PIAA girls soccer preview capsule: Plum vs. Mars, Tuesday, Nov. 16

By: Michael Love
Monday, November 15, 2021 | 4:00 PM

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Class 3A

Semifinals

7-2 Plum (21-2-1) vs. 7-1 Mars (18-0-1)

6 p.m. Tuesday at Shaler Titans Stadium, Shaler Middle School, Glenshaw

Winner plays: Winner of 1-1 Radnor/12-1 Archbishop Ryan in championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday in Hershey

Tuesday’s contest is a rematch of a 2-1 Mars victory in the WPIAL championship game Nov. 6 at Highmark Stadium. Mars topped Plum in the WPIAL title game each of the past three years … Plum only has to travel 16 miles to Shaler after a pair of 90-mile trips to Hollidaysburg for the first two rounds of the state playoffs. The Mustangs advanced with Saturday’s PIAA quarterfinal win over District 3 champion Mechanicsburg. Ava Weleski and Camryn Rogers scored their 17th and 16th goals as Plum rallied from an early one-goal deficit to the Wildcats. The Mustangs defense limited Mechanicsburg to two shots on goal. The Mustangs continue to make history as they are in the PIAA semifinals for the first time. Junior Kaitlyn Killinger (30 goals), senior Marissa Liberto (18 goals, 15 assists) and junior defender Kaley Simqu are Plum’s All-WPIAL selections … Mars is seeking its third straight Class 3A state title and fourth in program history. The Planets punched their tickets to the semifinals with a 1-0 victory over Montour on Saturday at North Allegheny. It was Mars’ fourth win over its section rival this season. Senior Aly Cooper, a midfielder who scored the lone goal against the Spartans, was selected All-WPIAL earlier this month along with senior midfielder Leana Cuzzocrea, junior defender Piper Coffield and junior defender Gwen Howell. Howell has verbally committed to Division I University of Richmond.

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: Mars, Plum