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Williamsport can’t rally back as Millionaires fall to State College girls 5-3

By Jon Gerardi 6 min read

Williamsport had chances in the final ten minutes of the first half to add another goal and go ahead by two entering halftime. It would have given the Millionaires some momentum and a nice cushion going into the break.

Instead, Williamsport saw State College put in a goal with 1:57 until the break.

That chance to lead by two suddenly shifted and the Millionaires went into the half tied up. From there, State College kept pressure offensively and scored three minutes into the second half and never looked back. The Lions put in three second-half goals to down Williamsport on Saturday afternoon at Balls Mills, 5-3, and drop Williamsport to 4-4-3 while improving to 4-6.

"That was huge (to score before halftime). I mean we went up early and then I think we kind of relaxed," State College coach Kent Dwyer said. Then Williamsport took advantage of that and all of a sudden you're down 2-1. Very easy to go into halftime rattled. So that goal right before halftime let us take the second half almost as a reset button."

"I thought after our second goal, we had a few chances to make it 3-1 and then all of a sudden it becomes 2-2 and it becomes a much different team talk at halftime. We really wanted to come out with fire again and let it spark us," Williamsport coach Beckham Sibiski said. "Sometimes we can use it that way. We've been on the flip end of it twice this week. Selinsgrove, we scored twice right before half to make it 2-1, and here we gave up one right before half. Ultimately we came out flat."

That fast goal in the second half by Natalia Andrews put Williamsport on its heels fast and the Millionaires, despite peppering State College's keeper constantly, were unable to get that spark to swing momentum back.

State College scored four consecutive goals between the first and second halves, three of which came in the second half to go ahead by three goals and seal the game late.

Ayda Bayly recorded a hat trick for State College, scoring two of her goals in the first half including the shot right before halftime which made it a 2-2 game.

"We were combining nicely early on and after we conceded that first goal and for some reason we stopped looking to connect passes and find feet. We started kicking without purpose," Dwyer said. "So we just reset and we said we can combine and create if we're moving off ball. They out-worked us off ball for large stretches of that game, so when we re-committed to higher work rate and better off-ball movement, that's when we really started to open things up."

With 12:35 to play in the game, Bayly put in her third goal for a 4-2 lead when a loose ball in front of the goal bounced around before she was able to put it in. Just four minutes later, Natalia Andrews rifled a shot for the 5-2 lead.

Williamsport would score once again before the game wrapped up, but it was too little, too late in terms of rallying back.

"Those were my exact words to my team: too little, too late. Too many defensive silly mistakes. I thought to be honest we were the better team for majority of the game, but didn't finish our chances, which is one of our keys to success," Sibiski said. "It's always important to finish chances. ... Lately it hasn't (gone our way), so the goal is to get back on track with finishing our chances when they come."

That third Millionaire goal came with 1:47 to play by Ella Brelsford. Williamsport's Breah Phillips sent a direct kick into the 18 which hit off the crossbar after a block and stayed in play near the 6-yard box. Brelsford was in the right place to drill a shot to the left-near post and cut the deficit down to 5-3.

Bayly scored the first goal of the game with 34:27 until halftime when she got to the 18 and sent a shot to the far-right post for an early 1-0 lead. But, less than 30 seconds later, Williamsport responded.

Williamsport's Brynli Carnevale got a breakaway and from 12 yards out, she tapped in a shot to the right and tied it up. The Millionaires kept pressing and would get a go-ahead goal with 10:49 remaining until halftime.

Phillips sent in a corner kick to the 18 where Mylee Bennett connected from just outside the 6-yard box and made it a 2-1 Williamsport lead. That would be the lone lead the Millionaires held.

"I think at times we lack a little confidence. With a young team, it can be a little intimidating. We talked about convicting within our team: there was a lack of conviction for us going forward," Sibiski said. "If we give them an opportunity, they're going to take it. That makes a difference in a soccer game."

In total, Williamsport fired 23 shots, 15 of which were on frame, while State College had 13 shots, 10 on frame. The Millionaires had numerous chances with near-goals, but couldn't put in some opportunities when they presented themselves.

In the second half with 33:35 remaining, Carnevale got to 10 yards out on a throughball and had a 1-v-1 look with State College keeper Kali Hazel, but sent her shot just narrowly wide. Three minutes later, Brelsford got inside of the 18 and had a great shot to the left which was blocked by Hazel. The Lions' keeper tipped it back off the post and it stayed in play. Williamsport's Kathryn Schultz tried the follow-up rebound shot, but it was cleared out and what would have been a game-tying goal resulted in nothing.

One of Williamsport's last chances came with 4:20 to play in the game. Phillips had a direct kick from 25 yards out and tried to sneak it under the crossbar. The ball got blocked by the keeper off her fingertips however and hit the crossbar, eventually being cleared out as it stayed in play.

Saturday's loss was the third straight for the Millionaires and Williamsport looks to get back on track and snap its losing skid. The Millionaires will look to do that on Monday against Hughesville at 6:45 p.m. at Balls Mills.

State College 5, Williamsport 3

SC--Ayda Bayly, 34:27. W--Brnyli Carnevale (Ella Brelsford), 33:51. W--Mylee Bennett (Breah Phillips corner), 10:49. SC--Bayly, 1:57. SC--Natalia Andrews, 37:37. SC--Bayly, 12:35. SC--Andrews, 8:07. W--Brelsford, 1:47.

Shots: SC 10, W 15. Corners: SC 1, W 7. Saves: SC 10 (Kali Hazel 10), W 5 (Valerie Beiter 3, Hannah Baird 2).

Records: State College (4-6), Williamsport (4-4-3).

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