How Seneca Valley girls soccer breezed past Gateway in first round of WPIAL playoffs
-
Seneca Valley's Sophia Sipp (43) receives a pass as Gateway's Lola Weiss (5) attempts to guard her in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Sophia Lawryk (31) dribbles to the goal in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Anna Iaquinta (13) winds up for a pass as Gateway's Sophia Girgenti (11) follows close behind in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Izzy Yuhouse (10) shoots a goal in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Anna Iaquinta (13) moves the ball in towards the net in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Maddy Wooster (2) kicks a pass in from the sideline in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Cece Wildrick (18) passes the ball in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Lexi Smith (17) receives a pass in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Addison Cravotta (24) lines up a pass in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Addison Kvasager (29) steps around the ball for a pass in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Addison Cravotta (24) races to reach the ball before Gateway's Cady Kuehn (10) in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Gateway goalee Ella Cepko (1) blocks Seneca Valley defender Addison Cravotta's (24) attempt at a header during a corner kick in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Sophia Sipp (43) competes with Gateway's Sienna Boden (7) to reach the ball in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Anna Iaquinta (13) attempts a shot on goal in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Seneca Valley's Georgianna Guzzo (6) closes in on the goal in a WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first-round game against Gateway Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
JACKSON TWP — Overlooking Gateway girls soccer may have been an issue for other teams, but not for Seneca Valley.
While the Gators had won just three games all season entering Saturday’s WPIAL Class 4A first-round playoff, SV did not play down to its opponent.
Rather, the Raiders responded to the reality that their season was on the line. The result was a dominating 6-0 victory at NexTier Stadium.
“You look at Gateway’s record (now 3-8-4) and it was a concern for us to not look past them,” SV coach Mark Perry said. “They had some decent results this year, and we had to be careful today.
“At this point in the season, it’s all about win and advance.”
No. 5 Seneca Valley (12-2-3) will travel to No. 4 Fox Chapel (11-1-2), which received a first-round bye, for a quarterfinal Wednesday at a time to be determined.
The Raiders’ assault on Gateway’s net and goalie Ella Cepko came early and often. She made four saves in the first 10 minutes before Sophia Lawryk deposited a centering pass from Anna Iaquinta in the right corner of the net to break the ice.
Lawryk scored again just over three minutes later, this time making a centering pass from Leah D’Amico pay off.
“I thought we did a really good job of playing the ball over the top today,” Lawryk said. “We connected on some through balls and centering passes.
“We’ve improved on finishing during the course of the season.”
Lawryk now has 10 goals on the season.
“Sophia scores in bunches,” Perry said. “She had a number of goals at the start of the season and over the last week, has picked it up again. She’s a smart player who puts herself in position to score.”
Izzy Yuhouse joined Lawryk in scoring twice in the game. Iaquinta and Mylie Libby also found the net while Sophia Sipp and Addison Cravotta both contributed an assist.
The Gators, who put an emphasis on playing defense, had few scoring chances in the game. SV goalie Sydney Postler needed to make just one save before being lifted in favor of backup Lexi Koliscak with 20 minutes remaining.
SV and Fox Chapel met in a non-section game Sept. 28 and the teams played to a 1-1 tie.
“Fox Chapel is a strong team. They have the best player in the WPIAL in Emily McKee,” Perry said. “She’s headed to Pitt and has scored over 100 goals in her career. You don’t often see that from a player in Class 3A or 4A.”
