Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Wednesday. Pennsbury/CR North photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3, PENNSBURY 2
Through eight games, the Indians had never come from behind to earn a win, and they also had not won a game when they had given up a goal. They did both in Wednesday’s conference battle, rallying twice from one-goal deficits and winning it on a Nikki Jackson goal with 18:20 remaining in the second half.
“I’m super pleased because I was hoping we weren’t going to be that team that would get scored on and would fall apart,” coach Heather Whalin said. “We actually were behind twice and we came back, and I’m glad that we did that. I was proud of them.”
Pennsbury got on the scoreboard first four minutes into the game when Anna Sharp (Samie Hackman assist) found the cage.
“Their first goal was gorgeous,” Whalin said. “It was off a tip, and it was beautiful. We didn’t mark very well, but nobody was saving that.”
Five minutes later, the Indians knotted the score, thanks to a Sarah Scott goal.
“I called a timeout right before that goal and yelled at them – I don’t usually yell, but I was mad because we were playing very flat and we had a kind of crappy warm-up, so they answered,” Whalin said.
With 10 minutes remaining in the half, Maya Geller scored to put the Falcons on top 2-1.
“On our part, it was a defensive breakdown, and they had a 2v1 on the goalie,” Whalin said. “But that was a nice goal too, and Maya is a fantastic player, so she’s always going to score that.”
Again, the Indians answered – this time it was Katie Daniels turning an Abby Lustig pass into a goal with just over a minute remaining in the half. The two teams went into halftime deadlocked 2-2.
Jackson’s goal 12 minutes into the second half proved to be the game-winner.
“Nikki does not get enough recognition,” Whalin said. “She’s an unbelievable player, but since she’s a defender, she doesn’t have stats.
“For her to score today – I felt it for some reason, and I threw her up on our corner. She just stayed low, got the rebound back, and I knew she was going to score because she just looked so determined. She’s that type of kid.”
Underscoring just how tightly contested this game was are the final stats that show Rock North holding an edge in shots (10-9) and penalty corners (9-7).
Both goalies – Pennsbury’s Keira Korzeb and Rock North’s Kyra Deehr-Lewis – recorded seven saves.
“(Keira Korzeb) made some really nice saves today – she kept them in the game,” Whalin said. “It was well matched.
“We had a couple of girls really step up and fill roles.”
When defensive mid Lindsay O’Brien became ill at halftime, Bella Muscara stepped in at defensive back.
“She played fantastic – her marking was fantastic,” Whalin said. “She had a really nice game.
“I put in Sarah Lewis at mid, and she had a really nice game for us. A senior who doesn’t get a lot of recognition because she doesn’t start all the time but had a fantastic game today was Abby Lustig. She had a really nice game at right forward. She did exactly what we asked of her and really gave us that push on the right side.”
Council Rock North (7-2-1, 5-1-1 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Friday, and Pennsbury (4-7, 4-3) will host Bensalem on Tuesday.
Pennsbury 2-0 2
Council Rock North 2-1 3
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 7, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
Katelyn Cocco had a hand in five goals, connecting for a hat trick and assisting on two others to lead the Golden Hawks.
It was Cocco putting the Hawks on the board with an assist from Bridget Doherty less than three minutes into the game. A minute later, Cocco assisted on a goal by Kerry Kaufman. That 2-0 lead held until midway through the half when Cocco (Rachael Rolle assist) and Ava Haurin (Cocco assist) scored back-to-back goals in a 26-second span. Goals by Cocco (Doherty assist) and Emilia Elko sent the Golden Hawks into halftime with a 6-0 lead.
The two teams exchanged goals in the second half with Kiley Hackbart scoring with a Paige Gonzalez assist on the Tigers only corner to put Truman on the scoreboard. Devyn Millman connected for a goal midway through the second half to close out the scoring.
Truman goalie Colleen Rementer was credited with 10 saves. Also for Truman, Grace Sutton had a pair of defensive saves and Alexi Devlin also had a defensive stop at the goal line.
Rock South’s Mollie Clark recorded one save.
Council Rock South (4-4-1, 4-1-1 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Friday, and Harry S Truman (1-8, 0-7) will be on the road at Council Rock North Friday.
Council Rock South 6-1 7
Harry S Truman 0-1 1
SOL Continental Conference
SOUDERTON 4, NORTH PENN 1
The Indians and Knights found themselves deadlocked 1-1 at halftime. Things changed in a hurry in a second half that saw the Indians score three goals in a 13-minute span before the game was halted with 13:11 remaining because of a thunderstorm.
The difference in the second half, according to Sue Casciato, was simple.
“We managed to get the ball in the goal cage,” the Indians’ first-year coach said. “The first half we had a lot of opportunities. I think they had one shot, and it went in.
“We knew they were up to play us. They always give us a good game, and I feel like North Penn is always the team that improves the most throughout the season.”
The two teams exchanged goals in the first half with Randi Hess breaking a scoreless tie with 7:03 remaining, using assists from Jenna Hunsicker and Courtney Kenah. Just over a minute later, Eleni Kountroubis turned a Kristin Varilla pass into a goal.
Hess scored a goal that turned out to be the game-winner just over three minutes into the second half, and then it was Courtney Kenah scoring twice from the top of the circle to give the Indians their final margin of victory.
“(Our) defense – led by sophomore goalie Mallory Stowell (11 saves) – held off a fast and dynamic attack in the first half, playing tough on the defensive side of the ball,” North Penn coach Shannon McCracken said. “Freshman Madison Waldspurger played well in the backfield and had a defensive save in the first half.
“Senior Meg Daniels and sophomores Megan Albert and Ali Hoffman contributed in the backfield as well.”
The Indians held a 15-2 advantage in shots and a 7-2 edge in corners.
“We generated a lot of scoring opportunities,” Casciato said. “North Penn plays with a lot of energy.
“I felt like our defense played really well. Our mids transitioned and got back on weak side. It was nice to have another team win.”
Souderton (9-1, 6-1 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West on Friday for a 4 p.m. contest, and North Penn (3-7, 2-5) will be on the road at Central Bucks East on Tuesday.
Souderton 1-3 4
North Penn 1-0 1
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
With the Bucks fresh off a scoreless tie with CB South, East coach Meghann Spratt wasn’t sure what to expect when her undefeated squad took on its sister school.
“I heard from a number of people that it was so evenly matched and a well-played game,” the Patriots’ first-year coach said. “We no idea what to expect going in except for the fact that it’s always a battle with our sister school. The pride elevates everything.”
The Patriots took a 2-0 lead into halftime, thanks to a pair of goals from Kenzie Lever – the second with an Emma Donnelly assist.
In the second half, Emma Larkin added a goal, using a Kenzie Lever assist.
“Kenzie Lever really stepped up her game,” Spratt said. “She controlled the entire midfield.
“Having a spark off the bench from sophomore Emma Larkin, who scored our third goal – she really upped her play today and was a huge part of our win also. Those two on the attack were great.
“I also have to give complete credit to my defense today – from Em Bullard all the way through to Elizabeth Philipp, Molly Eron and Grace Bethke. The backs and my defense were just stellar today.”
Emily Bullard recorded her sixth shutout in goal for the Patriots. West’s Cassidy Pitts was credited with 10 saves.
“Cassidy Pitts is a huge factor in their success,” Spratt said. “Casey Reichwein and Julia Bunch played really, really well.
“They played tight against some of our top scorers, and those top scorers found new players to score, and it was a team effort. It was a great win.”
Central Bucks East (10-0, 7-0 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South on Friday, and Central Bucks West (2-8-1, 2-4-1) will host Souderton on Friday.
Central Bucks West 0-0 0
Central Bucks East 2-1 3
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 10, QUAKERTOWN 0
Freshman Ashley Timby scored four goals to lead the visiting Titans to the big win. Senior Casey Reilly and sophomore Sophia Wasyliw both contributed two goals and an assist while Annie Brady had one goal and three assists. Mel Dunton and Megan Weeks each had two assists, and senior Arianna Conte scored her first varsity goal.
Wasyliw (Reilly assist) put the Titans on the scoreboard, and when Reilly scored with a Dunton assist, the Titans led 4-0 heading into the intermission.
The Titans took 35 shots and drew 15 corners.
“Quakertown is a much-improved team,” South coach Pat Toner said. “The players worked hard the entire game and had some very nice defensive plays.
“CB South played very well and combined for some beautiful goals.”
Central Bucks South (6-4-1, 4-2-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks East on Friday, and Quakertown (2-8, 0-7) will be on the road at Pennridge on Friday.
Central Bucks South 4-6 10
Quakertown 0-0 0
SOL American Conference
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 1, ABINGTON 0
Four weeks ago to the day, the Spartans made a forgettable bus trip to Abington.
“It took us almost an hour and 10 minutes to get there – the bus driver got lost and it was an incredibly hot day, and we were packed in an un-air conditioned bus because we have a lot of kids,” said coach Linda Nixon, whose team lost 4-0 in that early season meeting. “We had 20 minutes to warm up, and I thought maybe if we had not had that situation we would have been able to play a better game.”
It looked as though Wednesday’s game might follow a similar script since the Spartans – thanks to a fire drill that was inadvertently set off – were forced to remain in the building until 3:10.
“I’m like – ‘Here we go, 20 minutes again, and it’s a hot day,” Nixon said.
The veteran coach needn’t have worried. Wednesday’s rematch was an evenly played game and bore no resemblance to the initial meeting between the two teams.
“The ball was distributed – the game moved up and down the field,” Nixon said. “I thought we had a little more attack going in our 50, but it wasn’t real measurable. They had some opportunities – they had one go off the post.
“We were young at the beginning of the season, and we’re getting a little older and more experienced. “We don’t seem to be able to generate a lot of attack, and that’s where a lot of our inexperience is. We don’t really threaten inside the circle.”
The Spartans broke a scoreless tie with 2:05 remaining. Anya Kochanowicz scored the game-winner with assists from Charlotte DeKerillis and Kate Wojeck.
“I was very pleased,” Nixon said. “We’re not getting consistent play out of more than half of the team, but we’re getting some nice play that’s leading me to believe we’re turning the corner.”
Nixon lauded the strong play of goalie Rebecca Berglund, who recorded four saves in the shutout.
“She didn’t have that many saves but she played well,” the Spartans’ coach said.
Nixon also acknowledged the strong play of defensive back Annie Ryan and center mid Kate Wojeck.
The Spartans held an 8-6 edge in shots, and Abington held a 7-3 advantage in corners.
Springfield Township (7-2-1, 5-2-1 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday, and Abington (6-4, 6-2) will host Upper Moreland on Friday.
Abington 0-0 0
Springfield Township 0-1 1
UPPER DUBLIN 2, HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
The Flying Cardinals celebrated Senior Night with a shutout win over the visiting Hatters. They scored both of their goals in the opening half.
Lauren Greene scored with an assist from Ryann Kullmann at the 22:31 mark of the first half, and then it was Kullmann (Allie Rock assist) adding an insurance goal with three minutes remaining in the first half.
The Cardinals held an advantage in shots (13-5) and corners (8-2).
UD coach Heather Boyer credited the play of her defense in the win.
“Upper Dublin’s midfield (Ryann Kullmann and Allison Change) and defense (Jamie Rock, Steph Zajac, Emma Kate Powell and Madeleine Casey) had a collectively strong game to really keep Hatboro-Horsham’s opportunities to a minimum,” Boyer said.
UD goalie Meghan Muth recorded four saves in the shutout win, and Hatters’ goalie Abby Ransom had 10 saves.
Upper Dublin (5-3-1, 4-3-1 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (1-7, 1-6) will host Wissahickon Friday.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0 0
Upper Dublin 2-0 0
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 4, WISSAHICKON 1
The Colonials broke a 1-1 tie with three goals after the intermission to remain perfect in conference play.
Three minutes into the game, Steph Scoma (Kendal Williams assist) scored to spot the Trojans an early 1-0 lead. Seven minutes later, PW’s Kayla Link scored the equalizer during corner play.
Sam Spera broke the tie with a well-placed shot to the left post during corner play. Kaleigh Missimer scored a pair of goals for the 4-1 final.
Link, Spera and Hailey Copestick each had an assist in the win.
Wissahickon goalie Meghan Reilley kept the Trojans in the game with an impressive 25-save effort.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (10-1, 8-0 SOL) will be on the road at Springfield Township on Friday, and Wissahickon (4-4, 3-4) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham on Friday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-3 4
Wissahickon 1-0 1
UPPER MORELAND 4, CHELTENHAM 0
The Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead into halftime and then exploded for three unanswered goals in the second half.
Claudia Zanine sent the Bears into halftime with the lead, connecting on an unassisted goal with just 1:46 remaining.
At the 24:38 mark of the second half, Phoebe Longstreth scored with an assist from Moira Olexa. Five minutes later, Cassidy Hirsch found the cage, using an assist from Madison Casey. Zanine connected for her second goal to close out the scoring, using Olexa’s second assist of the game.
UM goalie Isabella Guarenghi recorded three saves in the shutout win. Cheltenham goalie Nimi Badejoko was credited with 32 saves in a standout effort.
Upper Moreland (4-7, 2-5) will travel to Abington on Friday, and Cheltenham (0-7) will host Upper Dublin on Friday.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Upper Moreland 1-3 4
Non-league
PENNRIDGE 6, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
Caitlyn Amsden connected on a pair of goals and reached a milestone – collecting the 100th point of her career. Sydney Borneman also had two goals and chipped in an assist. Adding one goal each were Emma Schlotter and Monica Kerins. Emily Amsden had two assists and Abby Ludlow had one assist.
Goalie Mac Bross recorded three saves in the shutout win.
Pennridge (4-5, 3-4 SOL) will host Quakertown on Friday, and William Tennent (2-7, 2-6) will travel to Bensalem on Friday.
William Tennent 0-0 0
Pennridge 3-3 6
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