Riverview girls soccer team has chance to make history

By: Michael Love
Thursday, November 2, 2023 | 8:38 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Georgia Tsambis had a feeling.

The senior captain and defender on the No. 1 Riverview girls soccer team said the pieces were in place to make some noise and affect the WPIAL landscape in Class A.

“We knew we had some talented freshmen coming up, and the potential was there with them and the others who were coming back from last year,” Tsambis said.

“We had high hopes. Our first game against (Greensburg Central Catholic) was a tough loss, and we were hoping that it wasn’t going to go in the direction of prior years. But from that point, there was something instilled in all of us that this was going to be different. We had our goal of winning the section, and after we did that, it motivated us even more. We’re so grateful to be where we are with a chance to win a championship.”

The where is Highmark Stadium. The when is 6 p.m. Friday evening. The what is the Raiders’ chance at history as they take on No. 2 Freedom for a WPIAL championship.

It has been a blending of talents since the summer for the Raiders, from Tsambis and fellow captain, senior Pitt commit Lola Abraham, down to the grouping of five freshman who have experienced the pressures of varsity soccer for the first time.

“The girls are super excited, but my assistant and I are trying to keep them grounded and also confident in the way they can play and have played all season,” Riverview coach Sean Abraham said.

“There probably will be a few nerves going into (Friday), and that is natural. But they all have to remember to harness that energy while trusting what has gotten them to this point. The atmosphere is going to be amazing with the crowds for both teams. It should be a great game.”

Riverview (19-2) put itself in position to win a title with Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over South Allegheny at North Allegheny’s Wright Field.

The Raiders trailed 1-0 at halftime on a bad-bounce goal midway through the first 40 minutes.

The Riverview defense, fronted by Tsambis, senior keeper Chiara Brun and defenders in freshmen Catie Hoolahan and Juliette Brun and junior Katerina Tsambis, held the Gladiators to two shots in the game and none in the second half.

The defense, midfield and attack continued to jell after halftime, and Abraham went to work.

She scored five goals, including one on a penalty kick, in a span of 4 minutes, 27 seconds to turn the deficit into a comfortable lead.

Abraham has 68 goals on the season to go along with 17 assists.

“I had so much confidence in the girls on my line and the rest of my teammates on the field that we would work together like we have all season to get that win,” said Katerina Tsambis, an All-WPIAL selection this year with Abraham.

“Playing with the heart that we had and staying focused mentally, I knew that we would be OK.”

The Raiders have outscored their three playoff opponents by a combined 13-1 in reaching Highmark.

Abraham has 12 of the 13 goals.

Junior Cailey Trosch tallied the other goal in the Raiders’ 5-0 first-round win over Aquinas Academy. Trosch is third on the team with 13 goals this season.

Freshmen Mary Quinlan (15 goals, 19 assists) and Hannah Hudack (nine goals, 14 assists) are all-section honorees with Abraham and Katerina Tsambis.

Though Riverview is playing for a WPIAL title for the first time, Freedom has that experience. The Bulldogs came into the season as the defending WPIAL Class A champions and have won 17 of their 20 games.

Freedom is seeking its fourth WPIAL title since 2016.

It looked bleak for Freedom on Tuesday against Springdale in the second semifinal at North Allegheny.

The Dynamos led 2-0 at halftime.

But the Bulldogs rallied. Senior Shaye Bailey scored twice, including the winner, to give her 46 goals on the season. Sophomore Mackenzie Mohrbacher added a goal in the 3-2 triumph.

“Freedom is a team that has the firepower and tenacity to be able to come back from being down like they were,” coach Abraham said.

“Things can turn so quickly in a game in the playoffs. Freedom wasn’t going to pack it in. We know we are going to have to stick to the game plan against them and play 80 minutes of good defense and generate chances.”

Four team members — Hood, Hoolahan, Hudack and Juliette Brun — have even more on their plates as members of the girls cross country team that will run at the PIAA championships Saturday morning in Hershey. The Class 1A girls race is at 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday’s victory over South Allegheny not only propelled Riverview into the title game at Highmark. It also clinched a spot in the PIAA playoffs, so the Raiders are not done Friday evening, no matter the result against the Bulldogs.

While not focused on the state playoffs at the moment, Riverview’s future plans have them playing Tuesday in the first round at a site and time to be determined against the District 10 runner-up if they capture the WPIAL crown or the District 5 champion if they are the WPIAL runners-up.

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.

Tags: Freedom, Riverview