Wyoming Area’s Alexys Moore uses a reverse stick maneuver to get past Wyoming Seminary’s Ella Barbacci.
Tom Robinson | Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area’s defense – Makenzie Switzer (2), Morgan Janeski (partially obstructed), Megan Beppler (14) and goalie Carly Saranchuk (0) – turns away a Wyoming Seminary scoring threat.
Tom Robinson | Sunday Dispatch
WEST PITTSTON – Wyoming Area came away from Wednesday’s Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 field hockey showdown with reasons to be both proud and frustrated.
The Lady Warriors outplayed two-time defending state champion Wyoming Seminary, compiling advantages in shots and penalty corners, but had only a 1-0 overtime loss to show for their efforts.
“We played a great game,” Wyoming Area coach Erin McGinley said. “Their goalkeeper basically won the game for them.”
Mia Magnotta, a University of Iowa-committed, first-team, all-state goalie, made 11 saves. She got her arms up to block a sizzling high shot from Kayla Kiwak late in regulation after going low to use her leg pads to block a rebound during a third-quarter surge by Wyoming Area.
“If we weren’t facing a goalkeeper of her caliber, it’s a 4-0 game,” McGinley said.
Instead, Magnotta made sure it remained scoreless until teammate Ella Barbacci could produce the winning score 4:32 into a 15-minute, seven-on-seven, sudden-victory overtime period.
Wyoming Area built advantages of 13-6 in shots and 11-4 in penalty corners, leaving the Lady Warriors with only one option – to view the game film and the quality chances they created and try to find ways to better convert them when facing one of the nation’s top high school goalies.
“They know that they played a good game of hockey,” McGinley said of her players, “but they’re frustrated that they lost.
“Everything from the game play to the statistics shows that we outplayed them.”
Wyoming Area was one of the final four Class A teams in the state last season after being one of the final eight in 2018. In both seasons, however, it finished second to Wyoming Seminary in the final division standings, a possibility again after the Blue Knights extended their WVC streaks to 16 straight wins and 44 games without a loss by winning the tense, early-season showdown.
“It just was a fun game to watch and I think a crowd-pleaser that showed what a good game field hockey can be,” Wyoming Seminary coach Karen Klassner said.
Both teams entered the game 3-0 with Wyoming Seminary holding a half-game lead in the division because one of Wyoming Area’s games was non-league.
Wyoming Seminary had the closest call in an evenly played first half when a rebound settled inches from the goal line before Wyoming Area could clear it away midway through the second quarter.
Shots, however, were hard to come by against Wyoming Area defenders Megan Beppler, Morgan Janeski and Alyvia Yatsko and defensive midfielder Makenzie Switzer.
The Lady Warriors had the higher volume of quality chances.
Wyoming Area got off three shots on one corner attempt earlier in the second quarter and ended the half with a penalty corner with no time on the clock.
Magnotta made four of her saves during a dangerous stretch over the final seven minutes of the third quarter when Wyoming Seminary twice played short for two minutes after players received cards.
The last big chance of regulation came with 3:15 left when Kiwak got off a high reverse shot that was similar to Barbacci’s overtime game-winner.
“Both teams played very well, but the difference in the game was Mia,” Klassner said.
Wyoming Area 3, Crestwood 0
Carly Saranchuk made six saves as Wyoming Area posted its second straight shutout with Monday’s WVC Division 1 home victory.
Makenzie Switzer and Kayla Kiwak scored second-quarter goals to put the Lady Warriors in control. Toni Minichello added a goal late in the game.
