Gateway girls soccer team reflects on trip to postseason

By: Michael Love
Sunday, October 31, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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The Gateway girls soccer team hoped for a longer stay in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, but coach Kelly Bender said she was happy with her team’s effort in the 3-0 first-round loss to South Fayette on Oct. 25.

“It was a tough loss, but my girls gave it their all, so we don’t have any regrets,” Bender said. “South Fayette was a strong team. Going into our game, we knew they competed in the toughest section in our classification, had a very close game with (No. 1) Mars, and beat (No. 5) Montour in the second round of their section play. Their style of play is hard to beat because they play a high pressure game with quick transitions.

“This being said, we knew we could give them a game. Our girls are smart and talented players with a high work rate. We had chances to score, kept them on their heels, and gave everything we had. My girls left it on the field and that is all I can ask.”

The Gators finished their season 10-7-1 with eight shutouts.

They had entered the playoffs with a measure of momentum off a 2-0 victory over Penn Hills which snapped a three-game losing skid against playoff-bound Section 1 foes Kiski Area and Franklin Regional and nonsection playoff qualifier Penn-Trafford.

Gateway ended section play in third place with a 7-4-1 mark. The Gators handed Hampton (9-1-2) its lone section loss with a 4-3 decision in the section opener in early September.

Gateway also tied the Talbots, the No. 7 seed for the WPIAL playoffs, and took third-seeded Franklin Regional to the limit in a 2-1 loss Oct. 14.

“Our team faced a good amount of adversity over the season,” Bender said. “We had a few injuries that changed some major positions for us. (Sophomore) Jada Settles, who stepped into goal for us this season, fractured her knuckle before our second Kiski game. She was an all-section selection this year so we certainly missed her. Katie Ryan, a senior captain and starter in our back line, selflessly moved back to goal. She did an incredible job and made some great saves both in our second Franklin Regional and South Fayette games. (Sophomore) Becca Ryan, another starting back, suffered a knee injury against Franklin and has been out since then.

“I was extremely thankful for the versatility of our team that we didn’t skip too much of a beat even with the injuries.”

Also earning all-section honors were senior Addy Green and juniors Madi Jesih and Emily Mannion.

Green led Gateway with 23 goals.

Eleven different players scored goals throughout the season. Senior Megan McFetridge recorded five goals, while senior Jenna Shuman tallied four, and Jesih and junior Danielle Garner had three apiece.

Also with goals were Settles (2), senior Kira Pavlik (2) and Mannion, freshman Hayden Price, senior Ezra Khan and junior Hallie Grant with one each.

Bender said it will be tough to say goodbye to the senior group which also included Anna Reynolds. The seniors made the WPIAL playoffs all four years and won 32 games.

“They will be missed both as soccer players and as leaders,” she said. “They were well-respected and loved by their teammates.”

Bender said she is excited for what lies ahead for the Gators.

“Looking to next year, we have a solid core of starters and many more who can step into the different spots the seniors are leaving,” she said.

“It will be tough, but with the juniors leading, I know that the energy and work rate will be high. We also have a large eighth-grade class coming in. I am looking forward to seeing what the team will do next year.”

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.

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