Upper Dublin defeats Archbishop Carroll in PIAA-6A girls basketball semifinals

Defense leads Cardinals to first state final appearance since 2018

Mar. 18, 2026 at 4:18am

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Upper Dublin's stifling defense held Archbishop Carroll scoreless in the first quarter and limited the Patriots' top scorers throughout the game, leading the Cardinals to a 48-39 victory in the PIAA-6A girls basketball state semifinals. Upper Dublin will face Dallastown in the state championship game on Friday.

Why it matters

Upper Dublin's dominant defensive performance against a talented Archbishop Carroll team showcases the Cardinals' ability to shut down high-powered offenses. Reaching the state final is a significant milestone for the Upper Dublin program, which last won the PIAA-6A title in 2018.

The details

Upper Dublin held Archbishop Carroll scoreless in the first quarter and limited the Patriots' top scorers, Kayla Eberz and Abbie McFillin, throughout the game. The Cardinals built an early lead and withstood several Carroll runs to secure the victory. Emilia Coleman led Upper Dublin with 13 points, while Megan Ngo and Tamia Clark each added 12.

  • Upper Dublin led Archbishop Carroll 8-0 at the end of the first quarter.
  • Upper Dublin extended its lead to 18-7 in the second quarter before Carroll went on a 7-0 run to make it 18-14 at halftime.
  • Upper Dublin started the second half on a 8-0 run to push the lead to 26-14.
  • Upper Dublin maintained a double-digit lead for most of the fourth quarter until Carroll made a late push, but the Cardinals held on for the 48-39 victory.

The players

Emilia Coleman

A senior at Upper Dublin who was tasked with guarding Archbishop Carroll's top scorer, Kayla Eberz, and held her to 11 points in the game.

Megan Ngo

A senior at Upper Dublin who scored the first six points of the game to help the Cardinals get off to a strong start.

Tamia Clark

A player for Upper Dublin who made several key contributions on both ends of the floor to help the Cardinals secure the victory.

Kayla Eberz

A sophomore wing for Archbishop Carroll who was held to 11 points after scoring 37 in the Patriots' previous game.

Abbie McFillin

A player for Archbishop Carroll who was limited by Upper Dublin's defense throughout the game.

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What they’re saying

“We had a thought we could shut them down. I think we're at the same level as them. I just think we played really well defensively and stuck to the scouting report and how we're supposed to defend them.”

— Emilia Coleman, Upper Dublin senior

“Defense was my main priority for the game. Going into this game, I honestly didn't care if I had zero points. I just wanted to make sure Kayla didn't score as much. First half I did that. Second half she got a few buckets, but I think as a team we all defended really well and offensively we all took good shots.”

— Emilia Coleman, Upper Dublin senior

“It's what's so awesome about our team. Anyone on any given day can give us that start. I thought it got me going into the game, I thought it got our team going into the game. It was awesome. It felt nice to get us in there and be a leader and start us off.”

— Megan Ngo, Upper Dublin senior

What’s next

Upper Dublin will face Dallastown in the PIAA-6A state championship game on Friday at 6 p.m. at the GIANT Center in Hershey.

The takeaway

Upper Dublin's stifling defense and balanced scoring attack proved too much for Archbishop Carroll, as the Cardinals punched their ticket to the state final for the first time since 2018. This game showcased the Cardinals' ability to shut down high-powered offenses and their depth, with multiple players stepping up to lead the way.