Yough girls peaking at the right time

By BILL BECKNER

Trib Total Media

File Yough under teams peaking at the right time for the WPIAL girls soccer postseason.

The ninth-seeded Cougars (11-4) gradually are returning to full strength as they get set to play at No. 5 Avonworth (13-1-1) on Wednesday night in the semifinals.

The Class 2A runner-up last year, Yough brought back senior Nicole Croushore for the quarterfinal after she missed all season with an ankle injury.

“(Croushore) definitely made a positive impact, and we are a better team with her on the field,” Yough coach Dann Appolonia said.

The team is hoping to get junior midfielder Haley Lauffer back as well. She is week-to-week, also with an ankle injury.

Appolonia said the key to the South Park upset was defense and goalkeeping.

“We gave up very few quality shots, which allowed (goalkeeper) Marin Sleith to do her job efficiently,” the coach said.

The notable thing about Yough is how it has returned to the final four after losing seven senior starters to graduation, including all-time leading goal scorer Justine Appolonia, now at Youngstown State.

“Most of whom had been four-year starters,” Dann Appolonia said. “So while I knew it would be a tough hill to climb because of the time it takes for younger players to jell as a team, I also knew that we had a chance to be good.”

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