GOSHEN – Warsaw’s varsity girls soccer team squared off with Northern Lakes Conference rival Goshen twice this season. Twice, Warsaw coach Peter Lucht felt like his Lady Tigers outplayed the Lady Redskins. Twice, however, Warsaw was on the losing side of the scoreboard. A 2-0 loss to Goshen during the regular season took the Tigers out of contention for a conference title. A 1-0 loss to the 18th-ranked Lady Redskins Wednesday in the regional semifinal at Goshen High School ended Warsaw’s season. Though trying to stay positive – the Lady Tigers do have a 13-3 season they can be proud of – Lucht couldn’t hide his disappointment. “We just didn’t finish on the opportunities we had, and they finished one of theirs,” said Lucht. “Soccer can be cruel sometimes, and I guess it can be twice.” In an 80-minute match Wednesday evening, Warsaw and Goshen were scoreless for the first 70 minutes. The game-winner came off the foot of Goshen junior Jelitza Palomino, who took a cross in the 18-yard box and fired it into the near post. After the match, Goshen coach Dan Graber used his hands to illustrate how tight of a hole Palomino, the program’s all-time leading scorer, put the ball in. “You’re just looking for that one chance,” said Graber. “Every soccer coach knows, you have to be able to finish to win. You only need one shot, and tonight we were able to finish one.” With the win, Goshen improved to 17-1-1 on the season and advanced to Saturday’s 7 p.m. regional final against No. 7 Penn. Penn advanced to the championship match with a 1-0 win over No. 14 South Bend St. Joe (14-5-1) in Wednesday’s second semifinal. “This is the farthest we’ve ever gone,” Graber said of his team advancing to the regional final. “We’ve been to the regionals four times, but lost in the first round each time. I told the girls we had a chance to make history tonight.” With Wednesday’s loss, Lucht and his underclassmen have to bid farewell to senior players Gabby Herman, Allison Hill, Danielle Hutcherson, Clair Snodgrass, Megan Kratzsch and Pam Miller. “God really blessed us this season,” said Lucht. “We have a lot to be proud of.”
PENN 1, S.B. ST. JOE 0 P – Hannah Ehrhardt (Nicole Knudtson assist) 16th min Shots – Penn 13, St. Joe 7; Saves – Mackenzie Wood (P) 7, Catherine Edmonds (SJ) 8; Corner kicks – Penn 1, St. Joe 1 Records: Penn 17-2-1, St. Joe 14-5-1
