Moon’s Delaney Snyder has scored more than three dozen goals this season, but with less than five minutes remaining in regulation of a scoreless WPIAL Class AAA girls soccer final against section rival Montour on Friday evening at Highmark Stadium, she became a playmaker on the game’s decisive play to lead her team to an uplifting win and district title.

Snyder broke toward the left end line and found teammate Emily Orr on the right side of the box with a perfectly placed pass. Orr delivered the game’s lone score with a 15-yard strike to help Moon capture its second title and first since 2004, 1-0 over the Spartans.

“I knew I had to get to the end line. And I knew Emily was there, and she always finishes those,” Snyder said. “We played with a lot of heart tonight, and we didn’t give up. We set a goal in August to make it to Highmark Stadium — and we did it.”

“She’s like an energizer bunny. She never stops. That was a great individual effort to get to the touch line and beat a couple defenders,” Moon coach Bill Pfiefer said of the Miami (Ohio) commit. “And Emily Orr was patient on the back post, timed her run, and had great technique to tuck it away.”

The Tigers (21-1) and Spartans (16-3-3) battled in a hard-fought, physical match in their third meeting of the season. Moon controlled much of the possession but couldn’t break through a stout Montour back line that hounded Snyder every time she touched the ball.

“We know Moon likes to counter quickly, but we were prepared for a tight game,” Montour coach Lee Coughenour said. “We wanted to wait for our opportunities and perhaps capitalize when we could, but it didn’t work out that way.”

In the second minute, Snyder had a chance to put the Tigers up as she got behind the Spartans back line to get to a through ball, but the ball sailed to her right, leaving her with a difficult angle for her first shot attempt that went wide of the right post.

“I completely misjudged it. This field is a bit different than what we’re used to playing on,” Snyder said. “That set the tone for the game, as it was frustrating as I knew they would be on me the rest of the game.”

The Spartans limited Snyder and Emma Thomas by playing physical and keeping shots at a distance. Orr became the catalyst for the Moon attack on the right side, with numerous crosses and corner kicks into the box, but many were gobbled up by Montour senior goalkeeper Maura Hickey.

“Maura, she’s a good player. She’s a senior. She’s been through this before. She knows what to expect and was big for us tonight,” Coughenour said.

Hickey had eight saves, but the Spartans fell short in their bid to win a second WPIAL title in three years.

Snyder and Orr helped lift the Tigers and the Moon community, which still is mourning the recent tragic death of sophomore lacrosse player Michael Trella.

“I am happy for the kids. They’ve worked hard since the beginning of the season,” Pfiefer said. “I’m very happy for the school itself, for everything that’s gone on during the past week. The kids were able to pull the community together, and it was uplifting for everyone here.”

John Krysinsky is a freelance writer.

---

Copyright ©2026— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---