EF girls have sights set on postseason success

By JOSE NEGRON

jnegron@yourmvi.com

On the first day of camp, Elizabeth Forward girls soccer coach Brandon Gerba emphasized the importance of maintaining the program’s recent trend of reaching the postseason.

Entering this year, the Warriors have advanced to the WPIAL playoffs in four straight seasons. 

But that’s not all Gerba wants to achieve with his talented group.  Having success in the postseason is also on the to-do list. 

“We’ve talked all summer about how we have options to do a lot of different things with the talent and the depth we have,” Gerba said. “The goal isn’t just to make the playoffs, we want to challenge for the section and win that first-round game.” 

The Warriors haven’t won a playoff game since 2011, a year in which they advanced to the WPIAL semifinals and the PIAA tournament.

“For us, it’s trying to make that extra push,” Gerba said. “We want to get that little bit higher seed and get a favorable matchup to win that first-round game.” 

The Warriors went 8-6 overall and 8-2 in section play last season before suffering a 3-2 loss to Yough in the first round of the playoffs. 

Five key seniors are gone from last year’s team in Anna Resnik, Natalie Beinlich, Cassie Greenawalt, Jaymee McKelvey and Jordan Cochenour. 

Gerba knows he has players with the skill to replace his departed veterans, but their leadership will be missed. 

“I started training with that group of seniors when they were in sixth grade. They would come to winter and spring trainings with the high school girls when they were only 12 years old,” Gerba said. “They were all three-year starters and the leadership they provided was tremendous.” 

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Wednesday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.