OHSAA girls high school soccer finals: Walsh Jesuit wins its 11th state title
COLUMBUS — The Walsh Jesuit and Olentangy Liberty girls soccer teams played Friday afternoon for the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I state championship at Historic Columbus Crew Stadium.
Here's how the game unfolded through our live updates as Walsh Jesuit added to the program's already impressive state championship collection.
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer wins its 11th state title
The Warriors won their first state title since 2016 and added star No. 11 to their warmups with a 2-1 win over Olentangy Liberty.
The 2023 team joins the 2012-2016, 2010, 2006, 2004 and 2000-01 squads that brought home titles for Walsh.
Hannah Pachan scored two first-half goals for the Warriors (17-2-3). Chole Brecht scored the lone goal for the Patriots (18-3-1), who were making their first appearance in the state final.
Adri Lika made a tremendous save on a shot by Brecht with under 3 minutes left to preserve the win.
Walsh moved to 11-0 at Historic Crew Stadium in state title games.
Play continues to be down in Walsh Jesuit offensive end in Division I girls soccer state final against Olentangy Liberty
The Warriors hold a 4-1 shots on goal advantage in the second half thanks to some great midfield and defensive play by Walsh.
Walsh has outshot the Patriots 6-3 with Hannah Pachan, Reagan Pentz, Abby Witkiewicz and Ciara Santiago applying pressure in the offensive third.
Offside disallows goal by Walsh Jesuit in OHSAA girls soccer state Division I state final
The Warriors had a chance to go up 3-1 when Reagan Pentz feed Abby Witkiewicz on a cross. While the ball hit the back of the net, the assistant referee called offside to keep it a one-goal advantage for Walsh.
Halftime stats for Walsh Jesuit-Olentangy Liberty OHSAA Division I girls soccer state final
The Patriots' goal just before halftime served as a wakeup call for Liberty, but the Warriors have stood firm defensively.
Hannah Pachan (33:31, 22:09) has both goals for Walsh. Chloe Brecht (10:10) scored for the Patriots on a pass from Avery Hilvert.
Shots are even at five, but Walsh has a 3-2 edge on shots on goal.
Olentangy Liberty has a 3-2 edge on corner kicks.
The Patriots have been carded twice.
Olentangy Liberty cuts Walsh Jesuit lead in half in OHSAA Division I girls soccer state final
Chloe Brecht's 18th goal of the season made it 2-1 Walsh Jesuit with 10:10 left in the first half.
The senior forward took a long ball at the 35-yard line and split two defenders. She waited for Adri Lika to come out from between the pipes and pocked the ball in the right corner.
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer scores almost a carbon copy goal to go up 2-0 in OHSAA Division I state final over Olentangy Liberty
In a goal that looked almost exactly like the one Hannah Pachan scored on Saturday, the junior took a direct kick from 35 yards out after being brought down by Carsyn Cowell.
Cowell was carded and Pachan set up in the middle of the pitch for a direct kick. She didn't go upper 90 this time, but kept the shot low and left and beat Hailey Myers to put the Warriors up 2-0 with 22:09 left.
Walsh Jesuit gets on the board first in OHSAA Division I state final
The Warriors came out in their 4-4-2 with Reagan Pentz and Abby Witkiewicz and put immediate pressure on Liberty.
It worked to perfection as Hannah Pachan stole a clearing pass and pushed a hot past Hailey Myers to put Walsh up 1-0 with 33:31 left in the first half.
Starting XI for Walsh Jesuit in OHSAA Division I state final
Adri Lika GK, sr.; Lexi Pascarella D, sr.; Hannah Pachan, M, jr.; Skylar Rooks, D, sr.; Reagan Pentz, F, jr.; Audrey Amsden, D, jr.; Ciara Santiago, F, jr.; Madison Humenik, D, jr.; Sam Eckelman, D, fr.; Lauren Ziemianski, M, so.; Abby Witkiewicz, F, fr.
Starting XI for Olentangy Liberty in OHSAA Division I state final
Hailey Meyers, GK sr.; Ava Petrucci D, sr.; Maddy McCort, M, sr.; Audrey Kalmar, M, sr.; Avery Holvert, F, so.; Chloe Brecht, F, sr.; Lexie Mitchem F, sr.; Sydney Vogel, M, sr.; Karissa Friscone D, sr.; Elle O'Brien D, so.; Carsyn Cowell, D, so.
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer’s OHSAA state tournament history
It is the 12th time the Warriors (17-2-3) will play in the state title game with the last coming in 2021. They come in with an Ohio-best 10 state titles in girls soccer. They enter the game 10-0 at Columbus Crew Stadium. Their lone state final loss came at Lower.com in 2021.
Olentangy Liberty girls soccer’s OHSAA state tournament history
The Patriots are in their first state title game after reaching the round of four two other times, with the last coming in 2017.
How Walsh Jesuit and Olentangy Liberty reached the OHSAA state title game in girls soccer
Walsh went through the Region 1 bracket with a 6-1 win over Solon and 2-1 win over Magnificat. That set up a state semifinal with Strongsville that the Warriors won 2-1.
Liberty came out of the Region 3 line with a 2-1 double overtime win over Olentangy Berlin and 2-1 overtime victory over Upper Arlington. That put it a match against reigning champion Cincinnati Seton in the state semifinal, which the Patriots won 4-2.
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer: 'It's the fairytale story': Warriors beat Strongsville in state semis
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer: Warriors win regional, set up OHSAA state semifinal with Strongsville
Players to watch in the Walsh Jesuit-Olentangy Liberty OHSAA Division I girls soccer state title game
Walsh will look to Hannah Pachan (31 goals, 11 assists), Regan Penty (12, 9) and Abby Witkiewicz to try to break down the Patriots.
Liberty has standouts in Chloe Brecht (17, 13), Lexie Mitchem (16, 4) and Hailey Meyers (82 saves, 7 shutouts).
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer: Hannah Pachan plows through snow as Warriors routs Solon | OHSAA regional
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: OHSAA high school soccer: Walsh Jesuit girls win 11th state title
