Coach returns to alma mater to continue Shaler girls soccer team’s renaissance

Carlo Prati considered jumping back to coach the Shaler girls soccer program when the job opened a few years back. He wasn’t sure the time was right.

When the Titans’ job came open again, Prati, a 2003 Shaler graduate, chose to come back home. Despite nervousness about making the switch from a successful stint at Fox Chapel, Prati has found his homecoming to be what he was looking for.

“I wanted to help them continue their transformation,” Prati said. “I wanted to set the tone from the start. We were going to practice hard, and there was going to be no skipping days or missing practices. We were going to work hard. Everyone has bought in.”

The Titans hope Prati’s energy can help Shaler continue its progression and lead to a third consecutive WPIAL playoff experience. The Titans scored a notable result early in this season already when they beat Moon, 2-0.

The Tigers knocked Shaler out of the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals last season. Moon also has been one of the most dominant programs of the past decade.

Liv Ryan collected the shutout in net for the Titans (2-1). Etta Warner and Abby Paladin each scored goals for Shaler against Moon.

Winning against the Tigers was encouraging for Shaler senior Naudia Zotter. Zotter, who has committed to play collegiately at IUP, remembers what things were like when she was a freshman.

“We used to get blown out when we played teams like Moon,” Zotter said. “But we saw a difference with the teams we played in the section. Usually the second time we played them, it was much closer.”

Prati had led the Fox Chapel girls soccer program since 2022. In that time, he compiled a record 61-19-6 and won two WPIAL championships during his final three seasons.

The Titans opened the season with a difficult challenge in perennial title challenger Penn-Trafford. Shaler lost, 3-1.

“They really took it to us,” Prati said. “Penn-Trafford is a good team, and they made every opportunity count.”

The Titans have had to deal with the absence of Gabby Alcalde, who is out because of an injury. Junior Lily Trogovic has joined with Zotter and others to help on the attack.

Zotter said she wants to see the team maintain its confidence level no matter what happens.

“I just want to see us work well together,” Zotter said. “It doesn’t matter what happens. If someone takes the ball away from us, I want to encourage everyone to keep fighting and try to make it back. Don’t worry about making a mistake.”