Villa Joseph Marie Academy captures PIAA-AA championship after blanking Villa Maria Academy
HERSHEY — Villa Joseph Marie captured a PIAA Class AA state championship in girls soccer the way it won all season long — with a shutout.
The Jems registered their 15th clean sheet of the season in blanking District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy, of Erie Saturday afternoon, Nov. 15 in the title tilt at Hershey Park Stadium. Junior goalkeeper Gretchen Frantz recorded four in between the pipes for District 1 champion Villa Jo.
Tallying the game’s only goal was VJM sophomore Casey Kilchrist, who scored in the first half for the Jems.
Villa Maria junior goalkeeper Emma Shimek recorded a dozen saves in goal for the Victors, who finished their season at 20-2-1. Shimek surrendered just three goals in four state playoff games.
The state champs were that much more stingy on defense than the runnerups, however. Villa Jo did not give up a goal in two district playoff games and four PIAA playoffs as the Jems outscored all six of their postseason foes by a combined score of 21-0.
Villa Jo finished the season at 22-1, its only loss a 1-0 shortfall it suffered at the hands of Suburban One League Continental Conference rival CB East, a District 1-AAA finalist and state semifinalist this season.
For this bunch of seniors who have captured four straight district crowns, it is its first state title. The group is led by Allie Trzaska, Alexa Fabbri, Taylor Stevens, Morgan McDonough, Kristen Glaum, Sam Baran and Erin Durnin.
