(BRYN ATHYN, Pa.) – Krystla Kienast's (Sr., Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) incredible defensive efforts and
Sage Lague's (Jr., Fairplay, Md. / Goretti) offensive prowess helped No. 3 Wilson upend No. 2 Bryn Athyn in the United East Championship semifinals Wednesday evening. Lague sparked the Phoenix offense to take an early first quarter lead, while Kienast was a proverbial brick wall as she set a new single game program record for saves to help prevent the Lions from generating much momentum.
The Basics
Score: No. 3 Wilson 11, No. 2 Bryn Athyn 8
Venue: Ronald K. Nelson Field
Records: No. 3 Wilson 9-4, No. 2 Bryn Athyn 10-3
How It Happened
- A green card on the Lions helped Wilson score its first goal. It came 30 seconds into the player-up opportunity as Anna Gibson (Sr., Cecil County, Md. / Perryville) found the back of the net on an assist from Emily Young (Jr., Fairfax, Va. / Chantilly). It started a 3-0 run in just a span of 42 seconds for the Blue and white as two goals from Lague followed with helpers from Young and Ellisa Gamby-Mickey (FY, Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg).
- Bryn Athyn's star player Shea Gormley put the Lions on the scoreboard with just over five minutes to play in the first, but Jill Ahlgren (Sr., Mercersburg, Pa. / Mercersburg) got it back on another player-up chance to give the Phoenix a 4-1 lead headed to the second quarter. That started another 3-0 run with goals by Lague and Young on assists from Gibson and Alaina Marek (FY, Bealeton, Va. / Liberty), respectively. Bryn Athyn had the last word of the frame as Karthyn Sullivan scored to cut the deficit to 6-2 at the half.
- Lague scored the first goal of the third on a free-position attempt, but the hosts regained momentum but going on a 4-0 run. Two goals by the Lions with 56 and 11 seconds put them within one headed to the fourth.
- Lague was able to flip the script in the first two minutes of the fourth to put the Phoenix back in control. She scored three more goals in a 25 second span with the first on a free position attempt and next two on player-up chances. Bryn Athyn was quick to answer with back-to-back-scores to cut the deficit to 10-8 with 9:55 to go, but a score by Sadie Fike (FY, McClure, Pa. / Mifflin County) with 1:39 left sealed the deal.
Inside The Numbers
- Kienast came up with an astronomical 22 saves to set a new single-game program record. She did so after she faced 40 shots, 30 of which were on target, for a save percentage of .733. The 22 saves are tied for the eighth-most in a game in Division III this season. She held the previous mark of 17 set earlier this season.
- Defensively Ahlgren and Gamby-Mickey also helped lead the Phoenix back line. Ahlgren helped give Wilson possession with nine draw controls. She also tallied two caused turnovers with three ground balls, while Gamby-Mickey had three caused turnovers and four ground balls. Riley Lemay (FY, Saugerties, N.Y. / Saugerties) picked up three ground balls as well.
- Special teams were central to Wilson's success as it scored five goals on nine player-up chances.
- Bryn Athyn held the shot advantage by a 40-18 margin.
- Lague's seven goals set a program postseason record for most goals in a single game and tied her own record for most points in a postseason game.
- This was the first victory for the Phoenix in six games against Bryn Athyn.
Up Next
Wilson will advance to the conference championship for the third time in four years. The Phoenix will take on top-seed St. Mary's on Saturday with a start time to be determined.
