The last time the Lake-Lehman girls soccer team played for a PIAA championship, it was led by three-time all-state forward Kelly Spencer.
She’s still around with a different last name and different job but the same goal — getting the Black Knights back there for the first time since 1998.
District 2 champion Lehman (22-0-1) gets that opportunity when it plays D12 champion Lansdale Catholic (11-3-1) at 5 p.m. today in a Class 2A semifinal game at Northwestern Lehigh High School in New Tripoli, which is a little more than 30 miles south of Hazleton.
Lehman moved to the state semifinals for the first time since 2016, when the Black Knights lost 4-3 to eventual Class 2A state champion Trinity. They lost 3-1 to Council Rock for the state spring crown in 1998, but that was when girls soccer had some of the state playing in the fall and the rest in the spring.
Girls soccer was switched to a fall-only sport in 2013, bringing together all the talent under one roof. Lehman had a taste of that in its two state games — a 2-1 win over Boiling Springs and a 1-0 win over Northwestern Lehigh.
The 1-0 win came on Saturday and was the lowest output for Lehman this season.
“They had a very strong midfield and an evenly matched team,” said Lehman coach Kelly Adamshick, who graduated from Lehman in 1998. “Our midfield is obviously our strong point, but they were very strong in the midfield too and there were other opportunities we had to take advantage of when we had them.”
Emily Smith knocked in the game’s only goal on an assist from Abby Paczewski with 12:07 left in the first half. Paczewski also assisted Madison Brdaric with the game-winner vs. Boiling Springs about nine minutes into the second half.
Lansdale Catholic is making its first appearance in a state semifinal game. The Crusaders had a couple close calls in states as well.
Lansdale Catholic opened the tournament with a 3-2 overtime win (5-3 shootout) over D1 champ St. Basil. Senior captain Taylor Connelly had both goals in regulation. Kellie Gillen scored twice in a 2-1 win over D3 champion ELCO in the quarterfinals.
Today’s winner will play the winner of the game between D10 champion Villa Maria and D7 champion North Catholic for the state title at 11 a.m. Friday at Hersheypark Stadium.
