’s hard at this time, but a lot of the schools aren’t even in the playoffs, and we were able to get back here.”

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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