Penn Hills girls soccer continues to climb

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 20, 2017 | 11:00 PM

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Under Ashley DeVito's direction, the Penn Hills girls soccer team not only has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for consecutive seasons but has shown improvement when facing the top competition in the WPIAL.

The Indians (6-10, 4-6 Section 3-AAAA) have shown a greater offensive game this season.

Penn Hills has been led by freshman forward TaMaya Wolford, senior forward Maraye Alexander and sophomore midfielder Sierra Hankey. Wolford paced the team with 14 goals, Alexander has 13 goals and Hankey seven.

“The biggest improvement that I've seen this year has been with creating offense. We've scored so many more goals and generated so many more goal-scoring opportunities this year,” DeVito said.

“We've had the ability to be more creative offensively, and it's taken a lot of pressure off my back line and off my goalkeeper.”

The one surprise for DeVito has been the production provided by sophomore midfielder Katie Russell, who missed all of last season with a broken leg.

“She came back this year, and I wasn't sure what I would be able to get out of her. She has been absolutely explosive,” DeVito said.

“She has generated so many opportunities and has so many assists. She has set up the other girls for success and really has helped out so much.”

The six wins for the Indians this season were shutouts with junior goalkeeper Autumn Blair in the net.

The Indians swept Brashear, 21-0, in two games this season and swept Woodland Hills by a combined 12-0 score. Last week, the Indians shut out Latrobe and Mohawk, 3-0, in nonsection play.

“She has always been someone that we can rely on to make a big save whenever we need it,” DeVito said.

“We know if something goes wrong and we have a breakdown, we have confidence in our goalkeeper. That takes a lot of pressure off the girls in front of her because they know that she always has their backs.”

The Indians have handled everything thrown in their direction, including changes in the lineup.

“We have clicked this year, and we've had players step up. People have had their positions switched, and they haven't complained. They went into the game and worked as hard as they could in the position that they put them in for,” senior defender Alyssa Lucas said.

This season, the Indians have made an effort to compete with their top section foes — Fox Chapel, Plum and Allderdice.

The Indians were down 1-0 at halftime in their second matchup against Fox Chapel. They lost 5-0, compared to a 11-1 loss earlier in the season. Penn Hills lost to Allderdice, 4-2, on Oct. 9 and Oct. 12. It fell to Plum, 3-1, on Oct. 7.

“These were games where we were getting blown out, and we have closed those gaps tremendously. Even if we are getting losses, my girls are getting excited because they are taking these huge steps in the right direction,” DeVito said.

DeVito points to the key contributions from the senior class. The Indians have been led by senior defenders Britney Anglin, Lucas and midfielder Jalene Stroncek.

“They all have been committed to this program even since my first season as coach when we were giving up 100 goals in a season,” DeVito said. “They all stuck through it through the three years, and they deserve all the accolades they are getting.”

Andrew John is freelance writer.

Tags: Penn Hills