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CLARKS SUMMIT — Dallas goalkeeper Rachel Nelligan wasn’t going to allow her team to lose.
The senior stopped all 10 shots she faced while playing with aggression and poise. The Lady Mountaineers’ offense also continued to roll and No. 2 seed Dallas blanked No. 1 seed Abington Heights, 3-0, in the District 2 Class 3A girls soccer title game Thursday afternoon.
“We had a little conversation and she said she wasn’t leaving with anything but a district gold medal around her neck,” Dallas head coach Nikki Pekarski said. “She said, ‘listen coach, I’m ready, I’ve never been more focused and I’ve never wanted something so bad in my life.’”
It was the first loss of the season for Abington Heights.
Dallas took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute when senior midfielder Samantha Mazula sent her penalty shot attempt into the top corner of the net after Abington Heights was called for a handball inside the box.
“My mindset was to calm down, take my time, pick my corner and just go for it,” Mazula said. “We’ve been practicing PKs just in case it happened, and the practice really paid off. I was a little nervous because (the goalie) picked the right way, but luckily it was far enough out of her reach.
“I was ecstatic when that happened.”
Nelligan made two superb saves on shots from Abington Heights’ Hannah Kowalski, including a diving stop on an attempt headed for the corner of the net, in the first half to keep Dallas ahead in the game.
“She set the tone,” Pekarski said. “Making those big saves gave our team the confidence that she’s going to stop anything that comes her way.”
Nelligan was also aided by the goalpost and teammate Kanisha Cheshire, who cleared the ball out of the box after Abington Heights’ Riley Mulherin nearly scored in the 35th minute.
“I came out and got a hand on it,” Nelligan said. “Luckily, it hit the post and Kanisha was there, she played her heart out.”
Senior Hollie Holthaus, who was injured the last time Dallas won a district championship in 2014, scored off the deflection of a long cross from Mazula to give the Lady Mountaineers a 2-0 lead in the 45th minute.
“I just kept my cool and kept on going,” Holthaus said. “I kicked the ball and it went right in the net. I was a varsity player during my freshman year, and I was out for the district final with a broken foot.
“It meant so much to be able to play in this district final.”
Dallas went ahead, 3-0, in the 48th minute when a corner kick from Mazula bounced off an Abington Heights player and into the net for an own goal. Pekarski believes Kristen O’Malley’s positioning in front of the net may have helped cause the miscue.
The Lady Mountaineers were defeated by Abington Heights, 6-2, in a game Sept. 21 and Pekarski believes that loss served as a great learning experience.
“After that game, I told them losing it was the best thing that could have happened to this team,” Pekarski said. “It woke them up and let them know that getting (to the district final) was not going to be easy. The next day at practice, we worked and worked and never let up. We knew coming (back) up here that we weren’t going to get blown out again.”
Dallas advances to the PIAA playoffs and the team will play at a District 2 site Nov. 7.
DISTRICT 2 CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIP
Dallas 3, Abington Heights 0
Dallas`1`2`—`3
Abington Heights`0`0`—`0
First half — 1, DAL, Samantha Mazula (penalty kick), 13:04. Second half — 2. DAL, Hollie Holthaus, 35:45; 3. Abington Heights own goal, 32:27.
Shots — DAL 11; AH 11. Saves — DAL 10 (Rachel Nelligan); AH 2 (Abbey Steenback). Corner kicks — DAL 8; AH 4.
