Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Wednesday.
SOL National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1, PENNSBURY 0
It took just 45 seconds for the visiting Indians to get on the scoreboard when Brenna Schoenfeld stunned everyone – including her coach – by deflecting Hannah Barsky’s drive from outside the circle into the cage. That goal stood for the next 59 minutes as the Indians held on to earn the impressive win over the defending conference champions.
“I think it took everyone by surprise,” Rock North coach Heather Whalin said. “Their goalie is a very good goalie, and I don’t think she realized Brenna hit it inside the circle.
“Even my team said – they were getting ready for the rebound because there was no way that angle was going to score, but then it scored. The girls all stood for a second and then jumped in the air. Brenna said, ‘I did what you said coach – ‘I put my stick down,’ and that’s what you do.”
The game was not without anxious moments.
“They came right down – we were on our heels for a little bit after that,” Whalin said. “We have a lot of new kids playing different positions, so they’re trying to learn how to play. We were making a lot of adjustments throughout the game.
“It was definitely a total team effort. They outshot us (10-3), but my goalkeeper (Kyra Deehr-Lewis) is ridiculous. She had 10 saves.”
The Falcons held a 3-2 edge in corners as much of the game was played between the 25s.
“There was a lot of midfield play,” Whalin said. “Maya Geller is a really good, and it was like Hannah Barsky and Maya going at it throughout the game.
“They had some fast players up front, and they hit through and tred to get the ball up to their forwards, but my defense did a really nice job of stuffing that.”
The Falcons had one final chance to knot the score, drawing a corner in the closing seconds of regulation.
“I actually commended my team after the game – I told them, ‘Thank god you’re hockey-minded,’” Whalin said. “The buzzer went off and everyone is yelling zero, and my team is still playing knowing that it’s not over.
“For being that young – they never looked up. They just kept playing and got the ball out. That’s heads-up for young kids to recognize the buzzer doesn’t mean we’re done.”
Whalin had high praise for her defense comprised of Nikki Jackson, Kate McQuarrie, Sarah Everett and Lindsay O’Brien.
“(Rock North) is pretty fast, so a couple of times they got behind our midfielders,” the Indians’ coach said. “The defenders channeled the ball, slowed the ball down, drove it and were able to get it out to the side. They really did a nice job. I was proud of them.
“Lindsay is only a sophomore and last year she was a forward/midfielder, but she’s playing defense this year. She really has come a long way for being such a young kid, and she’s recognizing how to play that position. Today she did a really nice job of containing Maya Geller and Anna Sharp when they got past (the midfield).”
The win was a big one for a young Indian squad.
“Especially since they were undefeated in the conference and won the league last year,” Whalin said. “They still have phenomenal players left on the team, they have a great goalie, and they have a lot of seniors. For us, it was a huge win.”
Council Rock North (2-0, 1-0 SOL) will be on the road at Harry S Truman on Friday, and Pennsbury (0-1) will travel to North Penn for a non-league game Friday.
Council Rock North 1-0 1
Pennsbury 0-0 0
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 8, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
Twenty-four hours after suffering a shutout loss at Central Bucks South, the Golden Hawks took out any frustration they may have been feeling on the Tigers, racing to a 5-0 halftime lead on their way to the conference win.
Katelyn Cocco had a hand in six goals, connecting for a hat trick and assisting on three others. It was Cocco breaking a scoreless tie 11 minutes into the contest, and less than a minute later, Cocco set up a goal by Kerry Kaufman. Cocco’s second goal put the Golden Hawks on top 3-0. Lauren Mitchell and Bridget Doherty each added a goal with Cocco assisting on Doherty’s to close out the half.
Cocco opened the second half by scoring an unassisted goal. Mitchell’s second goal was assisted by Coco, and Rianna Shields closed out the scoring, using an assist from Rachael Rolle.
The Golden Hawks held a 17-3 advantage in shots. Goalie Aspen Handel was forced to make just one save in the shutout win.
Council Rock South (1-2, 1-0 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Friday, and Harry S Truman (0-1) will host Council Rock North Friday.
Harry S Truman 0-0 0
Council Rock South 5-3 8
NESHAMINY 6, BENSALEM 0
The Redskins erupted for four first-half goals and never looked back en route to their first win of the young season.
Peyton Ritchey had a hat trick and assisted on another, and just over five minutes into the game, it was Ritchey setting up a goal by Caroline Angerer that turned out to be the game-winner. A minute later, Ritchey scored with an assist from Maddie Neimann and then Ritchey connected on an unassisted goal to put the Redskins on top 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game. A goal by Nancy Lin with a Kayla Connelly assist gave the Redskins a 4-0 halftime lead.
Four minutes into the second half, Ritchey (Kayla Connelly assist) completed her hat trick, and Angerer closed out the scoring with her second goal of the game, this one with an assist from Brooke Cordisco.
Neshaminy (1-2, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South on Friday, and Bensalem (0-2) will travel to William Tennent on Friday.
Neshaminy 4-2 6
Bensalem 0-0 0
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
In a battle of neighboring rivals under the lights at War Memorial, it was the visiting Patriots picking up their third win of the young season.
The Patriots scored all of their goals in the first half. Allie Gallant turned a Cailey Lever pass into a goal that turned out to be the game-winner. After Phia Mannino scored on the rebound of a ball off the goalie pads, the Lever sisters teamed up for the game’s final goal when Kenzie Lever scored – with a Cailey Lever assist – to send East into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
"We held them off in the second half," West coach Ginny Moore said. "Cassidy Pitts, our senior goalie, had an amazing game after sitting out a couple of weeks with a concussion."
The game also marked the return of four-year varsity veteran Casey Reichwein after a knee injury, and junior Ella Casale was back in the lineup after an injury.
"Both defenders played very solid the whole game," Moore said. "Sophomores Em Erickson and Julia Bunch moved the ball well in the mid, and Darien Brandison was reliable and executed solid tackles at defensive mid.
"Starting seniors Anya DeAngelis, Amanda McDermott and Caitlin Mulligan hustled hard on offense the whole game as well."
Emily Bullard earned the shutout win in goal for the Bucks.
Coach Meghan Spratt credited the performances of several players in the win.
“Phia Mannino played very strong as well as Emma Donnelly,” the Patriots’ coach said. “Hannah Widmeier and Julia Rebstock sparked our offense coming off the bench.
“Elizabeth Philipp held our defense together with her composure and speed. Overall, it was a great win, and we’re looking forward to South on Friday.”
Central Bucks East (3-0, 1-0 SOL) will host Central Bucks South Friday, and Central Bucks West (0-2, 0-1) will travel to Souderton on Friday.
Central Bucks East 3-0 3
Central Bucks West 0-0 0
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 11, QUAKERTOWN 0
Pat Toner implemented a new system with the hopes her team would be more offensive. If early results are worth anything, the new system is working quite nicely – in two games and a span of 24 hours, the Titans scored 16 goals.
Casey Reilly led the Titans’ offensive attack in Wednesday’s win with four goals and one assist. Anna Gillard was part of four goals, scoring one and assisting on three others. Megan Weeks added a pair of goals. Adding single goals were Annie Brady, Mel Dunton, Sophia Wasyliw and Maddy Cooper. Anna Shirley had a pair of assists.
The Titans, who fired 29 shots on goal, opened up an 8-0 halftime lead.
Jillian Heilig did not make a save in the shutout win while her counterpart turned away 18 shots.
Central Bucks South (2-0, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East on Friday, and Quakertown (1-1, 0-1) will host Pennridge Friday.
Quakertown 0-0 0
Central Bucks South 8-3 11
SOUDERTON at NORTH PENN (Postponed)
SOL American Conference
ABINGTON 4, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 0
Five days after falling to Council Rock North by a 4-0 score, the Ghosts – sparked by Paige Doyle’s one goal, three-assist effort – found their offense in Wednesday’s opener in their new conference.
“After last week’s loss to CRN, we knew we needed to find a way to score,” coach Katie Small said. “We concentrated on our offense this week in practice, and it showed, putting up four goals on a solid Springfield team.”
The Ghosts suffered a setback when they lost first team all-league midfielder Aileen Hughes to an injury at practice Tuesday.
“Our backline of Mikayla Kizel, Alainna Swift and Olivia Geissler really stepped up and kept the ball out of our defensive end most of the game,” Small said. “Paige Doyle played an amazing game in the center for us controlling most of the play and contributed on all four goals.”
The Ghosts wasted little time before seizing control of the game, opening up a 3-0 lead by halftime.
Four different players contributed a goal. In addition to Doyle, Devan DiMaria, Becca Gable and Abby Thomas each scored a goal. Anna Joseph added an assist.
“It was great to see freshman Devan DiMaria step up on the wing for us as well,” Small said. “It was a tough game under very tough conditions.
“Springfield had some great play from Cairo Cox. She has one of the strongest sticks I have seen in the SOL, stopping almost anything that came near her. Maddie Yoder and Kate Wojeck kept the pressure on our defense, making us have to really work to get the ball out at times. Overall, it was a well-played game from both sides on a very hot turf.”
Abington goalie Ellie Hughes recorded 10 saves in the shutout.
Abington (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will be on the road at Upper Moreland on Friday, and Springfield Township (1-1, 0-1) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh Friday.
Springfield Township0-0 0
Abington 3-1 4
UPPER MORELAND 1, CHELTENHAM 0
Bryanna Gordon turned a Claudia Zanine pass into a goal just over three minutes into Wednesday’s SOL opener. That goal stood the rest of the way.
The visiting Golden Bears threatened but could not get the ball past Cheltenham’s keeper, who turned away 14 of 15 shots she faced. UM’s Isabella Guarenghi was forced to make just one save in the shutout win.
Upper Moreland (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will host Abington on Friday, and Cheltenham (0-1) will be on the road at Upper Dublin Friday.
Upper Moreland 1-0 1
Cheltenham 0-0 0
UPPER DUBLIN 5, HATBORO-HORSHAM 1
Lauren Greene scored a pair of goals and assisted on two others to lead the Flying Cardinals to the win in Wednesday’s conference opener.
“The girls played well together despite the weather and having both our scrimmages cancelled as well as our season opener,” coach Heather Boyer said. “I was pleased with how they played together as a team.”
Greene (Ryann Kullmann assist) put the Cardinals on the scoreboard four minutes into the contest, and with 7:18 remaining in the half, Jenn McCarry turned a Greene pass into a goal that sent the Cardinals into the intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Goals by Greene (unassisted) and Allie Rock (Greene assist) in the opening 10 minutes of the second half gave the Cardinals a 4-0 lead. Sorrell Long put the Hatters on the board midway through the half, and McCarry closed out the scoring with her second goal of the game.
Boyer acknowledged the solid outings of several players.
“Emma Kate Powell and Madeleine Casey both had very strong defensive games,” the Cardinals’ coach said. “Ryann Kullmann was also a very strong presence in the midfield.”
The Cardinals had an advantage in shots (12-6) and corners (6-4).
UD goalie Meghan Muth recorded three saves in the win.
Upper Dublin (1-0 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (0-2, 0-1) will travel to Wissahickon Friday.
Upper Dublin 2-3 5
Hatboro-Horsham 0-1 1
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