A familiar opponent stands in the Lady Marauders’ way.

BG, the District 6 champion, will take on WPIAL third-place finisher Springdale in the semifinals at Westmont Hilltop’s Price Field at 6 p.m. tonight for the right to play the winner of the other semifinal — District 4 champion Muncy and District 1 winner Faith Christian — in Saturday’s PIAA championship at Northeastern High School in Manchester at 7 p.m.

Springdale defeated BG, 2-1, in the PIAA quarterfinals a year ago.

“There are always some mixed thoughts on (playing a team again),” BG coach Joe DeLeo said. “But we are happy to get them back. Both teams are different this year of course. Teams change every year. We’re doing whatever we can to prepare for them just like we’re sure they are for us.”

File photo for the Mirror by Roger Kerekes Bishop Guilfoyle’s Meggie Ritchey (left) fights for the ball with McConnellsburg’s Laynee Hendershot during this past weekend’s playoff game.

Springdale took a 1-0 lead in that game and held on to it until a late goal by Emma Marasco before Hailey Marchlewski, a senior on this year’s team, scored her second goal of the game just 67 seconds later in a 2-1 victory. Springdale went on to win its semifinal game before losing in the state final.

“Their midfielder (Marchlewski), she hurt us last year,” DeLeo said. “She played a slightly different position last year, but she’s still a very good player. We have been spending a good bit of time on how to defend her — the rest of the team is very good as well — but we’ve seen her hurt us offensively before, so we’re doing everything we can to minimize that.”

Though Marchlewski is back, several Springdale players, including last year’s leading scorer Briana Ross, have graduated.

“We have about half the team back,” Springdale coach Marc Bentley said. “We lost five senior starters, but we have added a couple freshmen who have done really well.”

Springdale fell to Sewickley Academy in the WPIAL semifinals before avenging that loss on penalty kicks, 7-6, in the PIAA quarterfinals on Saturday.

“I’m really proud of them after losing in the semifinals of the WPIAL tournament to bounce back and win the third-place game and keep winning the next two games in dramatic fashion,” Bentley said. “We found a way to win in overtime (against Windber) and found a way to win in the penalty-kick shootout, even going to extra shooters. I was proud of the resilience of the girls.”

Bentley has been impressed with what he’s seen from Bishop Guilfoyle.

“They were really strong last year, and it was a good, competitive game,” Bentley said. “It could have gone either way. They have a lot of the same players this time around, and any team that wins a PIAA quarterfinal game 6-0 is going to be a tough test in the semifinals. We’re expecting it to be a tough battle and hopefully a good game.”

Two years ago — also at Westmont — Bishop Guilfoyle lost to Riverview, 4-1, playing this deep into the PIAA tournament for the first time. One of the Lady Marauders’ best players, Sarah Geishauser, was hurt during the game.

Now the team, and some of the players who played in that game, have a second chance.

“To me it’s a testament to the hard work of our coaches and team,” DeLeo said. “We’re obviously very happy to get here, because it takes not just effort but tremendous belief in yourself as a team to get here. They have been working as a team all year and some of them several years together to get to this point. We’re excited for it, and we’re going to give it our best effort.”

Delaney Lechner, part of a senior class along with Payton Ronan and Hailey DeGol, scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over Seneca in the PIAA first round.

“I love being a part of the BG soccer team and couldn’t have made it where we are today without my teammates,” Lechner said. “We have such a strong bond that translates on and off the field.”

Springdale is hoping to lean on its experience tonight.

“It’s been really good for the girls who are returning from playing in the state final last year,” Bentley said. “They have been there and know how to win those tough games in those tough moments. The support of the school and the community has also been a big factor for the girls with how proud they are to represent Springdale.”

DeLeo said one of the major keys to tonight’s game will be getting off to a good start and playing from ahead.

“It’s everything,” DeLeo said. “We want to be in that position. We want to put the pressure back on them. We have great faith in our defense, so any lead is obviously very helpful in a match you expect to be very close.”