New Hope-Solebury advanced to Tuesday’s District 1 1A title game with a win on Thursday. Souderton & CB West both lost in Friday’s quarterfinal round of the District 1 3A Tournament. New Hope-Solebury/PPJ photos provided courtesy of Karla Donohoe. Check back for a gallery of photos. All SOS photo galleries for FIELD HOCKEY can be viewed by clicking HERE.
CLASS 3A
#3 DOWNINGTOWN WEST 2, #6 SOUDERTON 0
The Indians turned in an inspired showing in their 3-0 win over 11th-seeded Downingtown East on Wednesday. While they knew the third-seeded Whippets would present a bigger challenge, they weren’t able – according to their coach –to match the intensity they displayed in Wednesday’s win.
“If we would have played somewhat close to what we did the other night, we would have won tonight,” Souderton coach Sue Casciato said. “Maybe Downingtown West didn’t have a good game today either. They were taking us very lightly also.”
Senior Ciara Margetich, a St. Joseph University commit, scored both of the Whippets’ goals – the second the 100th of a stellar career. Three minutes into the second period, Margetich converted a penalty stroke. That 1-0 score stood until midway through the fourth quarter when she connected for her second goal on a breakaway.
“Our lines were really far apart today, and I kept saying – ‘You’ve got to push up, you’ve got to push up,’” Casciato said. “Some of our mids were 30 yards from our forwards, and our backs were 30 yards from our mids. We were basically playing not to lose. It was a winnable game, but we just did not rise to the occasion.
“I understand teams get flat, it happens, but how are you flat for the quarterfinals of districts.”
The Whippets held a 15-10 advantage in shots on goal, but the Indians had a 10-6 edge in corners.
“I do have to give credit to my goalie – Meredith DeMarzio had a good game,” Casciato said. “I think it’s very difficult at the high school level to stop a stroke against a very good player. You really can’t do it, but she came up big other times. They didn’t have a lot of shots, but they had quality shots. She kept us close the whole time.
“We had a lot of opportunities on their goalie (Kaiya Chepow), who’s going to Duke. We were close to scoring a number of times. We had the ball on her pads, but we just couldn’t poke it in.
“Ashley Magnus played well on defense. It was just kind of a down day. Sometimes it doesn’t happen, and it just didn’t happen today.”
Souderton (17-3, 15-1 SOL) will face a familiar foe in Tuesday’s playback game when the Indians host #7 Central Bucks West at a time to be determined.
Souderton 0-0-0-0 0
Downingtown West 0-1-0-1 2
#18 SPRING-FORD 3, #7 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2
The Rams are reveling in their role of underdog, notching their third win in as many games over a higher seeded team. Two days after knocking second-seeded Wissahickon from the ranks of the undefeated, they knocked off the seventh-seeded Bucks, thanks to a pair of third period goals that broke a 1-1 tie.
“Credit to Spring-Ford – they have a very good program,” West coach David DeAngelis said. “They played hard and fast throughout the entire match.
“We were unable to maintain passing consistency until midway through the fourth quarter. Teams playing this time of year are too good, and they will make you pay for mistakes (i.e. unforced errors).”
The Bucks took a 1-0 lead four-and-a-half minutes into the second quarter when Kendall Siegle scored a goal off the goalie’s pads during corner play. With 1:43 remaining in the half, Bucknell commit Julia Corropolese evened the score on a corner shot with a Nina Scott assist.
“The insert went to Julia, who ripped a straight shot that deflected off a CB West stick,” DeAngelis said.
The two teams went into halftime deadlocked 1-1, but the Rams seized control of the game with a pair of goals late in the third quarter. With 3:06 remaining in the frame, Marissa Cagliola scored an unassisted goal and then assisted on a Hailey Mozi goal with just 13 seconds remaining to send the Rams into the final quarter with a 3-1 lead.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Bucks converted a penalty stroke to make it a 3-2 game, but they would get no closer.
“We made a strong run and push over the last 10 minutes, but that was not enough,” DeAngelis said. “We will take this as a learning opportunity and be ready for playbacks next week.”
Both teams took 10 shots on goal, but the Bucks had a 14-5 advantage in penalty corners.
Central Bucks West (17-2-1, 14-1-1 SOL) will travel to Souderton for a playback game on Tuesday.
Spring-Ford 0-1-2-0 3
Central Bucks West 0-1-0-1 2
Thursday, Oct. 27
CLASS 1A
#1 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 3, #5 POPE JOHN PAUL II 0
The Lions found themselves in a dogfight for three quarters before they connected on a pair of goals in the final quarter to turn a 1-0 lead into a 3-0 win.
“It was an even game,” Lions’ coach Gwen Smith said. “They’re a very good team, they do a nice job controlling the ball in the middle, and they had some really nice transitions up the field to their
forwards.
“It was a back-and-forth game, it really was. We had more offensive opportunities, but their goalie really played fantastic. Our defense was really strong too, clearing it out when we needed to. It was a tight game for quite some time.”
The Lions took a 1-0 lead two minutes into the first quarter on a corner shot by Olivia Conte with a Sophia Cozza assist.
“That was huge because I think we would have been more frantic if we hadn’t had a goal,” Smith said. “It was on a beautiful corner. Soph got the ball up top, and Olivia put it in. She had a beautiful shot on goal.
“It was like – whew, great, but oh man, after that it was back and forth the rest of that period and the second period.”
That 1-0 score stood until the fourth quarter when the Lions added a pair. Sophia Cozza connected on the game’s second goal just over a
minute into the final frame. Maddie Thistlewaite had the assist.
“Once we got our second goal, it kind of deflated them,” Smith said.
With 8:36 remaining, Mia Patino scored New Hope’s final goal.
The Lions held an advantage in shots (20-11) and penalty corners (11-2).
“Our defense just did a really nice job closing them down,” Smith said. “Our goalie – Caroline Berman –and center back Maddie Thistlewaite played really well. Olivia Conte had a defensive save, so that was awesome. She played really well, and Lauren Trenti did also. Sophia Cozza also is instrumental all over the field.
“I talked to their coaches – we really enjoyed playing each other. It was an evenly matched game. They were a good team. They have some nice players. It was fun game.”
New Hope-Solebury (17-2, 14-2 SOL) will face #2 Dock Mennonite in the District 1 1A final on Tuesday at Springfield Township High School at 3:30 p.m.
Pope John Paul II 0-0-0-0 0
New Hope-Solebury 1-0-0-2 3
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