MOSCOW — Each time Wallenpaupack scored, Abington Heights answered. And when the Lady Buckhorns gave the Lady Comets an opening, they burst through.

After the teams were tied at the end of regulation, neither group was able to generate many opportunities in two, 10-minute overtime periods sending the match to penalty kicks.

Junior Emily Clauss scored in the first round of sudden death kicks, after an attempt from Wallenpaupack’s Giulianna Iona sailed over the crossbar, to give Abington Heights a 2-2 (4-3 PKs) win in the Lackawanna League Division 2 girls soccer championship match Oct. 20 at North Pocono.

Actually, Clauss scored twice in the shootout, but her first goal was disallowed when she took a shot before the referee blew his whistle to signal the start of play.

When given a second chance, she refocused and calmly slipped the ball past Wallenpaupack goalkeeper Olivia Gregory to clinch the victory.

“I had confidence,” Clauss said. “I shot on her once and made it, I knew I could do it again. I just had to get my head back in it.

“I knew my goalie had it in her,” Clauss added. “I knew all the girls shooting had it in them. We’ve been waiting for this moment and wanted it so bad.”

The Lady Comets trailed after the first round of the shootout, but Paige Morgan knotted things up after two rounds. Abington Heights’ Hannah Gilbert, who scored in the second half, tied things up again after the fourth round. When Wallenpaupack’s Courtney Mooney gave the Lady Buckhorns a 3-2 advantage, the game was on Carina Salerno’s foot.

Salerno, who also scored a second half goal, converted to set the stage for Clauss’ heroics.

Abington Heights’ Trish Caucci also came up big in the first penalty shootout of her high school career.

The junior goalkeeper stopped two of five shots on frame including an attempt from Rachael Tirjan, who scored earlier in the match.

“I’ve got to save it,” Caucci said of her mindset heading into penalty kicks. “I couldn’t focus on where their eyes were, I had to focus on where their hips were (positioned).”

Wallenpaupack (11-2) struck first for a 1-0 lead in just the sixth minute of the match when Iona scored an unassisted goal, from 20 yards out, from the right side of the field.

Tirjan nearly gave the Lady Buckhorns a 2-0 lead in the 20th minute, but her shot rang off the crossbar and Abington Heights’ Abby Brown cleared the ball out of trouble.

Abington Heights had two quality scoring changes in the last 11 minutes of the first half, however Gregory stopped shots from Kaila Steenback and Leia Parry.

Salerno tied the game for Abington Heights in the 56th minute off an assist from Hannah Kowalski.

Wallenpaupack regained the lead in the 63rd minute when Tirjan took a pass from Sabrina Boyd and chipped the ball over the head of Caucci for a goal.

“We played with so much heart and determination in the second half,” Wallenpaupack head coach Alicia Sodano said. “I think we outpossessed and outplayed them, but it’s a matter of momentum. All of a sudden, (Abington Heights) would have a spurt for five minutes and score.”

The Lady Comets did just that when Gilbert found the back of the net off an assist from Ashley Mulherin in the 65th minute.

“I took a touch and nailed it as hard as I could,” Gilbert said. “It really boosted us and gave us the edge.”

Second-seeded Abington Heights will host the winner of a match between seventh-seeded Scranton Prep and 10th-seeded Pittston Area in the quarterfinals of the District 2 Class 3A playoffs Thursday, Oct. 27 at a time to be determined.

Abington Heights’ Emily Clauss, who scored the game-winner during penalty kicks, holds the Lackawanna League Division 2 girls soccer championship plaque as she’s hoisted in the air by her teammates.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_ABJ-AH-GSoccer-Clauss.jpg.optimal.jpgAbington Heights’ Emily Clauss, who scored the game-winner during penalty kicks, holds the Lackawanna League Division 2 girls soccer championship plaque as she’s hoisted in the air by her teammates. Submitted photos

Abington Heights’ Hannah Kowalski attempts to maneuver around Wallenpaupack’s Madison Nakielny during the Lackawanna League Division 2 girls soccer championship match Oct. 20 at North Pocono.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_ABJ-AH-GSoccer-Kowalski.jpg.optimal.jpgAbington Heights’ Hannah Kowalski attempts to maneuver around Wallenpaupack’s Madison Nakielny during the Lackawanna League Division 2 girls soccer championship match Oct. 20 at North Pocono. Submitted photos

By Robert Tomkavage

rtomkavage@timesleader.com

Reach Robert Tomkavage at 570-704-3941 or on Twitter @rtomkavage.