BETHLEHEM - Reaching the district finals is a lofty goal for a first-year coach, but Northwestern Lehigh’s Pam Colistra and her team decided that was exactly the standard they wanted to set.

Monday’s semifinal win made that dream a reality, sending the Tigers to Lehigh University’s Frank Banko Field on Wednesday. While it was the program’s first trip to the district finals, their opponent, Southern Lehigh, entered having won the last four District 11 Class 2A championships.

Northwestern was undaunted and led for much of the game until Southern Lehigh scored with 5:52 left in regulation to take an 8-7 lead — its first advantage since early in the first quarter. That goal proved to be the difference.

The Spartans opened the scoring when Leah Colley found the back of the net 6:11 into the contest. But by the end of the first quarter, Northwestern’s Mykaela Yanders and Olivia Fagan each scored just 11 seconds apart to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead with 26 seconds left.

The teams traded goals in the second, with Southern’s Piper Gluck and Northwestern’s Cara Thomas scoring to make it 3-2 at halftime in favor of Northwestern.

Thomas, who led the Tigers with three goals, helped them convert two of their three free-position chances in the third quarter. Sydney Wright and Fagan each scored on back-to-back opportunities to extend the lead to 5-3. But Southern Lehigh responded with goals from both Allison Denzel and Riley Bartosz. Bartosz tied the game by taking the draw and racing in for her second goal of the game — and 30th of the season.

Just 1:25 later, Thomas scored again to give Northwestern a short-lived 6-5 lead. Southern answered when Lauren Miller scored on a free-position shot to tie the game at 6 entering the fourth quarter.

Just 43 seconds into the final frame, Thomas — determined to keep her high school career alive — beat her defender and scored to put the Tigers up 7-6.

But another senior wasn’t ready for her career to end, either, as Southern Lehigh’s Madeline Terefenko scored twice in under five minutes, the second coming with 5:52 left for what became the game-winner.

Southern Lehigh won the ensuing draw, but Northwestern quickly forced a turnover and advanced the ball downfield. After a timeout, the Tigers were unable to convert, and the Spartans regained possession with 2:56 left. Southern Lehigh coach Eric Tesche called a timeout and sent his team back out to work a passing sequence that allowed the Spartans to drain the remaining time and seal the win.

“We envisioned this because this is the goal that we all wanted,” said Colistra. “We hung with this team every second of this game, and our girls were just phenomenal. They were absolutely amazing.”

Though the loss was disappointing, especially for the seniors, Northwestern could still take pride in earning the program’s first playoff win and district final appearance.

The senior class endured a coaching carousel, playing for three different coaches in four seasons, but was rewarded with silver medals for its perseverance.

“I can’t even explain the feeling right now. It’s just so exciting,” said Wright, who missed most of her junior year with a back injury, and wasn’t sure she’d play her senior season. “It’s not the result that we wanted, but I am so proud just to be involved with this team. Especially with my injury, the fact that our team worked so hard and got to this point is crazy. This proves that our program is for real, and that we are better than people think.”

TWO OLIVIAS ... Olivia Costa and Olivia Fagan split draw responsibilities for Northwestern and won 13 of the game’s 19 draws, including two stretches of four straight. Fagan, a sophomore, is expected to take on an even larger role moving forward.

“That was something we’ve been practicing the last few days — seeing how we could adjust,” Colistra said. “They were able to make adjustments under pressure. I’m really proud of how both girls played.”

Northwestern 2 1 3 1 - 7

Southern Lehigh 1 1 4 2 - 8

GOALS: Northwestern – Thomas (3), Fagan (2), Wright (1), Yanders (1); SL – Bartosz (2), Terefenko (2), Colley (1), Gluck (1), Denzel (1), Miller (1)

RECORDS: Northwestern (9-11), Southern Lehigh (17-3)