Check out the results for SOL girls’ lacrosse teams in action Wednesday.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 14, SOUDERTON 7
For those who thought the Colonials might be in for a letdown after Tuesday night’s dramatic overtime win over Central Bucks South, guess again.
The Colonials seized early control of Wednesday night’s game at Souderton and never let down on their way to a win over the defending SOL National Conference co-champs.
“I was nervous at first,” PW coach Ellen Reilly said. “I had the wrong (game) times, and it threw us a little bit. We had to rush through things.
“We talked over some things about yesterday’s game, they warmed up, and the first couple of possessions – we got the ball and we scored, and it gave them some confidence that they could do it.”
By halftime, the Colonials led 8-4.
“We were clearly the better team tonight, but it was due to the most important thing on the field, which was the draw and possession,” Reilly said. “We were able to gain possession off the draw and capitalize on it on attack, which allowed us to get a lead.
“We made some turnovers, and they came down and scored, but we kept getting possession and matching them or leading them. That led to us holding the ball, and when they came out to double, sometimes we turned it over, and the other times we capitalized.”
Once again it was the efforts of midfielders Monica Dresnin, Sophia Kolkka and Ali Diamond that enabled the Colonials to dominate in the circle.
“They understand the game, they move to the ball, they want the ball, they know how to run through it, and they keep possession,” Reilly said. “The entire team put pressure on the ball through transition, and our low defenders held strong to hold Souderton to seven goals.”
The Colonials once again displayed their balance and depth as six players contributed goals. Kolkka, Diamond and Victoria Betterly scored three goals each. Diamond also had a pair of assists. Maddie Berman added two goals and two assists, and Dresnin had a hand in nine goals, scoring a pair and assisting on seven. Sam Ward scored a single goal to close out the scoring.
“It’s not just one person,” Reilly said. “After yesterday’s game, Monica really made a lot of adjustments for tonight and gave the ball up. She sees the team sliding to her, and she can pass the ball. She’s willing to do that.”
Krista Schneider led the Indians with the hat trick. Sarah Goodwin, Leah Goodwin, Carly Doughty and Katie Halteman each added a single goal.
“They’re aggressive,” Reilly said of the Indians. “Their new coach is excited about the game – you can see it, and she’s teaching them the right things. I think they’re going to be good.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-0) will close out its week with a non-league game against Haverford, and Souderton (0-1) will be on the road at Abington on Monday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 8-6 14
Souderton 4-3 7
NESHAMINY 11, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 10
The Redskins showed a decided flare for the dramatic, rallying from a 9-5 deficit to earn the 11-10 win in Wednesday’s SOL opener. Senior captain Ashley Nicoletti connected for the game winner with 42.3 seconds remaining after Kelsey Goetz knotted the score with 1:38 left in regulation.
“When it was 10-10, I called timeout when we had possession on our offensive end, which I think worked out really well because we made a plan from there,” coach Ashley Belmonte said. “I didn’t want them to panic.
“We made a plan to wait for a good opportunity and to give ourselves some time if it doesn’t go in but not too much time if it does. Ashley Nicoletti scored a goal, and we got possession. It went back and forth, but they didn’t get a shot on goal.”
Nicoletti is the lone senior of a squad that lost prolific goal scorer Fran Donato (St. Joseph’s University) to graduation. Sophomore Katelyn Denis more than picked up the slack for the Redskins, scoring a game-high six goals.
“They ended up face guarding her,” Belmonte said. “Other people had to step up, and they did.
“Kelsey Goetz scored the tying goal – she’s a sophomore, and that was her only goal, but it tied up the game.”
Nicoletti added three goals and two assists while Goetz and Elena Donato each added single goals. Kayla Connelly chipped in an assist.
Neshaminy goalie Korin Bradley turned away eight shots.
“She’s new to the sport but is a soccer goalie,” Belmonte said. “She’s stepping up big for us.
“She has that goalie mentality, and she gets behind the ball and has no fear back there, which is really huge thing. She had some really big saves in the second half.”
Belmonte pointed to timeouts at opportune times as key for the young Redskins.
“We were able to catch our breath – it’s the beginning of the season - and kind of get a game plan of where to go from there and to keep their spirits up,” the Redskins’ coach said. “They just never stopped fighting.
“They felt the whole time – even at halftime – that they could win that game. They believe, and they didn’t stop the entire time. They rallied together, and I had multiple girls scoring.”
Neena Culleton finished with a hat trick to lead the Golden Hawks while Anna DiDonato added two goals and two assists. Katie Rafter contributed two goals and one assist, and Emily Keller had two goals. Hannah Inchausti added a single goal, and Sarah Womer had a pair of assists.
Chloe Wszolek was credited with five saves in goal for the Golden Hawks.
Neshaminy (1-0) will be on the road at Pope John Paul II on Monday, and Council Rock South (0-2) will host Upper Moreland on Monday.
Council Rock South 5-5 10
Newshaminy 3-8 11
NORTH PENN 8, HATBORO-HORSHAM 6
With a pair of disappointing losses already on their 2016 record, the Maidens had a singular goal when they took the field for Wednesday’s non-league game against the Hatters.
“We lost our first two games, and coming into today, I said, ‘We need to win this game, we’re going to win this game,’” senior Chloe Novak said. “We wanted it so bad.”
“We were 0-2, and we were not going 0-3,” junior Kaitlyn Phifer said. “We needed a win.”
The Maidens used an impressive second half to earn their first win of the season, outscoring the Hatters 4-1.
“It was a huge difference,” said coach Heather Mellow of her team’s play in the second half. “I want to say we kept the ball, but we didn’t even keep the ball.
“We just played a little bit smarter. Offensively, we tried to move the ball around. In the second half, I don’t even think we ran a play. We were actually able to put things together on our own, which was nice.”
Phifer scored off the opening draw with a Novak assist, but the Hatters – behind the inspired play of senior Syd Rausa – rallied to go on top 4-2 when Rausa found teammate Morgan Crostarosa for a goal at the 16:46 mark. Goals by Phifer and Sam Tossona with assists from Julia Keffer and Jenn DeLongis knotted the score 4-4 with 6:29 remaining in the half, but Rausa found Carley Daley for the score to send the Hatters into halftime with a 5-4 lead. Rausa had a hand in all five of her team’s goals with three goals and two assists. Phifer had a hat trick to lead the Maidens.
Bri O’Donnell scored the equalizer just over two minutes into the second half, and the Maidens went on top 6-5 when DeLongis found Keffer for the score midway through the half. An O’Donnell goal off the ensuing draw – won by Novak - put the Maidens on top 7-5, and Novak’s ability to control the draw was key.
“That’s the most important part of the game,” Novak said. “Every game is determined if we get the draw control or we don’t, and today we just worked together as a team.
“It’s a team effort. If we get the ball, we have the momentum. Lacrosse is a possession game. Personally, I don’t care if I score goals or not. If I’m getting the ball for the team, it’s okay.”
A goal by Daley with 12:33 remaining made it a 7-6 game, but that would be the Hatters’ last hurrah. DeLongis (Novak assist) tacked on an insurance goal with just under 10 minutes to play. Goalie Michelle Dyck (nine saves) made a pair of clutch saves down the stretch, and the win was in the books for the Maidens.
“There were a lot of turnovers,” Novak said. “Thank god Hatboro turned it over too. It was scrappy, but we wanted to win, and you could tell. We played as a team.”
“It was very scrappy,” Phifer added. “Constant turnovers, and it was constantly going up and down, but we kept our composure.
“They got frazzled as we were playing. Our attack kept moving, and we kept moving the ball around. We didn’t run a lot of plays – we were just playing the game. It was the best feeling when we won, especially coming off the last game.”
Seven different players contributed toward the scoring for the Maidens.
“Finally, we’re figuring ourselves out on attack,” Novak said. “We have so many girls this year who can score.
“If someone has a bad day, you have so many girls stepping up. Every game it’s someone different.”
North Penn (1-2) is off until next Thursday when it will host Central Bucks South. Hatboro-Horsham (0-2) will host Central Bucks South on Monday night.
Hatboro-Horsham 5-1 6
North Penn 4-4 8
HARRITON 18, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 4
The Patriots had the unenviable task of facing a high-powered Harriton squad in Wednesday’s non-league opener, and the visiting Rams had the better of play from the outset.
Despite the outcome, coach Kelly White had high praise for her defense.
“They played an outstanding game,” the Patriots’ coach said. “Sara Donnelly, Bella Ridolfi, Mackenzie Boyle, Whitney Dietz and Kayla Bartl were stellar.”
Goalie Anna Rosenquist was credited with 11 saves.
“She had a fantastic game in goal,” White said.
Maggie Vetter had a pair of goals, and Riley Donnelly added a goal and an assist. Katelin Cahill contributed a single goal while Mel Burian had a pair of assists and Katelyn Stout had one assist.
Central Bucks East (0-1) will travel to Emmaus on Friday for a non-league contest.
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