The PIHL girls hockey semifinals delivered a dramatic finish on Tuesday night, as West rallied from a two‑goal hole to defeat South 3‑2 in a tightly contested battle.
Caroleena Genco was the catalyst, notching a hat trick that included two goals in the second period, the latter erasing South’s 2‑0 lead and shifting momentum.
Isabel King and Ava Francus contributed assists, while Lauren Schuler and Malena Pitassi scored for South, and goaltender Kassidy Newman made 22 saves to keep the game alive.
The victory propels West into the championship final, where they will meet North on Monday at 7 p.m. at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pennsylvania.
North’s Path to the Final
North secured its spot by edging Southwest 2‑1, with Lexi Dimond and Ella Bumbaco providing the offense and Kassidy Newman — who also starred for West — stopping 22 shots.
South’s Leah Eichhorn found the net in the third period, but it wasn’t enough as the team fell just short of the title match.
With the championship game looming, both squads are poised to showcase their depth and resilience, promising a competitive finale that underscores the growing strength of girls hockey in the region.