PHILADELPHIA - Not even a week ago, Northwestern's Sabrina Mertz was the hero in the Tigers' 1-0 District 11 Class AA championship after scoring the game-winning goal late against Saucon Valley.

Tuesday's PIAA first round game against District 12's Arch Bishop Wood may have not had as dramatic of an ending, but Mertz was there once again when the Tigers needed her most.Late in first half play, the Colonial League first team all-star dribbled through a number of Viking defenders to fire in a strike from 18 yards out that put Northwestern in front by a goal in the 28th minute. The Tigers (21-1) added another tally early in the second half to down the Vikings (15-7-1), 2-0, at Northeast High School's Charles Martin Memorial Stadium."It's my senior year, and I really never want it to end," Mertz said. "I just keep wanting to play as many games and have more practice with these girls. I love every one of them. They are my family. I really don't want it to end."The victory advances the Tigers back to the PIAA quarterfinals round for the second consecutive year. Northwestern faces District 3's Greencastle-Antrim on Saturday at a time and place to be determined.Northwestern has not advanced past the quarterfinals under head coach Kelly Bleam in her 17 years at the helm. And while there is no set goal she has for where she would like her team to finish, Bleam does want to see her squad continue playing solid soccer until the final whistle."I do not have any set expectations for them as a team in the state tournament," Bleam said. "Our whole focus at practice, and our whole focus in this tournament is to play the best soccer we can play. Every team is good. We have to get on the field and do the best job that we can do every moment that we're on the field."While Mertz and the Tigers will tell you it's not as much about who scores, but rather placing emphasis on connecting on those opportunities when they arise. There's no denying that she has come up with a number of huge goals this season, and Tuesday was no different."I think we have a couple of those people on our team who put it on their backs just because we are the seniors and leaders," Mertz said. "We always need to be the first people to take the initiative and take those shots. Any person on our team can really score goals."It was open, and I knew we needed a goal right away. I knew I needed to hit it. I missed a couple of shots here and there, but you have to keep shooting and keep fighting. That's what we did tonight."It looked as if the Tigers had a prime opportunity to go ahead by two goals after Sarah Segan was taken down in the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick in the 49th minute. Arch Bishop Wood goalie Devon Haviland, who finished the game with nine saves, was there to halt Segan's penalty kick.But on the rebound moments later, Madison Humes collected the ball and assisted to Rachel Fisher on the left side of the Vikings' net, who punched it in to put the Tigers in front 2-0 with 30:54 to play.The Vikings had a solid look on goal midway through the second half, but Erin Eckert's shot sailed a few feet above the crossbar."I think it was a carryover from the district final about how we played very well," Mertz said. "I think we continue to play our best soccer. We just have to keep at it, which we did tonight."