Check out the results for SOL boys/girls lacrosse teams in action. PW/Springfield photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko. Check back for a gallery of action photos.
BOYS
ABINGTON 17, QUAKERTOWN 4
Two years removed from winning a National Conference championship, the Abington lacrosse program has struggled. The culprit has mainly been youth, as the Ghosts have 10 freshmen and sophomores in the regular rotation. However, if Wednesday’s result against Quakertown is any indication, Abington is back on the rise.
“It’s been a tough season overall,” head coach Peter Burns said. “We’ve historically had a very successful program, but we’ve been very young the last two years and have had more downs than ups. It’s great to have a game like today the last week of the season where everything is clicking the right way.”
On Wednesday, John Petriccione led the way with five goals to go along with an assist and three ground balls. Jack Kurtz (four helpers, two GBs) and Casey Hesdon (three assists, team-high eight GB’s) had hat tricks for Abington, and Nate Rose (two assists, GB), Dominic Ricciardi (GB) and Mike Mulvihill (two GBs) all scored twice.
“Our record hasn’t always indicated the development these guys have shown,” Burns said. “They have continued to grow as lacrosse players. They do everything asked of them, and today was a microcosm of what we hope to have in the future where it all comes together and everyone feeds off each other.”
Dan Helm (two GBs), Kevin Fitzgerald (three GBs) and Dimitri Sarver all picked up an assist for Abington. Connor Reed played the first three quarters in goal, picking up seven saves, while Marco McAfee played the final frame and made one save.
“The other coaches and I are extremely pleased with the effort and desire to get better,” Burns said. “They have a hunger to be in there. Guys are begging me to get in the game. That’s a great sign that guys want to get in and continue improving regardless of the score.”
Abington (4-13, 2-7 SOL) has one more game this season, a makeup date against Council Rock South on Friday. Quakertown closed out conference play 1-8 (4-11 overall).
Abington 5-3-5-4 17
Quakertown 0-3-0-1 4
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 12, ROMAN CATHOLIC 2
Nick deQuevedo and Paul Richardson both connected for a hat trick while George Baughan and Zach Coppol each had two goals to lead the Spartans to the convincing non-league win. William Kaufmann and Wilson Krewson added one goal each.
Springfield (11-4, 4-4 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Thursday.
GIRLS
SOL National Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 21, NESHAMINY 7
CB West cracked the 20-goal mark on Wednesday, with the victory highlighted by Bryn Boylan scoring her 200th career goal for the Bucks. Boylan scored seven times and had three assists in the runaway victory.
The win capped a perfect SOL National Conference season for the Bucks, who clinched sole possession of the conference crown on Monday.
Dani Dundas had five goals and four assists, and Maddie Maio scored a hat trick for CB West on Senior Night.
“Bryn gave us another reason to celebrate Senior Night and solidifed being National Conference champs,” CB West head coach Tara Schmucker said.
Beth Holloway scored twice, and Finley Ueland (assist), Meghan Darcy, Casey Reichwin (two assists) and Liv Fitzgerald (assist) all scored for the Bucks. Camryn Albrecht also chipped in a helper for the winners.
Lauren Devlin made one save in goal for the Bucks.
Central Bucks West (17-0, 8-0 SOL) will host Strath Haven in a non-league contest Thursday.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 9, NORTH PENN 7
CB East’s 17-0 loss to rival CB West a few weeks ago is starting to feel like ancient history.
The Patriots won their fifth straight game on Wednesday, a hard-fought affair against North Penn. Riley Foreman paced East with four goals and an assist, while Sara Donnelly added two goals and a helper for the victors.
“Fortunately, we are playing our best lacrosse at the end of the season, which is exactly what I hope for as a coach,” CB East head coach David Schlesinger said. “Our team has evolved so much. Our team defense has improved dramatically, and we’ve also been playing more confidently and aggressively in the second half of our last five games, which means we are learning from our mistakes in the first half.”
Brigitte Bishop, Mel Burian and Whitney Dietz (assist) all also scored for CB East, which has responded to Schlesinger’s call for the Patriots to finish the season strong by winning out.
“It’s amazing to see these high school student-athletes embrace the challenge I laid out after the West loss,” he said. “They’ve become increasingly determined to achieve that goal. With one game left against Kennett, I wouldn’t bet against us.”
Bri O’Donnell led North Penn with three goals, but CB East goalie Maddie Gresko was up to the challenge, saving eight shots that came her way.
Despite the blowout setback to West, Schlesinger never lost faith in his team.
“I’m not sure there was even a dramatic turnaround,” he said. “We had won three in a row leading up to the West game, and obviously, we ran into a great team while playing our worst game of the season. So I gave the team a choice: remain depressed and humiliated, or get back to consistently improving every day. I told them if we sweep the remaining games this season, the West loss would become a distant memory.”
Despite the loss, North Penn still had a special night. NP and Lax for Leukemia honored Alyssa Oxenford, a former North Penn player who played at East Stroudsburg and passed away in the summer of 2015. The annual night raises money for the Alyssa Oxenford Scholarship at North Penn and also for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Two current NP players, Heather Shannon and Jillian Barr, are Oxenford’s cousins.
“It was an awesome event,” North Penn head coach Heather Mellow said. “It was a sea of orange (the team wears orange ribbons and socks in support), just a really nice event. It was a very hard-fought game, tied 5-5 at halftime. It’s very symbolic of people’s fights with cancer or leukemia. It was a good fight.”
Victoria Braeunle had two goals and an assist, and Kaitlyn Phifer (assist) and Julia Keffer also scored for the Knights.
Kate Winstanley had seven saves in goal.
“We still have some lapses, but we have some very nice moments, just not enough of them,” Mellow said. “We didn’t capitalize enough on their mistakes, but they capitalized on ours.”
Central Bucks (12-5, 6-2 SOL) will travel to Kennett for a non-league game Friday, and North Penn (6-10, 3-5) will be on the road at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday for a non-league game.
CB East 5-4 9
North Penn 5-2 7
PENNRIDGE 17, PENNSBURY 10
Pennridge raced out to an 11-goal first half and never looked back in Wednesday’s victory over Pennsbury. Grace Loughery and Jen Rodzewich led the offensive attack for the victors. Loughery scored four goals to go along with two assists and six draw controls, while Rodzewich scored three times, had an assist, caused four turnovers and won eight draws. Maddie Dachowski (four helpers), Emily Price (two assists), Kate Ziegler, Jenna Lund and Morgan Wahlers all scored twice for Pennridge.
Alexa Machado made 11 saves in the winning effort.
Pennsbury had a tough road loss after an emotional win on Senior Day on Monday. Nell Webber scored four times for the Falcons and Annie Price chipped in two goals. Brooke Weaver, Amelia Sharp, Natalie Ward and Emelie Curtis also tallied goals, with Ward and Curtis also chipping in assists. Caitlyn Doyle had an assist in the losing effort.
Pennridge (12-4, 6-2 SOL) will host Upper Moreland for its Senior Night game on Thursday, and Pennsbury (3-12, 1-7) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Friday.
Pennsbury 5-5 10
Pennridge 11-6 17
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 9, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 7
For the second time in as many games, the Titans found themselves staring at a deficit, and for the second time in as many games, the rallied for the win.
“This has been our pattern the past couple of games,” South coach Janique Craig said. “Before we went out on the field, I said, ‘We have to start right from the draw,’ and we didn’t execute that.
“We did do well. Our shots just weren’t going in, and Council Rock’s goalie (Zoe Wszolek) did an amazing job. It’s not that we started out as slow this game. We needed to place our shots better.”
Wszolek stonewalled the Titans on their first five shots of the game.
Titan sophomore Anna Green came up big when it mattered most, scoring three of her game-high four goals in a second half that saw the Titans outscore their visitors 4-2. She also had three assists in a seven-point game.
“She’s really stepped up the past two games,” Craig said.
Several of Green's goals came on srong moves to goal that made her impossible to defend.
"When I see an opening, one or two defenders, I know I can usually take them, and I just go in," Green said.
Also for the Titans, Kristen Berntsen added a hat trick while Molly Sullivan and Courtney Taylor both added one goal. Taylor’s goal on a free position knotted the score 5-5 in the closing minute of the opening half as the Titans dug their way out of an early 4-0 hole.
A slow start was not exactly what the Titans were hoping for after a special Senior Night ceremony prior to the game.
"I think because we had that – we're all so excited, and we're like, 'We have to win,' but our mind isn't there," Taylor said.
"We were so excited it was Senior Night," Green said. "We thought, 'Okay, we got this. It's Senior Night. We'll be fine,' but we came out really slow."
The Golden Hawks were led by the two-goal efforts of Mary Kate Simpson and Emily Keller. Sarah Womer, Caroline McGovern and Julia Goldberg each had one goal. They remained within striking distance until the final horn, trailing by just one after a goal by Womer with 4:47 remaining. Green answered with an insurance goal at the 2:12 mark.
“We told them to play with their hearts, and they did, and we’re very, very proud of them,” Rock South coach Madison Hurwitz said. “I couldn’t have asked them to do anything different.
“They played from the very first second to the very last. All of them, every single one.”
Central Bucks South (13-3, 6-2 SOL) will host Springfield in a non-league game on Thursday. And it's been a good season for the Titans, who suffered a hit to graduation and also lost veteran Krysta Reading to a season-ending injury.
"I think we're starting to get the hang of it and fill the other positions that weren't filled with the other players," Taylor said. "I think everyone is starting to step up."
"I think we definitely improved from what we started with," Green said. "We're starting to connect better."
Council Rock South (8-8, 4-4) will travel to neighboring Villa Joseph Marie Thursday for a non-league contest.
Council Rock South 5-2 7
Central Bucks East 5-4 9
SOL American Conference
SOUDERTON 15, HATBORO-HORSHAM 11
Souderton trailed 8-6 at halftime, and Hatboro tightened the vise by scoring the first two goals of the second half. Unfazed, Souderton responded.
Riley McGowan scored four times to go along with three draw controls, and Sarah Goodwin (two assists, three caused turnovers, four draw controls) and Kait Mardi (assist) added three goals in the heroic comeback.
“Hatboro is an extremely talented team who has a ton of speed and great ball movement,” Souderton head coach Nancy Offner said. “We needed our girls to calm down and not get caught up in the urgency to respond to their play. Gaining possession on the draw was key in the second half. That changed the momentum of the game.”
Maddie Knight and and Carlie Doughty (assist, five draw controls) each scored two goals, and Anna Anello added one of her own.
“We have a lot of contributors on attack and they all worked well together tonight,” Offner said. “They never play selfish, always has a team.”
Lauren Scott made 11 saves in goal, and the Indians locked down on defense in the second half when they had to.
“Our defensive unit was able to work together and limit Hatboro’s offensive play, coming up with some key caused turnovers,” Offner said. “Lauren Scott has a great, solid performance in goal for us.”
The comeback galvanized Souderton, a defining characteristic in what has amounted to a successful season for the Big Red.
“We are extremely proud of how well this team has played this year,” Offner said. “The way they came together and fought for this win as a team tonight was awesome.”
Kaitlyn Wallace scored five times and added two assists for Hatboro. Audrey Leibfreid scored twice, while Olivia Tice, Gabby Acker and Gwyn Acker all had a goal and an assist. Lindsay Coats also scored for Hatboro.
Souderton closed out its regular season with a 12-6 record (6-3 SOL), and Hatboro-Horsham (8-7, 5-4) will play its regular season finale at Pennsbury on Friday.
Souderton 6-9 15
Hatboro 8-3 11
ABINGTON 14, QUAKERTOWN 1
The Ghosts kept it rolling on Wednesday against Quakertown, clinching sole possession of the conference title with their win. The vaunted Abington offense once again proved too much to handle, as Sam McGee led the charge with three goals to go along with two assists, four ground balls, a caused turnover and two draw control wins.
McGee, as usual, had plenty of help. Casey McAllister (assist), Lindsay Baer (two GBs, two CTs) and Sam Simon (five GBs, three DCs) all scored twice in the rout.
Single goal-scorers in this one were Kaley Ehnow (two DCs), Cathy Staerk (GB, CT, two DCs), Becca Gable (two GBs) and Lauren Van Buren (GB, DC).
Jules Greco had an assist and a ground ball, Maddie Sjoholm scooped a ground ball and caused a turnover, Anna Joseph tallied three each of ground balls and caused turnovers while also winning a draw control, Abby Thomas had three ground balls and a caused turnover and Kelly McAllister scooped three ground balls for the Ghosts. Grace Hinkle, Jordan Campbell, Sam Stokes and Jill Popper all had one ground ball, while Ella Timbers caused a turnover.
Claudia Grossi made one save for Abington in another all-encompassing team victory.
Alisa Robinson scored Quakertown’s lone goal.
Abington (13-4, 9-0 SOL) will host perennial district power Radnor in a non-league contest Friday.
PLYMOUTH-WHITEMARSH 12, SPRINGFIELD TWP 3
The PW defensive unit and goalie Meghan Ely proved incredibly stingy in the first half, allowing PW to build a 5-0 halftime lead and coast to a victory over Springfield.
Ely made eight saves in the game, allowing the Colonials’ offense to find its rhythm. Lexi Petrakis led the way with five goals and an assist, while Ali Diamond contributed three scores and an assist.
“We played well all over the field,” PW head coach Ellen Reilly said. “The offense was patient and we were aggressive on defense, forcing turnovers that led to goals in transition.”
Lilly Hanlon scored twice for the victors, and Vic Betterly and Amanda Fineman each had a goal.
“It was an all around good game for PW,” Reilly said.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-9, 5-4 SOL) will host North Penn in a non-league game on Friday, and Springfield (8-9, 2-7) will be on the road at Central Bucks South on Thursday.
Springfield Twp. 0-3 3
Plymouth-Whitemarsh 5-7 12
WISSAHICKON 7, UPPER MORELAND 6
Sydney Bachmayer scored her 200th career goal for Upper Moreland, then scored two more to break the school record. Unfortunately for Bachmayer (who also added four draw controls) and her UM teammates, Wissahickon had the last laugh in the upset victory.
Emily Vervlied put Wissahickon on her back, tallying five of her team’s seven goals in the game. Carolyn Wilde and Sam Intrieri also found the back of the goal for Wissahickon.
Elsewhere for UM, Jessica Flanagan had two goals and two draw controls, and Allison Flanagan scored once for the victors.
Cheyanne Grumm made nine saves for UM.
“She had a great game today,” UM head coach Kim Frantz said of her goalie.
Non-league
BOYERTOWN 18, UPPER DUBLIN 6
Upper Dublin was locked into a close first half, trailing just 8-5 at the break against Boyertown before the wheels fell off in the second frame.
Becky Browndorf scored twice for the Cardinals, who were outscored 10-1 in the second half by the scorching Boyertown offensive attack.
“We were down by three at the half and then just fell apart,” UD head coach Dee Cross said. “Boyertown was all over the field and we just could not figure it out and recover. They are very fast and athletic and we couldn’t stop them today.”
Jackie Rama, Caroline Wall, Hannah Reape and Lindsey Schreiber also scored for UD, with Rama adding two assists and Wall picking up one helper.
Ashley Diefold scored five times for the victors, while Maddy Siejk had four goals and Kate Kada found the back of the net three times. Hannah Wentzel scored twice to go along with three assists, and Hayden Hallman and Kylie Webb each had a goal in the winning effort.
Upper Dublin closed out its regular season with a 13-4 record (8-1 SOL).
Upper Dublin 5-1 6
Boyertown 8-10 18
Tuesday, May 9
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 15, LOWER MORELAND 0
In game one of a rare lacrosse twinbill, the Spartans dominated Tuesday’s non-league game against the visiting Lions from the opening draw to the final whistle. Lindsey Smith led the way with four goals and four draw controls. Emily Walsh added a hat trick, two ground balls and a draw control. Adding two goals each were Ellie Hamilton (one ground ball, three draw controls), Rachel Harmon (two ground balls) and Ellie Leitzel. Charlotte Henry and Kayla Bowers each had one goal. Henry also had a team high five ground balls.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 9, QUAKERTOWN 5
The Spartans made it a clean sweep, winning their second game of the day with their victory over the visiting Panthers.
Ellie Hamilton had a big game for the Spartans, finishing with four goals, three ground balls and three draw controls. Lindsey Smith also turned in a solid all-around outing with two goals, three ground balls and four draw controls. Jameson Krewson added two goals and two ground balls, and Rachel Harmon had one goal and one ground ball. Contributing two ground balls each were Gracie Woron and Allie Cottone.
Emily Henry recorded four saves in goal for the Spartans.
Springfield (8-8, 2-6 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. and then close out the regular season on the road at Central Bucks South on Thursday. Quakertown (2-14, 0-8) will host Abington in its season finale on Wednesday.
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