(ALLENTOWN, Pa.) – The end of the fall sports season came in dramatic fashion as Wilson fell to Cedar Crest in overtime of the United East Championship semifinal on a chilly Wednesday evening. It was the fourth time in the last five seasons that the third-seeded Phoenix met the second-seeded Falcons in the postseason, but it was Cedar Crest's first victory of those meetings during that span.
The Basics
Score: No. 3 Wilson 1, No. 2 Cedar Crest 2 (OT)
Venue: The FalconPlex
Records: No. 3 Wilson 9-6, No. 2 Cedar Crest 6-12
How It Happened
- Despite a higher scoring affair, it was a more defensive contest than Saturday's regular season finale. Neither team registered a shot until Jill Ahlgren (Sr., Mercersburg, Pa. / Mercersburg) took a swing early in the second quarter that was saved by Falcons goalkeeper Kadee Schrader.
- Midway through the second, Cedar Crest was the first to find the back of the cage as Carly Piciullo took an assist from Adriana Hinkle. Ahlgren, Elizabeth Landon (So., West Grove, Pa. / Avon Grove), and Brea Kelso (Jr., Shippensburg, Pa. / Shipensburg) all had shots before the end of the half, but all three were stopped by Schrader.
- The Blue and White eventually pulled exactly halfway through the third quarter thanks to a penalty corner. Kelso was responsible for the insert on the right side and found Lenoree Hoke (FY, Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) who connected with Paige Ney (So., Biglerville, Pa. / Biglerville) who scored just inside the near post.
- Cedar Crest spent most of the fourth quarter on the offensive and had the only four shots of the frame. Only one of them was on goal with Allyson Shindler (Sr., Manchester, Pa. / Northeastern) making the save to help send the game to overtime. Defensively Wilson did well to limit the Falcons' opportunities as they were awarded five penalty corners in the fourth.
- Overtime didn't last long as Cedar Crest won the toss and started with possession. Hinkle was able to get off a shot that found the back of the goal 1:23 into the extra period for the game-winner.
Inside The Numbers
- Shots were much more even Wednesday than in the regular season finale four days prior. Cedar Crest led the overall shot count 8-7, but the Phoenix were more accurate with a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal.
- Ney's goal was her 10th of the season giving her back-to-back seasons with double digit goals.
- Hoke's assist was her third of the season.
- The loss was Wilson's first in the conference tournament since the CSAC Tournament championship in 2018. The Phoenix went on to win league titles in 2019, 2021 and 2022 with no season being played in 2020.
