Neshaminy was a winner Tuesday in the District One 3A Field Hockey Tournament. Neshaminy/OJR photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Class 3A
#2 NESHAMINY 2, #12 OWEN J ROBERTS 1 (2 OT)
Ciara Lambon – using a Madi Neiman assist – scored with 7:24 remaining in the second overtime, propelling the second-seeded Redskins to a hard fought win in an opening round district game Tuesday.
“We played hard,” Pinto said. “It’s a good win for us, and it was a great start to show us that in districts all the teams are going
to be very hard, they’re going to obviously play the whole game – like today they scored with 26 seconds left.
“Every team is going to be playing hard because they know it could be their last game. We just need to learn from this and capitalize when we have the opportunities. If we can keep moving on, there are going to be fewer opportunities, and we need to finish when we have the shot to finish.
“Honestly, that’s what it came down to today. We played well, but we have to finish when we have the opportunity. We had so many opportunities, but we don’t score on them. We let teams hang around.”
The Redskins finally got on the scoreboard 10:10 remaining in regulation when Madi Neiman scored with an assist from Dylan Beegal. They appeared poised to win in regulation, but the Wildcats had other ideas, scoring during corner play with 26 seconds on the scoreboard clock.
“In our minds, I don’t think it should have came to overtime” Pinto said. “We told the girls – ‘You got yourself into this, you need to play hard, play like we know how and get yourselves out of it.’
“We had opportunities to score. We had two corners in the first half that were shots from outside the circle, and we didn’t get 
touches on them. We had other opportunities to score on the post.”
Lambon found the cage in the second OT, and a Neshaminy win was in the books.
“The girls played well in overtime,” Pinto said. “We practiced overtime the last couple of days.
“Owen J played hard. It was a tough fought game all around. At the end of the first overtime, we were exhausted – I think they were as well.
The Redskins’ coach lauded the efforts of several players.
“Our goalie, Riley Wert, played well,” Pinto said. “Defensively we were strong. Megan Hollenbaugh in the back played well, and our right and left back – Avery McGinty and Morgan Shaltens – played well. Dylan Beegal also played well defensively.
“Madi Neiman played well in the second half, and Ciara Lambon created some opportunities.”
Neshaminy (11-1, 8-0 SOL) will host #7 Methacton in a quarterfinal game Thursday.
Owen J Roberts 0-0-0-1-0-0 1
Neshaminy 0-0-0-1-0-1 2
CLASS 1A
#1 SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 9, #4 JENKINTOWN 1
The Spartans wasted little time before seizing control of Monday’s district open, erupting for four goals in the second quarter to go into halftime with a commanding 6-0 lead. Anya Kochanowicz had herself a day, leading the Spartans with five goals. Ella Marino added two goals and an assist, and the Yoder sisters – Maddie and Emma – each added a single goal.
It was Maddie Yoder putting the Spartans on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter, and four minutes later Kochanowicz found the cage for a 2-0 advantage. Back-to-back goals by Kochanowicz in a two-minute span to open the second quarter – the second with a Marino assist – opened the floodgates. Emma Yoder and Marino each followed with goals to send the Spartans into halftime with a six-goal advantage. Marino added a single goal in the third quarter and Kochanowicz had a pair – the first a penalty stroke.
The Spartans held a lopsided advantage in shots (25-2) and penalty corners (12-3). Spartan goalie was credited with three saves while her counterpart had 18.
Springfield Township (9-0, 8-0 SOL) will host a familiar foe in Thursday’s title game when the Spartans take on New Hope-Solebury. The Spartans won both regular season meetings between the two squads (3-1 & 2-1).
Jenkintown 0-0-0-1 1
Springfield Twp 2-4-3-0 9
#3 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 4, #2 DOCK MENNONITE ACADEMY 0
The Lions – sparked by two goals and an assist from Sophia Cozza – took care of business, earning a win that sets the stage for chapter three of the SOL Freedom Division rivalry pitting NHS against Springfield Township. The Spartans won the first two – 2-1 on Sept. 5 and 3-1 on Oct. 7, and they will have a third opportunity when they face the division champion Spartans in the District One 1A title game on Thursday.
Cozza’s first goal – this one with a Lilly Smith assist – opened the scoring for the Lions in the first quarter. A goal by Avery Mendola (Sarah Morrin assist) put the Lions on top 2-0 after one quarter. A second-quarter goal by Cozza (Kate Dougherty assist) sent the Lions into halftime with a 3-0 lead. In the third quarter, Erin Firth turned a pass from Cozza into a goal that gave the visiting Lions their final margin of victory.
New Hope-Solebury 2-1-1-0 4
Dock Mennonite Academy 0-0-0-0 0
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