So here was the situation for the Pennsbury girls' lacrosse team at halftime of its game against Pennridge Wednesday afternoon: the Falcons trailed, the Rams' goalie was on fire and the game had huge playoff implications.
What happened next? Pennsbury played about as solid a half as it has played all year.
Emelie Curtis had five goals and one assist, leaving the sophomore with 99 career points, as Pennsbury overcame that halftime deficit - and an incredible 23-save performance by Pennridge goalie Alexa Machado, to win 13-10.
The win was Pennsbury's eighth this season against a team it lost to a year ago. More importantly, it improved Pennsbury to 9-6 on the year and kept the Falcons in the thick of the race for the final spot in the upcoming District I AAA playoffs. In fact, Pennsbury is 24th in the district power rankings, and the top 24 will make it into the postseason.
Pennsbury ran out to a 5-1 lead in the first half before Pennridge, who beat the Falcons 17-10 last year, got hot, tying the game with a 4-0 run over a 6:35 span and then, after Curtis scored her second, taking a 7-6 lead with two goals 20 seconds apart in the final 38 seconds of the half.
If Pennsbury didn't have the momentum at the break, it didn't matter once the second half started. Pennsbury would outscore the Rams 7-3 after the break and outshoot them 27-9. Only Machado's 18 second-half saves kept it close. It was, though, close, as in 9-8 Pennridge as the second half reached its midway point. Then the Falcons went on a 5-1 run of its own to end the game, getting goals from Maddie Spratt, Annie Price and Nell Webber before Curtis put in the final two.
Price finished with three goals and an assist, while Lily Nolan had two goals and an assist. Sarah Mac Davis had the other Pennsbury goal, while Brooke Weaver and Mia Doron had assists. Natalie Smith had eight saves for the Falcons.
Pennsbury has two regular-season games left, Thursday against Upper Moreland and Friday against New Hope-Solebury.
What happened next? Pennsbury played about as solid a half as it has played all year.
Emelie Curtis had five goals and one assist, leaving the sophomore with 99 career points, as Pennsbury overcame that halftime deficit - and an incredible 23-save performance by Pennridge goalie Alexa Machado, to win 13-10.
The win was Pennsbury's eighth this season against a team it lost to a year ago. More importantly, it improved Pennsbury to 9-6 on the year and kept the Falcons in the thick of the race for the final spot in the upcoming District I AAA playoffs. In fact, Pennsbury is 24th in the district power rankings, and the top 24 will make it into the postseason.
Pennsbury ran out to a 5-1 lead in the first half before Pennridge, who beat the Falcons 17-10 last year, got hot, tying the game with a 4-0 run over a 6:35 span and then, after Curtis scored her second, taking a 7-6 lead with two goals 20 seconds apart in the final 38 seconds of the half.
If Pennsbury didn't have the momentum at the break, it didn't matter once the second half started. Pennsbury would outscore the Rams 7-3 after the break and outshoot them 27-9. Only Machado's 18 second-half saves kept it close. It was, though, close, as in 9-8 Pennridge as the second half reached its midway point. Then the Falcons went on a 5-1 run of its own to end the game, getting goals from Maddie Spratt, Annie Price and Nell Webber before Curtis put in the final two.
Price finished with three goals and an assist, while Lily Nolan had two goals and an assist. Sarah Mac Davis had the other Pennsbury goal, while Brooke Weaver and Mia Doron had assists. Natalie Smith had eight saves for the Falcons.
Pennsbury has two regular-season games left, Thursday against Upper Moreland and Friday against New Hope-Solebury.