CLARKS SUMMIT — Allie Rothenberger made sure Abington Heights never trailed.
Sadie Gilbert came through when a Hershey comeback needed to be diffused.
Rothenberger and Gilbert each finished with six goals Tuesday night as the unbeaten Abington Heights girls lacrosse team posted the first state playoff win in program history with a 15-10, home-field victory in the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 2A Tournament.
“We have amazing coaches and I have amazing teammates,” Gilbert said. “It means the world to me to be part of history.”
The Lady Comets advance to Saturday’s state quarterfinals against Upper Moreland, which got past Cardinal O’Hara 7-6 in double overtime in another first-round game.
Rothenberger scored on the game’s first two shots, converting passes from Morgan Davis and Olivia Kim to score from in front and give Abington Heights a 2-0 lead just 51 seconds in.
“My teammates are just always looking to pass me the ball, which is super helpful,” Rothenberger said. “And, I’m always looking for them. I think we have great team chemistry.
“It doesn’t matter who scores the goal. We just try to get out early and often.”
Hershey answered two minutes in with the first of seven goals by Campbell University commit Hanna Russell.
There was no more scoring in the final 10 minutes of the first quarter.
Gilbert got involved in the scoring in the first minute of the second, again connecting on the first shot of the quarter. Her biggest goals, however, came late in the third quarter.
The Lady Comets outshot the Trojans 19-8 while building an 8-3 halftime lead.
Gigi Butala came out from behind the cage to score and increase the lead to 9-3 early in the second half.
The lead stood at six goals until midway through the third when Russell took over, scoring four times in just 50 seconds to pull Hershey within 9-7.
Gilbert scored the next two goals. She reached high to pull in a pass from behind the net and quickly get off a low shot, then less than two minutes later, she converted on an 8-meter restart.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without my teammates,” Gilbert said. “I just cut and they send me the ball and it works out well in my favor.”
Rothenberger followed with another goal and Hershey never got closer than four again.
“We know the other team is always going to score goals,” Rothenberger said. “The goal is just to stay ahead and not let their momentum overcome ours.”
Davis, who finished with two goals and an assist, gave Abington Heights a 13-8 lead to carry into the fourth quarter.
Butala had a goal and an assist. Kim and Lauren Bartell had two assists. Brielle Crowell also had an assist.
Avery Weaber scored twice for Hershey and Zoey Hess had two assists.
Abington Heights finished with a 31-16 lead in shots.
Sophia Santarsiero made five saves for the Lady Comets. Olivia Fox had 10 saves for the Trojans.
