GRAHAMSVILLE — After posting a nearly unblemished record and earning the No. 2 seed, Tri-Valley seemed primed to return to the Section 9 Class C Championship this year. The only thing standing in their way? The No. 3 seed Pine Plains Bombers. Despite an early 1-0 lead for Tri-Valley, Pine Plains would go on to score four unanswered to upset the Lady Bears on their home field.

Tri-Valley started the game with the offensive prowess that they’ve shown all season long, forcing the ball up the field and getting good looks at the goal. With 23:04 remaining in the first half, Kaytlyn Ingrassia found the back of the net off an assist by Kendall McGregor.

However, Pine Plains did a great job of challenging Tri-Valley’s offensive runs, and advanced the ball and scored with 14:30 left in the first half.

The two teams continued to battle in the midfield, forcing the ball up only to have it deflected away, until the three minute mark in the first half, when Pine Plains buried the go-ahead goal as they took a 2-1 lead into the half.

Trailing at halftime was unfamiliar territory for Tri-Valley, who only lost one game in the regular season, in overtime to Burke.

Pine Plains kept their energy up as they started the second half. Tri-Valley would make good runs on the goal but it seemed like a Bombers’ defender was always there to intercept or deflect the forward pass.

Pine Plains was able to find the back of the net for the third time with 27:11 remaining, putting Tri-Valley two goals behind with the clock continuing to wind down.

The Pine Plains Goalkeeper did an excellent job of leaving the goal and advancing out of the box to launch the ball back towards midfield any time Tri-Valley attempted their long give-and-go strike that has worked so well for them all season.

The Lady Bears had plenty of chances to score, but the shots fell right into Pine Plains Goalkeeper Elizabeth Heiter’s hands. She recorded 20 saves on the day.

With just 5:35 remaining in the game, Pine Plains scored their fourth and final goal, sealing the upset win and advancing to the Class C Championship.

“The girls came out strong in the beginning and at the start of the second half,” Tri-Valley Coach Kayla Connolly said. “Some of the girls started to hang their heads and got tired towards the end of the game, and a lack of communication made things difficult.”

Tri-Valley will be back to the drawing board next season as they have ten seniors graduating this spring. Despite the new team coming up, they will still look to return to the Class C Sectional tournament.