Wilkes-Barre Area’s Sara Marin Orozco passes the ball past Pittston Area’s Nadia Rawhouser during the second half.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Isabella Pisano, left, and Wilkes-Barre Area’s Elizabeth Pachucki fight to control the ball in the first half of a District 2/4 Class 4A semifinal game.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre Area’s Leah Pryor (15) has the ball kicked away from her by Pittston Area’s Rebecca Dunn during the first half.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Juliana Menendez helds to defend her goal against Wilkes-Barre Area’s Kathryn Buczynski, front, in the first half.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Camryn Karp (19) heads the ball away from Wilkes-Barre Area’s Ann Cielski in the first half.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
PLAINS TWP. — Once Wilkes-Barre Area broke through Saturday morning, its game with Pittston Area looked quite familiar.
Sort of akin to the two regular-season games the teams played.
Addison Corchado scored two goals about a minute apart midway through the first half as the Wolfpack went on for a 5-1 victory over Pittston Area in a District 2/4 Class 4A girls soccer semifinal game.
Top-seeded and defending champ WBA (15-4) will host second-seeded Williamsport (9-9-1) at 6 p.m. Thursday for the championship and a place in the PIAA Class 4A state tournament. Williamsport defeated third-seeded Hazleton Area 5-2 in the other semifinal.
“I think with every game we’ve gotten a lot better,” Corchado said. “The early season was a bit rough, but once we started getting into it and training a lot more we started working great together.”
Fifth-seeded Pittston Area ended its season at 4-14-2.
The Patriots lost 6-0 and 7-0 to WBA during the Wyoming Valley Conference season, yet put up a strong defensive showing over the first 20 minutes as the Wolfpack had nine shots and six corner kicks.
WBA finally broke through with 21:39 as Corchado scored off an assist from Alaina Reese. She struck again 41 seconds later off a short pass from Aliyah Baez.
“We figured as soon as we were able to get control of the ball and play our game of soccer,” WBA coach Desiree Kreidler said. “Once we were able to get a couple goals in the flood gates kind of opened. But we also knew Pittston wasn’t going to quit. They put a lot of pressure on us in that first half to keep the game tied 0-0 for quite some time.”
Corchado made a perfect lead pass to Reese making a run in the penalty area to make it 3-0 early in the second half. Corchado and Kathryn Buczynski finished up the scoring off assists from Casey George.
Pittston Area prevented a third shutout at the hands of WBA with a late goal. Cambrine Dougherty was pushed in the penalty area with five minutes remaining. Juliana Menendez then connected on the ensuing penalty kick.
District 2/4 Class 4A Semifinals
Wilkes-Barre Area 5, Pittston Area 1
Pittston Area`0`1 — 1
Wilkes-Barre Area`2`3 — 5
First Half: 1. WBA, Addison Corchado (Aliana Reese), 21:39; 2. WBA, Corchado (Aliyah Baez), 22:20; Second Half: 3. WBA, Reese (Corchado) 42:23; 4. WBA, Corchado (Casey George), 51:20; 5. WBA, Kathryn Buczynski (George), 72:13; 6. PA, Juliana Menendez (penalty kick), 75:16.
Shots: PA 5, WBA 22. Saves: PA 10 (Adriana Wallace 7/Anabele Viglione 3), WBA 1 (Victoria Luna). Corners: PA 2, WBA 10.
