WHITEMARSH >> The mantra is repeated at every high school soccer game. When a goal is scored, both teams stress the importance of the next five minutes.
In the first round of the District 1-4A playoffs Tuesday night, Perk Valley’s Brianna Young scored in the 62nd minute to tie the game against Plymouth Whitemarsh. The Vikings dominated the next five minutes, putting four shots on goal during the all-important stretch.
Colonials goalkeeper Caitlyn Dinh, however, was there to stop each shot. She made 10 saves in the game, including a one-handed tip over the crossbar on another laser from Young immediately after her goal, to keep the teams even on the scoreboard.
No. 16 Plymouth Whitemarsh survived No. 17 Perk Valley’s five-minute push before generating its own opportunities in the final 10 minutes. Keira Whelan finished one of those chances in the 79th minute to lift the Colonials to a 2-1 win at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
“Caitlyn Dinh became Caitlyn Dinh,” PW coach TJ DeLucia said of his goalkeeper in the second half. “Caitlyn Dinh did Caitlyn Dinh things. That save she made in the middle – put it over the crossbar – is as good of a high school save as you will ever see. That’s as good as you’ll ever see.”
“The first goal was a really good goal,” Dinh said. “I tried to get it and couldn’t reach it. In my mind, I was saying, ‘It’s not going to happen again.’ The next shot was exactly the same. I was able to push it over, great save… (Young) is their best player for sure. She’s amazing – cutbacks, good shots. I said, ‘Senior year I can’t go out like this. I want one more game.'”
Whelan scored the game-winner in just her third game back after missing a month with a torn meniscus.
PW’s Mia Baron crossed the ball from the right side of the offensive end. She found Marleigh Burton at the far-post, who re-directed it in front of the goal. Whelan was there to gain control and put it into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead with 1:48 remaining.
“It was just wide open,” Whelan said. “I usually don’t shoot it, but I’m like, ‘I’m going to take it this time.’ I went for the corner and it was a great ball from Marleigh, who worked hard against her defender to get it.”
“We lost Keira for three-and-a-half weeks this year and it really hurt us,” DeLucia said. “Not having her really hurts our offense. She’s now playing her third game back. We’re increasing her minutes each day. She worked so hard to get back. She was so upset to not be playing. To have her win that game – it was fantastic.”
The win was the third District 1 playoff win in Plymouth Whitemarsh girls soccer history. The other two wins came in 2013 and 2019.
“This is the first time we’ve (made the playoffs) back-to-back since 2013-2014,” DeLucia said. “That’s a credit to this group. We brought a ton of kids back and the work that this group put in last year into this year – they’re seeing it pay off. Some of the wins we didn’t get last year we got this year. We earned the home playoff game. It’s much better to play this night playoff game at PW than it is to go to Abington or go to PV. It’s a credit to the work they put in over the course of two years.”
The Colonials (10-6-2) took a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute. Baron centered the ball from the right side and Maddi Lazaroff gathered, found space and put it away.
“We’ve eased Maddi Laz in,” DeLucia said. “We didn’t really play her a ton. She was the only freshman on varsity for the first 75% of the season. She was finding her footing, finding her comfortability around all these older kids. I would say the last two weeks she’s now playing 60-plus minutes a game. Her talent is through the roof.”
“We could have marked a little better,” PV coach Kaity Dougherty said of the two goals the Vikings allowed, “but they were able to get around us and they did a great job doing that.”
The one-goal difference stood for more than 45 minutes. Young tied the game with an impressive left-footed shot from 25-plus yards away. She got her shot over Dinh and into the back of the net to even the score, 1-1, with 18:59 remaining.
“(Young) has meant a whole lot (to this team),” Dougherty said. “As a ninth grader coming in, starting, and just blending with the team immediately, keeping positive energy, taking shots when she can or distributing. She is not selfish at all. She’s unselfish. To see her take a selfish moment was amazing.”
PW will face No. 1 Conestoga (15-2) in the second round Thursday.
“Obviously we know them and Pennridge are the two best teams in the district and they’re elite,” DeLucia said, “but we’re excited to play. We’re excited to take that chance, defend our butts off. We have stellar goalkeeping and in this sport, if you have good goalkeeping and good defense – you score on one set-piece and you never know. Our kids are excited to take the chance, take the ride up and see what happens.”
Perk Valley’s season ends with the loss. The Vikings finished the year with an 11-7-1 record.
“I think it was super successful,” Dougherty said. “If you would look at, in the beginning of the season, that we had 12 seniors and head coach after 19 years leave and that we came out and the girls worked their butts off. They got to both PACs and to districts. I’m pretty proud of them. They worked their butts off.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2, Perk Valley 1
Perk Valley 0 1 – 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1 1 – 2
Goals: PV: Brianna Young. PW: Maddi Lazaroff, Keira Whelan.
Saves: PV: Olivia Hulayew 4, Anna Mecouch 1. PW: Caitlyn Dinh 10.
Corners: PV: 3. PW: 2.
