First-off, credit to North Allegheny for an incredible season to get this point and for the performance they put in to this game. That is a very very good team. I thought for a large spells of the first half, they were the better team, but we definitely one or two chances early but didn't convert. Even through some tough spells, I thought our group started to see glimpses of how we could shift the game in our favor. We settled in a bit as the game wore on, and eventually after some tight ball movement in the attacking half, Kiera Sleicher got on the ball from about 25 out, cut wide right of the 18 and just hit a really good ball to break the deadlock in the first half. She's got such an ability to deliver in the biggest moments and she did so again tonight.

Second Half, I thought we were much better on both ends of the ball. I thought we managed the game well, and there's a lot of deserved credit for the shift our midfield put in tonight. Ava Mignon was excellent in probably the most demanding game since she's been back. Ella Roumy was key for us on in possession and thought she was a big reason we found our rhythm later in the first half. And the backline performance tonight was stellar. To limit that team to very few high-quality chances, and grind out a shut out in a State Semi-Final is massive. Credit to our back four and our Keeper, Aralynn Patterson for the night they had.

JN: A good coach friend of mine Mike Poller always jokes that it's "all coaching at this level". The truth of the success of this team, keeping the state streak alive over 5 years and getting us to a final is completely on these kids. The care they put into the program and for one another, their willingness to take on any role necessary, for buying in and committing to how we want to play, and then for showing up and delivering, it's all them. It starts with our captains and senior leadership but this group, but there are so many kids across the classes that have just stepped up in different ways when we needed them. I'm just incredibly proud of this group, I'm grateful to get to play after Randy Garber's boys and see him get to a final because he's so deserving, and I'm thrilled we get to see another CB school in our last game. Thankfully a few days to rest and prep and then we're at it again on Friday.