Neshaminy boys and girls soccer teams notched wins in District One 4A action Wednesday. Neshaminy/Rustin photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Boys
#11 NESHAMINY 1, #22 WEST CHESTER RUSTIN 0
Sophomore Vince DiMaria couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first varsity goal, turning a Cole Jackson corner kick into a goal 17 minutes into Wednesday’s contest at Harry S Truman. It turned out to be the game-winner.
“We worked on some things in practice on corners – Cole Jackson hit a low, hard ball to the near post, and Vince DiMaria was there, and he flicked a beautiful goal,” coach Tom Foley said. “The goalkeeper had no chance. It was really, really well done. They executed it really well.
“We had a couple just squeak by posts in the first half, and their goalie made a couple of really good saves. He was probably the best goalkeeper we’ve seen all year.”
Rustin keeper Andrew DiStefano kept Rustin in Wednesday’s district opener.
“In the second half, it was the same type of thing,” Foley said. “We knocked a couple balls just by the post because their goalkeeper made us pick a corner, and we just shot wide a couple of times. He made a couple other really good saves.
“We kept them bottled up most of the game. It was one of those workmanlike efforts. We never gave them a clean look in the course of play, and we created several good chances for ourselves.”
The Redskins’ back line of Mike Albarran, Alex Daeche, Ian Siwinski and Lou Salmi had a whole lot to do with keeping Rustin from generating any serious offensive chances.
“The whole back line did a really good job again,” Foley said. “Cole Jackson was outstanding on their best player on the field. He bottled up (Matt Scoffone) really, really well. He had a couple of dangerous free kicks, but other than that, he was a non-factor.”
The Redskins’ coach also had high praise for DiMaria.
“He was all over the place – he did a great job,” Foley said. “The last couple of games he’s really brought a lot of energy to the field. He was finally rewarded with a goal, and he just missed a couple of others. He had a really, really good game.”
Neshaminy (13-6, 8-4 SOL) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham for a second round game Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
“We know they play against Abington, and Abington is a pretty good side, so we’re going to have to bring our ‘A’ game,” Foley said. “I don’t know too much about them. I heard they’re big in the back, they clog up the middle and target their forwards, so I think that will be a good matchup for my backs.
“My backs have been pretty stellar the last four or five games. They haven’t given guys good looks. I think that’s a good matchup for us. We tell the kids – if we win our one-on-one battles and we have more wins than they do, then we’re likely to win the game.
“The way we’ve been playing the last half the year – I’m pretty optimistic that we’ll give a good effort. I know we’re big underdogs, but if we play the way we’re capable, we’ll put a scare into them at least. Who knows how it will shake out? I like to think we’ll be real competitive tomorrow, and if we get a couple of bounces, we can maybe pull off an upset.”
West Chester Rustin 0-0 0
Neshaminy 1-0 1
Girls
#12 NESHAMINY 2, #21 RADNOR 2 (5-4 PKs)
The Redskins won a thriller in penalty kicks in the resumption of Tuesday’s suspended district opener. Two overtime periods in a game played at Harry S Truman could not determine a winner. Neither could the first set of five PKs as both teams connected on four.
“We shot first, and we could have ended it with our last shooter,” coach Renny Papendick said. “Jordyn Fregia, who’s playing really well for us, caught the underside of the bar. I actually thought it was in. The ref said it was right on the line, and it came spinning back out.”
With the two teams deadlocked 4-4, Mel Prinos found the corner of the net with the Redskins’ sixth PK. Alexis Krippel delivered a huge save on the Raiders’ sixth attempt to preserve the lead, giving the Redskins the heartstopping win.
“Alexis Krippel made a beautiful save to her right, and then we stormed the field,” Papendick said. “Both goalies made some dives and just missed a few. It was quality kicks on both sides.”
The Redskins’ coach credited his team’s strong play.
“Our defense is great,” Papendick said. “We have a freshman, Alexis Ocasio, who is basically starting center back for us. She’s really come in and done a nice job, and she’s really helped us.
“We put Jordan Fregia, a sophomore, back with her, and we surround them with quality seniors in Jess Dierolf, Alex Ziegler and Kelli Kowalik, who’ve been basically almost four-year starters in the program. They just really lead and do their best to keep everybody up.
“Moving up, Mel Prinos had a big goal last night, and she buried her PK today. Kristin Curley buried a PK last night and she buried one today. Emily Tantala is our leader on and off the field. We have Gina Sexton who’s really probably a center mid, but she’s got pace so we put her up top and we ask her to do a lot of work on an island. We ask her to go get the ball and hold the ball – let’s get up the field. I’m just very proud of the whole group.”
The team, according to the Redskins’ coach, has really come together.
“There’s basically four coaches right now – myself, Rich Reice, Josh van Reed and Ken Armor, who works with our goalies,” Papendick said. “We’re like a four-headed monster we call it.
“We get the girls up when we need to, we’re coaching, and they seem to respond, and they really like each other. It’s very unique to see. It’s a close-knit group. We tell them, ‘Play for each other, play for your school, play for your peers, play for the program.’ Our underclassmen have stepped up, realizing we have a lot of seniors that graduated. They don’t want this ride to end.
“It was unusual to get them up for one game two days in a row. We’ve never seen it before.”
A look back at Tuesday’s action, Radnor grabbed an early lead on a fifth minute goal from Jane Daituolo. Kristin Curley tied the game on a 37th minute penalty kick for a 1-1 deadlock at half. Radnor again went up on Julie Breedveld’s goal in the 58th minute. Prinos hit a pin-point shot to tie it with a little less than eight minutes to play. The game was halted after regulation due to poor field conditions.
“We were a little slow coming out the other night,” Papendick said. “We gave up an early goal, fought back. We gave up a flukey goal that I think was deflected and went in the corner. We fought back and scored with eight minutes left. We really rebounded.
“Having that many seniors and some really good leadership with Emily Tantala, Kristin Curley, Mel Prinos and Gina Sexton, we were pushing. We thought we could have ended it last night. We were going to overtime, we were excited, and the momentum was there. It was the right call – there was standing water on the field. We didn’t want any girls to get hurt. We had to move it Truman, so it was an interesting and unusual situation.”
Neshaminy (13-5-1, 7-4-1 SOL) will travel to Pennsbury for Thursday’s second round game.
“We have to refocus,” Papendick said. “Again, the Pennsbury rivalry is epic. They don’t want to see us, and we don’t want to see them. I talked to the Pennsbury coach and said, ‘That’s a district semifinal at least.’
“It’s going to be a battle, and I’m sure it’s going to be a one-goal game, and we’re hoping we come out on top. I’m hoping our girls will be ready. The good thing is we’ve had some experience, we’ve played. We’ll see how it is. We’re up for the challenge.”
Radnor 1-1-0-0 2
Neshaminy 1-1-0-0 2
About the Author
