Tues. Pa. boys' and girls' roundup: Three teams reach state finals

After taking a 1-0 halftime lead in its PIAA state tournament semifinal game on Tuesday, Villa Maria's field hockey team unleashed a five-goal second-half assault that left Selinsgrove a 6-0 Hurricanes victim.

Caroline Troncelliti provided the early lead in the Class AA contest at Hershey, scoring 9 minutes, 36 seconds before intermission with an assist by Sam Mueller.

In the second half, the Hurricanes (21-2) left the District 4 champs behind as Lauren DelValle set up the first two goals of the half. Kristen Walheim scored twice, Troncelliti scored again, and Mueller and Megan Parsons chipped in with a goal apiece.

"I heard they were supposed to be great," Villa Maria coach Maureen Polley said about Selinsgrove. "I looked at a tape and I was very impressed, but I think they unraveled after the third goal."

Goalie Maddie Joyce made three saves for the squad's 12th shutout of the season.

Polley, the only coach in the 43-year history of the program at the school, will be looking to add to the state titles the Hurricanes won in 1993 and 1994 when they face Wyoming Seminary at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Whitehall.

Villa Maria has won 14 straight games and outscored its opponents by 104-20 this fall.

"We were going on all cylinders today," Polley added. "This team has probably improved more than any team I've had."

Villa Joseph Marie ended Central Valley's string of tournament upsets, ousting the Warriors from the PIAA state Class AA tournament semifinals, 5-1, at Chambersburg.

Erica Petrone scored 2 minutes into the game to set the tone, and Elizabeth Goldner had a goal and an assist. Alexa Fabre, Denna Stephens and Ali Trzaska also contributed goals.

Central Valley (21-3), the fourth-place finisher from District 7, beat District 6 champ Juniata and District 4 runnerup Selinsgrove in the tournament's first two rounds.

The Jems (22-0) got five saves from goalie Courtney Shaw, and advanced to Friday's 5 p.m. state final against Mars (24-0-1) at HersheyPark Stadium.

New Hope-Solebury (12-5-2) is one win away from a state championship after slipping past District 3 winner York Catholic (17-5-1), 2-1, in the PIAA Class A semifinals at Hamburg.

The Lions will face Mercyhurst Prep (21-1) from District 10 in the state final at 1 p.m. Saturday at HersheyPark Stadium. Mercyhurst eliminated Sewickley Academy, 5-1, in the other semifinal.

State Class AA. Holy Ghost Prep's tournament run ended with a 3-0 semifinal loss to Lancaster Mennonite at Coatesville.

The Firebirds finished a 19-2-1 season as the District 3 champions (24-3) snapped Holy Ghost's nine-game unbeaten streak and became just the second team to shut out the Firebirds this fall.