By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
WHITEHALL – Cassidy Drobek made nine saves while Alexandra Lopez had a hand in both goals Tuesday night when Oley Valley earned another state title shot by defeating Wyoming Area, 2-0, in a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A field hockey semifinal.
The District 3 champion Lynx (24-2) are 2-5 in state finals since 1995, including a 1-0, double-overtime loss to Wyoming Seminary in the 2019 final. The teams meet again Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Zephyr Sports Complex.
Oley Valley got through the semifinal by scoring in each of the first two quarters, then fighting off steady pressure from Wyoming Area throughout the second half.
Wyoming Area had seven of the eight second-half penalty corners to finish with an 11-6 lead in that category. The Lady Warriors outshot Oley Valley, 10-2 in the second half and 15-9 for the game.
“Sometimes the ball just can’t go in,” Wyoming Area coach Erin McGinley said.
Wyoming Area, still seeking its first state final appearance, lost to Oley Valley in the semifinals for the second time in three years.
“We played a good game and we fought hard,” McGinley said. “They left everything on the field and for that, our coaching staff will be forever proud of them.”
Oley Valley did not have a shot or penalty corner until the last minute of the first quarter.
The Lynx turned the first penalty corner into three shots with Lopez putting the second rebound into the cage with 15.7 seconds left in the quarter.
Lopez, the team’s leading scorer, worked with Mia Woodard, the team’s second-leading scorer, for the second goal 6:16 remaining in the first half.
Woodard was standing at the right post where she got a deflection on a hard shot from high on the left side by Lopez.
Wyoming Area (19-3) has lost only to state finalists Wyoming Seminary and Oley Valley during the last three seasons.
“Final four teams in the state of Pennsylvania,” McGinley said. “You can’t be upset about that.”
