QUAKERTOWN 2, ARCHBISHOP JOHN CARROLL 1
Fifteen games.
Coach Mike Koch admits he couldn’t have imagined playing anything close to 15 games, but Monday’s non-league win over the Patriots in his team’s season finale was the 15th game of an abbreviated season.
“It was a good win,” the Panthers’ coach said. “We played some good teams after our season ended. This was their tune-up for state playoffs.
“I’m very proud of the fact, in my opinion, what looked like it would be a very difficult year – they attacked it with vim and vigor and had a great season. Maybe not in making playoffs but in getting better every game. We ended up 7-7-1, and at one point in time, we were 1-5-1. It was a pretty good finish.”
Sophomore Angela Calvanese had a standout game, scoring both goals for the Panthers.
“It was nice for Calvanese,” Koch said. “I have a couple of sophomores, and I play them everywhere. She started at forward for me today, played some in the back. She starts in the back sometimes, and she starts in the midfield.
“She’s really good everywhere, and she had two very nice goals. The two goals are a tribute to Calvanese – she earned both of them. She reads the game well, she’s precise in her finishing, and she pounces on the ball. The goals were both a big credit to her.”
Just over seven minutes into the game, Calvanese put the Panthers on the scoreboard, using a Haley Gordon assist. Quakertown took that 1-0 lead into halftime.
Carroll knotted the score 10 minutes into the second half on a goal by Keri Barnett. With 17-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation, Calvanese connected on a goal that turned out to be the game-winner, this time using an assist from Morgan Sipprell. In the last three games as a field player in the second half of the contests, the Panthers’ goalkeeper has two game-winning goals and one assist on a game-winner.
“Carroll’s a good team,” Koch said of a Patriot squad coming off a win over Archbishop Wood the preceding day. “They’ll be the 4A rep for District XII.”
The Panthers’ coach credited the strong showings of several players.
“Kyla Frederick played well, Natalie Reilly played very well, and Cori Pursel played well in the center back like she always does.
“We’re going to miss our seniors next year, but we have a lot of nice young players to move forward with, so that’s exciting.”
Quakertown closed out its season with a 7-7-1 record overall (3-6-1 SOL).
Archbishop Carroll 0-1 1
Quakertown 1-1 2
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