Ellis School to play home playoff game against Sewickley Academy
With the No. 2 seed in the playoffs sewn up, The Ellis School still will hit the road to play its semifinal game of the WPIAL Class AA field hockey tournament. The Tigers, who finished the regular season with record of 8-2-2, were 7-1-2 against section opponents and open the playoffs at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Shady Side Academy at Sewickley Academy's Frick Field which has an artificial turf.
The Tigers' record against the Indians -- who finished section play with a 6-3-1 record -- was 1-0-1 this season. The teams tied 0-0 and the Tigers edged the defending WPIAL champions 3-2 in the second game played on Sept. 28.
Genny Kozusko, the Tigers' 30-year coach, said the Tigers' home field at Mellon Park has a natural surface and would not be an ideal location for a playoff game.
"Mellon Park's not the best field in the world," Kozusko said. "So, we called Sewickley Academy, and they agreed to let us play there."
The winner of this game meets the winner of the other semifinal between top-seed Winchester Thurston and No. 4 seed Greensburg Central Catholic at 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 29 at North Allegheny High's Newman Stadium. The winner of the WPIAL championship game advances to the first round of the PIAA tournament.
The Tigers were ousted in the semifinals a year ago in overtime by Sewickley Academy at Frick Field. But a big difference for the Tigers this season is that standout center midfielder MacKenzie Haney is healthy and will be playing. She tore one of her anterior cruciate ligaments before the 2012 playoffs, and Kozusko said her presence in the lineup has made Ellis a solid team.
"She's scored 20 goals and has seven assists," Kozusko said of the junior. "She is our strongest player, and is a leader on trhe field. When she came back, it gave all of our players a lot of confidence."
Haney is a big part of the Tigers' offense, but Ellis has other weapons.
"Senior forward Carley Fritsch has seven goals, and another senior forward Julia Granito has three goals," Kozusko said.
Read the entire article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, published October 20, 2013
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Genny Kozusko, the Tigers' 30-year coach, said the Tigers' home field at Mellon Park has a natural surface and would not be an ideal location for a playoff game.
"Mellon Park's not the best field in the world," Kozusko said. "So, we called Sewickley Academy, and they agreed to let us play there."
The winner of this game meets the winner of the other semifinal between top-seed Winchester Thurston and No. 4 seed Greensburg Central Catholic at 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 29 at North Allegheny High's Newman Stadium. The winner of the WPIAL championship game advances to the first round of the PIAA tournament.
The Tigers were ousted in the semifinals a year ago in overtime by Sewickley Academy at Frick Field. But a big difference for the Tigers this season is that standout center midfielder MacKenzie Haney is healthy and will be playing. She tore one of her anterior cruciate ligaments before the 2012 playoffs, and Kozusko said her presence in the lineup has made Ellis a solid team.
"She's scored 20 goals and has seven assists," Kozusko said of the junior. "She is our strongest player, and is a leader on trhe field. When she came back, it gave all of our players a lot of confidence."
Haney is a big part of the Tigers' offense, but Ellis has other weapons.
"Senior forward Carley Fritsch has seven goals, and another senior forward Julia Granito has three goals," Kozusko said.
Read the entire article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, published October 20, 2013
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