Appolonia gets hat trick as Yough routs Highlands

By BILL BECKNER

For the MV Independent

A lot has been made of the Yough girls soccer team’s high-toned offensive skills.

The Cougars can find the net with the best of them.

But coach Dann Appolonia will be the first to tell you, it all starts with defense.

“Our defense was very strong and that’s what we need to happen,” the coach said. “What they do enables our offense to feed off the ball. That led to a lot of what we did tonight.”

Defensive play jump-started an offensive barrage in the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs as No. 5 Yough dumped No. 12 Highlands, 10-1, Monday night at Penn-Trafford.

“Soccer is a team sport,” said senior Justine Appolonia, who had a first-half hat trick, to go with two assists for the Cougars. “The defense gave us so many chances by getting the ball out of the back.”

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