Pleasant Valley began the District 11 girls Class 4A soccer playoffs on the right foot Tuesday night.

The Bears shut out Freedom, 3-0, highlighted by Brianna Clark’s hat trick and strong defense.

The first score of the game came during a quick sequence of events, when Larissa Mulligan moved the ball swiftly down the field. Clark was there to pounce on the opportunity by scoring around the four-minute mark.

Pleasant Valley added another score from Clark later in the first half, as unlike last week versus Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley head coach Derek Strohl saw his Bears get off to a fast start against Freedom.

“We got to jump on them early,” Strohl said. “We had some slow starts in the last handful of games. I thought the girls came up fired and ready to go.”

The Bears defense was able to hold Freedom scoreless, including two key plays where Pleasant Valley stopped potential Patriot scores that could have tied the game.

“They’re our backbone all year,” Strohl said about the defense. “That’s team defense. It’s our four defenders and goalkeeper. The midfielders definitely help out, forwards check back to the ball. It is the mentality of team defense.”

Bears goalkeeper Sam Merklin recorded eight saves in the shutout win.

After a chilly evening in Brodheadsville, Pleasant Valley advances into the District 11 quarterfinals to face Whitehall Thursday.

“They’re a good team,” Strohl said about Whitehall.”They were basically No. 1 in the district and the league for most of the season up until the last regular-season game against Parkland. They are a really, really good team and they’re coached well.”

Strohl said the Bears will be ready for Thursday’s matchup against the Zephyrs. “They’ll be fired up and ready to go. We played them earlier in the season. They beat us 1-0 in double overtime. I kind of expect the same kind of back-and-forth game. We just have to find a way to put the ball in the back of the net.”

PATRIOT SHOT EDGE

… Freedom outshot Pleasant Valley on the night 8-7, but was unable to score against the Bears defense.

BLANKED ... Pleasant Valley posted its first shutout win since blanking Stroudsburg in the final regular-season game on Oct. 10.

ENERGETIC BEARS

… “Our energy was a little bit better the whole game. I think that’s what was kind of lacking the last couple of games,” said Strohl. “ It was right from the start, we had the energy. We played really well. The passes were more on the ground. That’s what we need to keep doing.”