YATESVILLE – Progress came in different forms for the Wyoming Area and Pittston Area girls soccer teams Friday when they met in a non-league game on the grounds of the Pittston Primary Center.
Wyoming Area got a boost by Christina Kosco showing off her continued physical improvements on the road back from major surgery while Pittston Area saw encouraging signs in a late comeback.
Kosco, who had surgery on both hips in March, has been increasing her playing time. She made that pay off against the rival Lady Patriots with two goals and an assist while leading the Lady Warriors to the 5-4 road victory.
Pittston Area produced its highest-scoring effort during a losing streak that has now reached nine games.
Kosco opened the scoring on a header off a corner kick, added another goal for a 3-0 halftime lead, then assisted the second-half goal that extended the lead to 5-0.
Wyoming Area coach Nikki Sitkowski said it has been frustrating at times for Kosco, who started the season playing for just 10 minutes at a time.
“She had a nice game,” Sitkowski said. “She’s coming along. Those hips are starting to get a little more stretched out. She’s getting a little more power in her leg. She still has some work to do with her movement and her fitness, but she’s come a long way.
“When she gets back to full mobility, that changes our whole game.”
Both teams have seen major changes from a year ago because of graduation losses.
Wyoming Area is 5-7 after winning its first district title in 2018.
Pittston Area is 2-9, but Friday was the second time in three games that the loss came in the form on a one-goal game.
“I think we’ve been making good strides,” Pittston Area coach Nicole Tieso said. “ … It started off a little rocky and as we’ve been going, it’s getting better.
“We’re becoming more competitive.”
It took a while for that to happen Friday.
As Wyoming Area put all of its players in action, Pittston Area mounted a comeback, scoring four times in the last 17:09.
“The reality is it doesn’t matter who’s in, we have to keep it together,” Sitkowski said. “They had a couple good players over there and their keeper did fantastic.
“It got a little too close for comfort.”
Brynne McGoff and Rachel Deleo led the Pittston Area offense with a goal and an assist each. Kendall Tigue made 18 saves, including a spectacular two-handed deflection of an Anna Wisniewski shot that appeared destined for the right, lower corner of the net after the Lady Patriots closed within a goal.
“Our girls knew what they were capable of,” Tieso said. “They didn’t let down and they just fought until the bitter end.”
Pittston Area scored three goals in 5:39 to get within a goal with 3:43 to play. It had the ball in the offensive end of the field for much of the final minute until Caitlin McDonough finally controlled the cleared the ball to clinch the victory for Wyoming Area.
McDonough had assisted Kosco’s first goal less than seven minutes into the game and scored to make it 2-0 with 12:10 left in the half.
Halle Kranson and Wisniewski scored 1:28 apart to increase Wyoming Area’s lead to 5-0 with 29:42 remaining.
“The second half of the game, we started out the way we started out in the first,” Sitkowski said. “We moved the ball around really well and got a couple of quick goals.”
Gia Innamorati scored for Pittston Area off a Deleo cross to start the comeback.
Ryli Smith headed in a McGoff corner kick. McGoff then scored on a penalty kick.
The last goal came when Deleo made a run to the left post to get to and redirect Katelyn Wesp’s long shot from the right wing.
Wyoming Area finished with a 29-25 lead in shots.
Pittston Area led in corner kicks, 4-3.
