Check out the recaps for SOL boys/girls soccer teams in action Monday.
Boys
SOL National Conference
BENSALEM 3, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2
Throw out Bensalem’s 0-5 record. The Owls have been playing teams tough after a pair of lopsided losses to open the season. On Monday, the Owls – sparked by a pair of Brian Gibson goals – rallied from a 2-1 deficit to earn their first win of the young season.
“We scored first on a great team effort passing by Hunter Shay to Kal Ivanov, who served it, and Brian finished,” Bensalem coach Rob Brown said. “Then CR South tied it up with an absolute laser shot from about 30 yards out.
“Their second goal was off a miscommunication by our backs, and they capitalized on the opportunity to go up 2-1. In the past, this is where we have slipped up, but the boys regrouped and decided to step up and we scored our second goal.”
John Larbi scored the equalizer with a Shay assist. Gibson connected on the game-winner with an assist from Jeremy DiPinto.
“We kept the pressure up and got the winner on a great shot from about 20-25 yards out,” Brown said. “I was proud of our team for not giving up on the season and each other. It’s been tough going 0-5, and I told coach (Alan) Nicholl that we might be the best 0-5 team out there.
“We have played really well and have been on the wrong side of some calls and given the ball away too much, and today we almost did that but dug deep and came out with the W. CR South played hard and was really pressuring us at the end to equalize, but we did a good job of clearing and holding the ball to bring the clock to zero.”
For the Golden Hawks, Dylan Bennett and Connor Weinberg each scored a goal.
“This is our fourth loss, all by one goal,” Nicholl said. “We need to break this pattern and end up on the right side of some of these results.
“It is shocking to me that Bensalem was winless – they were one of the most dangerous teams we’ve seen this year. The SOL National is living up to its competitive reputation. There’s not a bad team in the group.”
Brown has a history with CR South.
“This is my first high school win as head coach, and it was nice for it to be at CR South since I used to be an assistant coach with coach Jim Dunn for the women’s team there,” the Owls’ first-year coach said. “I was part of two PIAA Championships, and I am trying to build our program from a lot of what I learned from coach Dunn. He was a big influence on me.
“We enjoyed the win on the ride home, but next up is Truman tomorrow.”
Bensalem (1-5, 1-3 SOL) will travel to Harry S Truman on Tuesday, and Council Rock South (2-4, 1-2) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Tuesday.
Bensalem 1-2 3
Council Rock South 1-1 2
Non-league
ABINGTON 3, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2
The Ghosts scored a pair of second-half goals, breaking a 1-1 halftime tie to earn the hard fought non-league win.
In the opening half, Reese Gibbs found the back of the net for the Ghosts, and senior Liam Meyers scored on a penalty kick for the Patriots.
Junior Michael Ferrante turned a pass from sophomore Mason Stein into a goal for the Patriots in the second half. Shawn McConnell and Thomas Santangelo connected for the Ghosts.
East senior goalkeeper Tyler Okin recorded six saves.
Abington (5-1, 4-0 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon on Tuesday, and Central Bucks East (3-2-1, 2-1-1) will host Quakertown on Tuesday.
Central Bucks East 1-1 2
Abington 1-2 3
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4, AVON GROVE 2
The Titans found themselves locked in a 2-2 halftime tie but kept their visitors off the board in the second half to earn the non-league win.
“Avon Grove was very physical, chippy even, but when we played our game, we netted our four beautiful goals,” South coach Joe Coscia said.
Jake Heilig led the Titans with a pair of goals while Tasso Malitas and AJ Peev both added a single goal. Corey Bethel had a pair of assists.
Central Bucks South (5-1-1, 2-1-1 SOL) will host North Penn on Thursday.
Avon Grove 2-0 2
Central Bucks South 2-2 4
Girls
SOL Continental Conference
SOUDERTON 3, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2 (OT)
(Submitted by Souderton girls’ soccer)
Souderton visited Central Bucks East on Monday afternoon, following a hard-fought overtime win against Lansdale Catholic on Friday. Monday’s game was another tough battle that would require overtime to decide the winner.
Souderton had an early chance in the first half as Taylor Yoder got in behind the defense to run onto a pass. East’s goalkeeper came off her line and cut out the pass, but eventually collided into her onrushing defender. Luckily, East was still able to clear their lines and stop the danger. This would prove to be Souderton’s only real threat of the half, as the Indians were out shot 10-2. Many of East’s chances were taken from distance and shot over the bar. Their most dangerous opportunity was a deflected shot with 24 minutes left in the half, which was pushed wide of the post by Souderton’s goalkeeper, Morgan Molyneaux.
After a sluggish first half, Souderton looked to get on the front foot early in the second. In the first five minutes, they were able to do just that. Averie Doughty collected the ball in East’s end and was able to beat her defender to cut into the box and run to the end-line to fire a cross to Katie Pazdziorko for the finish. Ten minutes later, the Indians found the back of the net again. Pazdziorko tallied an assist this time, as Taylor Yoder sent a ball in behind the defense for Pazdziorko to cross for Doughty to knock home the finish to put the visitors up 2-0.
Souderton was able to find a new gear in the second half, but the hosts had a response of their own. With 23 minutes to play, East got on the board, as a long ball across the field found an attacker for a well-placed header into Souderton’s net. East and Souderton began trading punches as the game came to a close. Molyneaux came up with a number of key saves, but a deflected shot from East tied the game with six minutes left to play. Both teams scrambled to find the winner to avoid overtime, and a point blank save from Molyneaux in the last minutes was enough to keep the Indians in the game.
Despite having just played an overtime period on Friday, Souderton was able to muster the energy to put together a fantastic team goal to finish off the game with 6:30 to play in the first overtime period. The ball was worked up the right side of the field, as Ella Kregel combined with Leah Mowery for a series of 1-1 passes to beat the East defenders. Mowery worked her way into a position to cross to Pazdziorko, who controlled the ball around the penalty spot to unleash a shot for the bottom corner. East’s keeper made a tremendous save to push the shot wide of the net, but Avery Nogami was able to collect the ball and slot it across the box for Doughty to put away the game-winning goal.
Souderton (6-1, 3-1 SOL) will face Pennridge on Tuesday evening in the teams’ first meeting since last year’s state final. Central Bucks East (1-4-1, 0-3-1) will travel to Quakertown on Tuesday.
Non-league
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 4, QUAKERTOWN 1
The visiting Golden Hawks erupted for three second-half goals, breaking a 1-1 tie and earning the non-league win.
“We opened the game with a good amount of possession and pressure but couldn’t capitalize,” Rock South coach Nick Heim said. “Quakertown scored with about 18 minutes left in the half on a beautiful strike. We equalized five minutes later on a set piece by Dana DeDominicis.
“We were tied at the half. We made a few adjustments and made sure to answer the second half whistle with intensity.”
Maddie McDowell found Sammy Jones for the go-ahead goal five minutes in.
“Seven minutes later Sammy found Lauren Smith on a back door run to make it 3-1,” Heim said. “Aubrey Hondros capped it off with five minutes left on a really nice strike from 25 out.
“Quakertown is very organized defensively and really make you work. Mike (Koch) has a really young talented bunch there that will make some noise in the next few years. Their goalies were outstanding today. We had 26 shots during the game and I don’t think they gave up a single rebound.”
Council Rock South (4-1, 2-0 SOL) will host Pennsbury Tuesday in a key conference battle. Quakertown (4-3, 1-2) will host Central Bucks East on Tuesday.
Council Rock South 1-3 4
Quakertown 1-0 1
UPPER MORELAND 5, DOCK MENNONITE ACADEMY 0
Grace Burns scored a pair of early goals, and the Golden Bears took a 3-0 lead into halftime. They never looked back.
“(We) got off to a strong start, controlling the ball and creating offensive opportunities,” UM coach Lisa Benvenuto said.
Burns’ first goal was unassisted, the second was assisted by Reva Naik. Kathryn Morrow’s unassisted goal gave the Golden Bears their 3-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, Mattea Taylor found Emma Frasca, who placed the ball in the corner of the net.
“Off a short corner, Bridgid Ounan played a well-placed ball in the box that Meghan O’Donnell was able to get to and put in for her first goal of the season,” Benvenuto said of the game’s final goal. “Dock’s offense was able to create several dangerous chances, but stellar play in the back from Madison Zachwieja and Emma Meakim helped us keep the clean sheet.”
Upper Moreland (2-3-1, 1-2-1 SOL) will be on the road at Springfield Township on Tuesday.
Dock Mennonite 0-0 0
Upper Moreland 3-2 5
GREAT VALLEY 2, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1 (OT)
The Titans held an 18-9 advantage in shots, but they couldn’t turn that advantage into goals. The Patriots scored on a breakaway in the opening minutes of overtime, sending the visiting Titans to the disappointing defeat.
The Titans may have had an idea it was not going to be their day when the Patriots scored in the opening minute of the game, capitalizing on a defensive miscue.
“Although South battled back and outshot the Patriots in the first half, the score remained 1-1 at the half,” South coach Betsy Bullock said. “(We) came out of the half with high pressure, earning four corners and a PK when Ally Cutter served a ball to Grace Tecce, who was taken out in the box.”
Lauren Farrell converted the penalty kick to knot the score 1-1, setting the stage for overtime.
“Shannon Snyder kept us in the game with 10 saves,” Bullock said of her keeper.
The Titans had 11 offensive corners but could not find the back of the net.
Central Bucks (2-4, 1-3 SOL) will be on the road at North Penn on Thursday.
Great Valley 1-0-1 2
Central Bucks South 0-1-0 1
About the Author
