Dave Byrne was in Manheim on Thursday night for the L-L League girls’ soccer semifinals — where Conestoga Valley and Lancaster Mennonite advanced to Saturday’s grand finale. CV will be defending its title. Here’s Dave’s report from Friday’s New Era:

Sometimes, it really is the way the ball bounces.

A pair of fortuitous caroms proved to be the difference in Thursday night’s Lancaster-Lebanon League girls soccer semifinal games at Manheim Central.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Sharee McCarty’s corner kick bounced across the goal line for the game’s only score in Conestoga Valley’s 1-0 victory over Hempfield.

In the nightcap, Katelyn Vanderhoff gathered in a bouncing pass from Lisa Wingard and buried it in the net as Lancaster Mennonite eliminated Penn Manor with a 1-0 triumph in double overtime.

With their victories, CV and Mennonite earned the right to return to Central’s Rettiew Field and play for the league championship Saturday night at 7.

It will be the first appearance in 11 years for the Blazers (19-2), who won three straight league crowns from 1993-95.

Mennonite’s finals appeareance says a lot about the transition from long-time coach Vernon Rice to new coach Dale Stoltzfus.

The defense is still there — the Blazers have 16 shutouts in 21 games.

But scoring is way up; the Blazers have nearly 60 goals to date, and watching them attack Thursday night it was easy to see how.

The first half belonged to Mennonite, with the Comets (12-5-3) coming to life in the closing minutes.

Penn Manor owned the second half — and the first overtime — but it was Mennonite that twice came perilously close to the game-winner.

Vanderhoff had a goal waved off on an offsides call with 5:45 to play in regulation, and then again 18 seconds into the first OT.

Penn Manor (12-5-3) had scoring opportunities in the last 20 minutes of regulation, and more great chances in the last minutes of the first OT.

“This is one of the most exciting 0-0 games of soccer I have seen in a long time,” Stoltzfus told his players during a break.

Vanderhoff raised the excitement level early in the second OT, taking a pass from Wingard from the right side and turning to the middle of the field.

Freshman goalie Veronica Willig moved to protect the post to her left, but Vanderhoff sent a low bouncer toward the right post.

“I just turned around, decided to take a shot with my left (foot) and hopefully put it somewhere on goal,” Vanderhoff said.

“Our defense let it bounce and she took advantage of it,” Penn Manor coach Bill Zapata said. “That’s what Mennonite does. They don’t miss anything.”

In recent play, CV (12-5-2) had been missing something on its corner-kick offense. Thursday, the Bucks did not miss.

With just under 14 minutes to go in the first half, McCarty stood over the ball in the left corner.

She unleashed a service that bent, Beckham style, towards the goal mouth just beyond the near post.

“I was just trying to curve it in to get a head on it,” McCarty said.

She did much better, as the ball sailed over Hempfield keeper Ellie Steward and dropped on the goal line behind her.

Reacting quickly, Hempfield’s Mariah Dimm tried to sweep the ball off the line, but referee Steve Landis signaled goal and the Bucks had the lead.

“To me, it was probably in,” CV coach Bob Scotten said. “I couldn’t tell. It was a great corner kick, but maybe it shouldn’t have gone in.”

The goal was the highlight of a first half that saw CV dominate Hempfield.

But the Black Knights (14-2-2) did have a moment or two in the half. One moment turned into the moment for Bucks’ keeper Amanda McGowan.

In the 27th minute, Knights’ forward Kelli Joline struck a 30-yard riser that was headed for just under the right corner of the frame.

Leaping high and to her left, McGowan pushed the ball off course, recovered and covered the ball.

“That was a World Cup save,” said Scotten. “Just flying … Superman stuff.”

Regaining balance after halftime, Hempfield couldn’t find the equalizer.

“The second half went a little bit better for us,” Knights’ coach Keith Nagley said. “But not quite what we wanted to come out with. CV was the more aggressive team tonight. Aggressive play paid off and got them a goal.”