Northampton’s defense held strong in the first half of a first-round PIAA Class 4A state girls soccer playoff against Downingtown West, but West’s offense proved too strong for the Konkrete Kids in their 3-0 loss on Nov. 5 at Northampton.

“They were attacking with so many people,” said Northampton coach Mike Missmer. “They’re so dynamic the way they came at us, but those shots that (goalkeeper) Emma (Fry) was saving kept us in the game. That’s usually been our strategy. If we can get late, we can get a goal. This team was just, top to bottom, fantastic, and we weren’t able to get a goal.”

Fry made 6 saves in the first half and 9 saves in the second half.

“Yes, always. Emma’s been a stud for us all year and keeps us in games,” Coach Missmer said.

Several of Fry’s saves were made by the tips of her fingers and most on the ground.

“First half wasn’t necessarily how we wanted it,” said Northampton forward/midfielder Victoria Phillips. “We needed to get more possession and communicate more up top so we could take the pressure off the defense.”

Downingtown West’s first goal came on Drew Rightmire’s free kick from the 30 to the top left corner in the 47th minute.

Two minutes later, Camryn Bayly scored West’s second goal.

“I think they had some rehearsed pattern play that was really, really good, and they were fantastic in possession,” Missmer said. “We realized that, once we got behind, we had to play a little bit more of a direct game, which isn’t our game, so they were able to dictate the game a little bit better just because they were so good. Hats off to them.”

Fry knocked down a shot in the 62nd minute, but Maia Coyle was able to tap the ball into the net for the final goal of the match.

West goalie Keirsten Deamer made 6 saves.

“I was proud of the way my girls played. I don’t think they realize it now, but leaving everything out on the field makes the loss kind of go away...and those girls left everything out on the field,” said Missmer. “It was pretty amazing, and I told them that as well. This is gonna fade really quick, and then they’ll remember they’re district champions, the first district champions at Northampton ever on either side of the program and the first state run ever on either side of the program, so they can be really, really proud of themselves. I am ecstatic about it.”

Phillips echoed her coach’s words.

“We have made it farther than anyone else has, and we have such an amazing, strong team, and every single person here has uplifted everybody and we put our all into all the minutes of the game. We couldn’t have done it without each other, and everybody should be proud of themselves,” she said. “We wanted it, and we got to play.”