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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The Central High School girls soccer team enjoyed a solid all-around effort Thursday night in posting a 3-1 victory over Somerset in a District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal-round playoff game at Tiger Stadium.
Junior forwards Lakkyn Dibert and Kira Trexler, along with junior midfielder Paiton Campbell, each scored goals for third-seeded Central (12-7), which advanced to Monday's semifinal round on the road against second-seeded Forest Hills. Forest Hills advanced with an 8-0 quarterfinal-round victory over seventh-seeded Penn Cambria Thursday.
Central used a staunch defensive effort and good ball possession to keep sixth-seeded Somerset (8-10-1) off the scoreboard until the final minutes.
"We played pretty consistently the whole game,'' Central coach Randy Trexler said. "We controlled the ball from the midfield to the back line, and that was the key for us tonight. Paiton Campbell and (junior defender) Danielle Heltzel controlled the middle of the field for us and provided us with a strong possession game that helped to give us open seams up the field.''
Dibert capitalized on one of those seams at the 32:14 mark of the first half to score her 19th goal of the season after breaking past the Somerset defense and booting a kick into the lower lefthand corner of the cage.
"I honestly thought that it was pure luck,'' Dibert said. "I cut through and kept pushing. I was really happy that I could get through and get that shot.''
Kira Trexler gave Central a 2-0 lead by converting a corner kick inside the far post at the 25:44 mark of the second half.
"We got a little lucky on that corner kick,'' Randy Trexler said. "It's rare that you make those, and the kick curved inside the far post perfectly for us.''
Central went ahead 3-0 with 5:52 left on Campbell's long kick into the upper right corner of the cage. All three of Central's goals were unassisted, as the Lady Dragons fashioned a 17-9 advantage in shots on goal, including a 12-6 edge in the second half.
"We had a lot of shots in the second half, and that was a key for us,'' Randy Trexler said.
Somerset averted a shutout when senior Rihanna Hillegass scored off an assist from senior Madison Ohler with only 2:26 left in the game.
"We played a good, solid team tonight, and we made too many mistakes, and couldn't capitalize on our opportunities,'' Somerset coach Brett Gardner said.
Dibert and the Lady Dragons were happy to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"I'm very excited,'' Dibert said. "We've played hard all season, and I definitely think we deserve this.''
SCORE BY HALVES
Somerset 0 1--1
Central 1 2--3
First half: C--Dibert (unassisted), 32:14.
Second half: C--Trexler (unassisted), 25:44. C--Campbell (unassisted), 34:08. S--Hillegass (Ohler), 37:34.
Shots on goal: Central 17, Somerset 9.
Saves: Seslow, S, 14; Ripka, C, 8.
Records: Central (12-7); Somerset (8-10-1).