The Abington Heights girls soccer team on the field at Cumberland Valley following its loss in the state c2hampionship game.
Tom Robinson | Abington Journal
MECHANICSBURG – Lilia Calvert’s long run up the right-center of the field broke through the Moon defense and briefly lifted Abington Heights into a new tie in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A girls soccer state championship game.
The Tigers responded like champions, controlling play the rest of the way to produce their third straight state title, handing the Comets their only loss of the season, 3-1, Nov. 18 at Cumberland Valley’s Eagle View Middle School.
Abington Heights, the Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 3A champion, had won 23 straight games to become the first girls soccer team from the Lackawanna League and the first District 2 fall girls soccer team to play for a state title.
Moon, however, was well established on that level. It won the 2021 state championship in Class 4A, the PIAA’s largest soccer enrollment classification, before taking the last two Class 3A titles.
The teams were tied through an exciting and near-evenly played first half and again at 1-1 when Calvert scored the team’s school record 153rd goal of the season.
Moon allowed just three goals all season with a strong defense and All-American goalie Serayah Leech.
“It’s hard to say what the exact difference was,” Abington Heights coach Errol Mannick said. “That goalkeeper is great. We had two good chances in the first half. Maybe it would have been a little different if we were able to put them away.”
To the point of Calvert’s breakthrough, Moon led 11-8 in shots and 6-4 in corner kicks.
The Tigers built advantages of 11-1 in shots and 3-1 in corner kicks the rest of the way, allowing them to build a two-goal lead and limit the Comets in their hopes to rally again.
Moon’s Anna Palm opened the scoring 4:58 into the second half.
Calvert ripped a shot into the far corner while on a high-speed dribble with 24:45 left.
Palm put Moon back in front less than three minutes later.
Gabriella Larson’s header on a corner kick increased the lead to 3-1 with 15:17 remaining.
“When we tied it there, I thought we were going to be able to do something,” Mannick said. “We made a couple mistakes. They were just a little better today. Nothing to be ashamed of.
“These girls did absolutely amazing all season long. I’m super proud of them. Today just wasn’t our day.”
