Check out the results for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Friday.
ABINGTON 3, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2
The 2015 season could not have started any better for Abington.
The Ghosts benefited from some late game heroics to take a win from the defending PIAA AAA state champions.
With the game tied and eight minutes left to play, midfielder Maddie Doyle took a pass from Sophia Carabba and launched a shot that barely sailed over the head of Bucks’ keeper Gracie Connelly and into the back of net.
“That’s a once in a career goal,” Ghosts’ coach Rick Tompkins said.
The Ghosts, who finished 5-12-1 last season, went on to defeat West 3-2 at War Memorial Field. The Ghosts were ecstatic at the final whistle, celebrating with a team hug at midfield.
“It’s a good starting point—that’s the way that we’re looking at it,” Tompkins said. “We’ve been working really hard, and we think we’re going to catch some teams unaware this year.”
The Bucks got on the board first less than two minutes into the game. Liv Kirchner found Abby Milhearn upfield for a breakaway goal to give West an early advantage. But the Ghosts regrouped and started controlling possession. Senior Julia Guarini tied it up in the 11th minute off an assist from Carabba.
Carabba connected with her again in the 50th minute and Guarini knocked it in with a header. Three minutes later, West got even once more with a goal from Sam Lubin off a corner kick from Madison Billingsly. It all set the stage for Doyle’s game-winner, however.
Tompkins is happy to have his star midfielder Guarini back in the lineup. The senior missed last season with an ACL injury, but the former first team all-league performer proved she was back in top form, Friday.
“She brings a wealth of experience and she’s a difference maker,” Tompkins said. “Sophia Carabba, like we drew it up, put two balls across and [Guarini] finished them.”
CB West, fresh off its state title win last year, lost 13 seniors to graduation, including goalie Grace Bendon and attacker Shae McCarty. In addition, the Bucks have a new coach at the helm in Chris Shank, who previously served as an assistant to former coach Jorge Rodriguez. Shank used a lot of substitutions, trying to find the right combination on the field.
“In training sessions, we have a ‘first team’ and a ‘second team’ and there hasn’t been a big difference between them,” Shank said. “We thought that that’s a good thing that we can put anyone else on the field and there’s not a drop down, but after today, we are going to have to raise that level.”
Next week, West will turn to a pair of league games against Quakertown and last year’s conference champs Pennridge. The Ghosts also have a tough week ahead of them, and Tompkins knows his team will have little time to enjoy this upset.
“We have a murderer’s row of a schedule,” he said. “We have Pennsbury, Neshaminy and Council Rock South all in a row. We’ll know after four games what we’re made of.”
Abington – 1 – 2 – 3
CB West – 1 – 1 – 2
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3, CONESTOGA 2 (OT)
It took Council Rock North a little over an hour of gameplay to get going, but once the Indians did, there was no stopping them.
“We came out a little flat,” Indians coach Wendell Beres said. “There was a lot of excitement and nerves with the first game of the season.”
North trailed 2-0 to Conestoga late in the second half, but Beres made some changes to his scheme up front. He moved midfielders Mia Scalamadre and Tori Hill up further on the offensive end. He then took out a backliner and put another player forward. The switch paid off.
In the 62nd minute, sophomore forward Becca Margolis scored with an assist from Kayla Robinson to cut the lead to one. In the 68th minute, Scalamadre got the equalizer, burying a shot on a pass from Hill. That sent the game into overtime.
“After that, the momentum shifted,” Beres said “We really put a lot of pressure on them. Credit the kids—they never quit.”
Robinson, who had missed on a couple goal opportunities earlier in the game, got a pass from Hill and shot one past the Conestoga keeper for the overtime winner in the 87th minute.
“Tori Hill did a great job of getting the ball set. She played a quick one over the backline and we were able to slip Kayla through. That last one, she didn’t make any mistake about it,” Beres said.
Despite the rough start, the Indians passed their first test against a tough Conestoga squad, who made it all the way to the District One quarterfinals last season. Jeri Belardo made two key saves for North in the winning effort.
Conestoga – 1 – 1 – 0 – 2
CR North – 0 – 2 – 1 – 3
UPPER DUBLIN 2, HATBORO-HORSHAM 1
In a non-league battle of Suburban One foes, Upper Dublin came out on top over Hatboro-Horsham.
In the 10th minute, the Flying Cardinals’ Tori Hoffner scored on a pass from Becky Haber. Upper Dublin controlled much of the possession in the first half, something that impressed coach John Topper.
“We started strong,” the Flying Cardinals’ coach said. “I was proud of the way the girls moved the ball and created chances. Early in the game we could have put a few more a way.”
The Flying Cardinals made it 2-0 in the 48th minute on a goal from Lexi Schneider. Paige Lawton was in on the assist. Soon after, the Hatters cut the lead to one with a goal from Sarah Wilson. Upper Dublin ran the clock, though, and came away with the victory to open the season.
“I was proud of the way, at the end of the game when we were up a goal, we managed to possess the ball,” Topper said. “It shows some maturity in killing the game off.”
Kate McKee had four saves between the pipes for Upper Dublin. Topper likes the balance of younger players and veterans on his team. He hopes
“I pretty positive about our prospects this year,” he said. “As always, our goal is to win the league and make the playoffs and take it one game at a time.”
The Flying Cardinals’ coach lauded the performances of several players.
“I thought (central midfielder) Rebecca Haber and our two goal scorers (Hoffner and Schneider) played excellently,” Topper said. “Shannon Haig had a phenomenal game for us at right back.”
Hatboro-Horsham – 0 – 1 – 1
Upper Dublin – 1 – 1 – 2
PENNRIDGE 5, SOUTHERN LEHIGH 1
Last year’s SOL Continental champions, Pennridge opened up its season smoothly against visiting Southern Lehigh.
Erin Stevenson got the Rams on the board first with a goal, assisted by Katie Fischer. Kouri Peace made it 2-0 before the half, with an assist from Kennedy Peace.
The Rams got three goals in the second half. Savanna Harrison scored unassisted. Dani Meehan scored off a corner kick and then assisted a goal by Jess Milligan.
Pennridge goalie Kaitlin Moran stopped five of six shots from Southern Lehigh.
Southern Lehigh – 0 – 1 – 1
Pennridge – 2 – 3 – 5
PENNSBURY 5, GARNET VALLEY 1
The reigning District One AAA champs got off to a good start to their regular season, and they didn’t waste any time. Pennsbury scored twice in the second minute and sunk visiting Garnet Valley 5-1 to open up the 2015 campaign.
Meredith Webber and Caroline Foley each had a pair of goals to lead the way for the Falcons. Webber got her team on the board first, and Foley added the second goal just seconds later. Riley Rudd assisted both goals.
In the 19th minute, Webber scored again, this time assisted by Karina Raykova. Before the half, Kelly Amador made it 4-0 with a goal off a pass from Hope Drewes. Foley added her second goal of the afternoon in the 78th minute with help from Cara Thomas.
Falcons goalkeeper Nany Santiago had three saves in the win.
Garnet Valley – 0 – 1 – 1
Pennsbury – 4 – 1 – 5
ST. HUBERT 3, HARRY S. TRUMAN 1
Truman scored first with a 15th minute goal from Amanda McElhare, but St. Hubert took over after that. In a 10-minute span, the Bambies scored three times. In the 59th minute, Dominque Calio scored. Then six minutes later, Kylie Bowers gave Hubert the lead. Julie Bowers added an insurance goal in the 69th minute.
Alyssa Bosler made 10 saves for the Tigers in goal.
St. Hubert – 0 – 3 – 3
Harry S. Truman – 1 – 0 – 1
SPRING-FORD 1, NORTH PENN 0
Spring-Ford’s Taylor Newhart scored the game’s lone goal for the Rams in their season-opening defeat of North Penn. Hannah Lambert made six saves in net for the Lady Maidens.
Spring-Ford – 0 – 1 – 1
North Penn – 0 – 0 – 0
PENNCREST 3, UPPER MERION 0
Upper Merion fell at the hands of Penncrest in Media on Friday morning. Tara Higgins, Katie Sparling, and Olivia Mancarella scored for the Lions. Julia Loane had 10 saves for the Vikings in the loss.
Upper Merion – 0 – 0 – 0
Penncrest – 1 – 2 – 3
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 1, UPPER MORELAND 0
Victoria Kalinovich scored in the 63rd minute to power New Hope-Solebury past Upper Moreland. The Bears’ Kim Benge made 17 saves in net. The play of sophomore Amanda Walker and junior Madison Pisut impressed Upper Moreland coach Lisa Benvenuto.
“The game was very competitive and exciting,” the Golden Bears’ coach said.
Upper Moreland opens league play on Wednesday at Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Upper Moreland – 0 – 0 – 0
New Hope-Solebury – 0 – 1 – 1
ARCHBISHOP WOOD 3, WILLIAM TENNENT 2
Nikki Reh scored two goals, but it was not enough as William Tennent fell to Archbishop Wood in Warminster. The Vikings led 3-1 at halftime lead and never looked back.
Archbishop Wood – 3 – 0 – 3
William Tennent – 1 – 1 – 2
OWEN J. ROBERTS 3, WISSAHICKON 2
Wissahickon’s comeback fell short against Owen J. Roberts in Pottstown. The Wildcats scored a pair of first half goals to take the early lead. They tacked on a third three minutes into the second half to take the lead, 3-0.
The Trojans answered back three minutes later with a goal from Maddie Elwell, who scored from 30 yards out. In the 76th minute, Alexis Smith scored after the ball deflected off the Wildcats goalie to cut the lead to one. Owen J. Roberts held on for the win, however.
In net for the Trojans, Keanna Haney saved six shots, while Nicole Hastings stopped five.
Wissahickon – 0 – 2 – 2
Owen J. Roberts – 2 – 1 – 3
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