UPPER MARLBORO — The Perry Hall girls soccer team set out to score first, and wanted to do so in a hurry in Saturday's Class 4A state semifinal against South River.

When that was accomplished, everything else fell into place.

Junior Summer Meisel scored off a rebound in the ninth minute and the No. 9 Gators played quality soccer the rest of the way, keeping the ball when they could and defending responsibly when called upon to claim a 1-0 win over the No. 5 Seahawks at Wise.

Perry Hall (14-3) advanced to its fifth state title game and first since 2003, and can bring home the program's first crown. The Gators will meet Walter Johnson — a 3-2 winner over North Point in double overtime — with the championship games set to run from Thursday to Saturday at Loyola Maryland. South River, which won titles in Anne Arundel County and a demanding East region, ended its season with a 15-3-1 record.

“We've been working all season to get here. This has been our main goal from the start, and it took a lot of heart to get here,” Gators sophomore defender Phoebe Canoles said. “We knew if we could get a goal early, we could lock it down in the back and just play our game and stay confident to get the win.”

Perry Hall coach Matt Smoot said his team has started fast in most games this season, sometimes getting the all-important first goal early and other times not. On Saturday, they cashed in.

Junior Ryleigh Fachler made a strong run down the right side and got off a shot, which was turned away. But it was left in front for Meisel to put away from 8 yards out. The goal, coming with 30:16 to play in the first half, came two minutes after standout South River senior midfielder Erica Hill had to leave the game with an ankle injury; she didn't return.

“It's a crazy feeling [to score], and we kept it up and our defense held strong, and I'm just so proud of my team,” Meisel said.

The Seahawks created chances but were unable to convert as Canoles, goalkeeper Ally Small (four saves) and freshman right back Aya Neal led the Gators' tidy defensive play.

South River sophomore Vendela Wadzink had a chance in front and from in close, but Small reacted alertly to make the save with 7:38 left in the first half.

Senior back Alexis Ward sent a number of dangerous long throws to the middle of the box, but the Gators cleared each one.

“We knew that South River was going to be a straightforward, in-your-face team, and they really started to take over with that playing style. We started to get a little too long with our balls, but we just dug in,” Smoot said. “That's the best I've seen our girls defend. We got to all their dangerous balls, all their long throws and weren't going to be denied.”

Last season, the Perry Hall boys lost the Baltimore County championship game but didn't lose again in claiming the program's first state crown. This season, the girls, who lost to Sparrows Point in the county championship, are determined to take the same path.

glenn.graham@baltsun.com

twitter.com/GlennGrahamSun