"Her angle couldn't have worked out better."
Shenk let fly with a corner kick, and it found its way into the net with 45 seconds to play in the first half.
"She couldn't have played a better ball," Rodriguez said of Shenk's seventh goal of the season.
Pennridge, winner of 23 of 24 games this season and the District 1 champion, played patiently the rest of the way to make the goal stand up.
With the victory, the Rams move into the semifinals Tuesday against Council Rock North, a 1-0 winner over Owen J. Roberts. The site and time of the game have not been determined.
The victory was Pennridge's second over the Panthers (17-4) in 11 days. The Rams beat Strath Haven, 2-1, in the semifinals of the District 1 tournament.
"We had a great season - four losses, with three of them to the top three in the state," Strath Haven coach Gino Miraglia said. "We won the Central League championship and finished third in districts, besides reaching the quarterfinals here.
"Pennridge is a very good team, well-disciplined. We lose with 45 seconds left in the half."
Strath Haven's goalie, junior Krissy Welsh, said she thought Shenk's goal might have been aided by the wind because of the angle needed for the ball to get in the net.
"I don't think we were ready," she said.
The Panthers failed to make the state playoffs last season after falling in playback games. But Welsh thinks the Panthers have some people to step in for a run next year.
Strath Haven 0 0 – 0
Pennridge 1 0 – 1
Goal: P-Megan Shenk.
Saves: SH-Krissy Welsh 4l P-Ashley Schoellkopf 2.
Contact staff writer Don Beideman at 267-815-0733 or dbeideman@phillynews.com.
