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By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
PATTON -- Led by junior forward Brooklyn Galinis, the Cambria Heights girls soccer team had just enough offense to get past archrival Central Cambria in a District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal playoff game Tuesday night on the plush Cambria Heights High School soccer field.
And the Lady Highlanders' defensive effort guaranteed them that not much offense would be required to prevail and advance in the tournament.
Galinis scored two goals, teammate Kinley Rogal added two assists, and second-seeded Heights played lock-down defense throughout to record a 3-0 victory.
The win earns Heights a berth in the semifinals, and another home game in the tournament, next week against the winner of tonight's Central-Juniata quarterfinal matchup at Mansion Park.
"I think that we really brought it together as a team tonight,'' Galinis said. "We were really ready for this - we had been preparing all last week. Our defense, offense and keeper all worked together very well.''
With Galinis opening the scoring on a penalty kick midway through the first half, and sophomore fullback Lilly Karlheim adding a goal later in the half, Heights (14-2-2) took a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
Galinis added another goal in the second half, which was more than enough on a night when the Lady Highlanders kept Central Cambria -- which managed only four shots on goal in the game -- largely out of the Heights end of the field for the duration.
"We approached the game thinking that we were going to attack from the start,'' Heights coach Nikki Spanik said. "We have a solid group, and our players communicated with each other well on defense, which is what we needed.''
After a Cambria Heights player was brought down by a Central Cambria defender near the goal, Galinis was awarded the penalty kick, and converted it cleanly, beating Central Cambria keeper Katie Scott at the 20:13 mark of the first half.
"When I get a chance at a penalty kick, I try to just relax,'' Galinis said. "I don't let it get into my head, I drown out all the noise, and I just shoot.''
Heights went up 2-0 at the 27:08 mark of the first half when Karlheim crashed the cage and scored off a rebound from a shot that had been taken by Rogal.
"We've been really stressing to go the cage, and we just got the ball in there then,'' Spanik said.
Seventh-seeded Central Cambria's lone goal was scored by senior Ava Barra at the 32:18 mark of the first half. Barra raced down the field with a through ball, was initially curtailed by a Heights defender, but deftly deftly regained possession and booted a hard shot into the cage.
"Our girls played a quality team tonight, and they fought hard,'' said Central Cambria coach Devin Shaner, whose team wrapped its season with a 10-9 record. "Our girls played a full 80 minutes tonight and overall, I think that we had a great season.''
Central Cambria won five of its final seven regular-season games to earn a berth in the playoffs.
"Our seniors stepped up and took over my role,'' Shaner said. "They knew what we had to do if we wanted to take it past 18 (regular-season games).''
With the game in the balance in the second half, Galinis took a Rogal feed and scored on a high shot at the 13:17 mark to give Heights an important insurance goal and a 3-1 lead.
"Brooklyn always brings heart and an excellent shot to the field,'' said Spanik, whose team managed 20 shots on goal Tuesday. "The teamwork that our girls play with is irreplaceable.''
Now Heights hopes to extend its season even further next week with a semifinal-round victory.
"We have to keep our heads straight and play to become a better team each and every day,'' Spanik said.
SCORE BY HALVES
Central Cambria 1 0--1
Cambria Heights 2 1--3
First half: 1, CH--Galinis (penalty kick), 20:13. 2, CH--L. Karlheim (Rogal), 27:08. 3, CC--Barra (unassisted), 32:18.
Second half: 4, CH--Galinis (Rogal), 13:17.
Shots on goal: Cambria Heights 20, Central Cambria 4. Saves: Scott, CC, 17; Wendekier, CH, 3.
Records: Central Cambria (10-9); Cambria Heights (14-2-2).