Through its first 11 games, the Plum girls soccer team gave up just three goals and lost just once.
But that one loss had a quick response.
The Mustangs suffered a 1-0 nonconference setback at Montour on Sept. 19 but came back in its next game four days later and doubled up Section 4-3A rival Franklin Regional at home 4-2 to maintain section dominance.
The Panthers scored 12 minutes into the game to take the lead, but sophomore Emily Grubish tied the score in the 21st minute with a shot from 22 yards.
Plum, which outshot Franklin Regional, 16-6, took the lead for good early in the second half on a goal from senior Mia Nardo.
The Mustangs then extended their advantage to 3-1 on a penalty kick from junior Gianna Revetta after the Panthers were whistled for a handball in the box.
After Franklin Regional cut the deficit to one, Plum put the game on ice with 14:40 left as Nardo raced with the ball through the middle of the field and found an open freshman Ali Joyce who directed the ball into the left side of the goal.
McKenna Anderson and Malayna Smith again split time in goal, each playing a half to help Plum earn the victory.
"Franklin came out pretty strong and pretty fast,” Mustangs coach Jamie Stewart said. "They gave us a different look than we had seen a lot in the past. Unfortunately, a number of miscues led to their first goal. But I liked our response to that goal. We came back and played really well and carried it into the second half and got the ‘W.’
"It was a really good win to build off from there as we look further ahead to the postseason. The key thing in these big games is maintaining composure and responding strong if need be when facing adversity.”
Plum then turned away Elizabeth Forward, 3-0, to complete the section sweep of the Warriors. Nardo Revetta and senior Serena Carnahan scored goals in the victory, and Joyce and junior Olivia Bigger provided assists.
"Elizabeth Forward was really well prepared for that second game,” Stewart said. "They gave us a couple of different looks that we had to try and figure out. It took us a little bit to unlock that. We got a goal off a corner in the first half which settled us down a little bit. From there, we simply continued to find a way to be successful.”
Bigger, Grubich and sophomore Olivia Shafer each tallied two goals as Plum routed West Mifflin, 8-0, last Monday to improve to 9-0 in the section and 67-2 in section play the past six seasons.
A win at Kiski Area on Monday (Oct. 7) would clinch the Mustangs’ sixth consecutive section title.
Nonsection games against Norwin (Oct. 5) and Burrell (Oct. 12), Stewart said, are good additional tests for the playoffs.
"We put them both on the schedule to make sure we are as prepared as possible for the middle and end of this month,” he said.
"Both are playing good soccer right now. We played Burrell last year, and they gave us all we could handle.”
The WPIAL soccer playoff committee is scheduled to meet Oct. 16 to lay out the postseason brackets. Preliminary games could begin as early as Oct. 19.
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.
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