CB West edged Neshaminy in Tuesday’s battle of SOL unbeaten field hockey squads. Check out all of Tuesday’s results. Photo provided courtesy of Jesse Garber. To view photos of the Neshaminy/CB West game, please click on the following link: http://JSGarber.zenfolio.com/p181456702
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2, NESHAMINY 1
Cadera Smith was relatively low key after the Bucks edged the Redskins to earn the distinction of the lone SOL team without a loss. At the mention of her lift shot over the goalie for the game winner midway through the second half, West’s dangerous forward allowed herself a smile.
“I got the ball, and I lifted it over the other girl’s stick,” Smith said of the play that resulted in the game winner. “All I saw was the goalie come out and lay down right in front of me. I was like, ‘This can’t be real.’ I just pulled it back and popped it right over her. I was like, ‘This is too easy, this can’t be real.’”
Coach Courtney Lepping has come to expect the unexpected from her junior forward's offensive arsenal.
“Cadera has so much in her bag of tricks, and we are constantly encouraging her to use all of her bag of tricks,” the Bucks’ coach said. “One of our assistant coaches, Becca Chylack, has been really talking with Cadera, and she would be so proud of that goal.
“(She) saw the goalie down from where she was and still got enough mustard on it and got it over the goalie. It was a Cadera goal, it was just a really pretty goal.”
Smith’s goal capped another comeback win for the Bucks, who fell behind 1-0 when Christen Pennington turned a Mia Sexton pass into a goal five-and-a-half minutes into the contest. Bryn Boylan got that goal back when she connected on a powerful shot with 5:32 remaining in the first half.
The Redskins had the better of play in the first half – especially in the opening minutes of the game, and West’s players acknowledged that it took some time to adjust to playing to grass.
“Yesterday we were playing on turf, and it was such a hard change,” Smith said. “Obviously, they’re a good team, they’re used to the grass, and it was a little slow coming out. In the second half, we got the hang of it.”
The 1-1 tie remained intact until Smith’s goal at the 15:30 mark of the second half.
“I can’t even describe how important it is to not give up, to not give up hope and just keep pushing, and you might end up with a win like we did,” Smith said of her team’s second comeback in three games. “I never thought we would get this far undefeated. I’m so proud of my team.
“I think it was important for us to play this team because they’re a really good team. It was a great challenge, and we really love a challenge.”
For the Bucks, the win was their second over an SOL National Conference team in four days. On Saturday, they defeated Pennsbury 4-3 in a game they trailed 3-1 early in the second half.
“We had the same sort of thing,” Lepping said. “We started slow until we figured out the grass.
“Having that game Saturday was really helpful to us, just to know we could come back, that we could score goals and that we could still play our game. The second half, especially, we were doing a really good job of the little passes and having five people around the ball and connecting with each other.”
In the most recent District One power rankings, West was ranked third and Neshaminy fourth, and not a whole lot separated the two teams on Tuesday.
“This was definitely a learning experience for the girls, and it’s good that it happened now and not later,” Neshaminy coach Caitlin Koczynski said. “It’s hard to go undefeated, so hopefully we got the loss out of us and build for the next game.
“We didn’t play bad, but there were points we broke down, and those breakdowns – they capitalized on it, so we definitely have to learn from that and take it into the next game.”
Neshaminy senior Amanda Blum put her team’s first loss into perspective.
“I think (being undefeated is) something we considered, but in the end, what matters is we win SOLs and move on into playoffs and try to go to states,” Blum said. “I think we can look at (this game) and learn from it and fix the things that we’ve done wrong, and that will help us play better the next game.
“When we play Pennsbury tomorrow, we need to work on things we didn’t do today and play even better.”
Neshaminy (14-1, 11-0 SOL) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Wednesday, and Central Bucks West (14-0, 10-0) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham.
Central Bucks West 1-1 2
Neshaminy 1-0 1
ABINGTON 4, BENSALEM 0
Sam McGee connected for the hat trick to lead the visiting Ghosts to the decisive win.
Two minutes into the contest, McGee – Jackie Kizel assist – put the Ghosts on the board, and she scored her second goal of the half off a Georgia Wasekanes assist.
In the second half, Kaila Brown got into the scoring column, using an Evangeline Wang assist. McGee completed the hat trick with an unassisted goal.
Coach Amanda McMahon credited the performance of Wang.
“Evangeline Wang played solid defense and helped transitioning the play from defense to offense,” the Ghosts’ coach said.
Ghosts’ keeper Alyssa Herman earned the shutout with 12 saves. Bensalem goalie Selena Lee had 14 saves.
Abington (5-9, 3-8 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Friday, and Bensalem (4-9, 1-9) will be on the road at Truman on Wednesday.
Abington 2-2 4
Bensalem 0-0 0
SOUDERTON 5, WILLIAM TENNENT 1
The Indians scored a pair of goals in the opening half and added three more in the second on their way to the convincing non-league win.
“Coming off a disappointing loss yesterday and a very busy schedule to end the season, I'm so happy and proud that the girls were able to turn a big non-league game today into a huge win,” said coach Lauren Whiteside, whose team fell to Pennridge 2-0 on Monday. “Not only does it add a win to a record, it's a win for us internally since we have been struggling to make connective passes and to finish in the goal. Today we added two more players to our list of scorers, which gives us more depth and confidence.”
Erin Saybolt put the Indians on the scoreboard midway through the half on a reverse lift shot from – according to her coach – a very tough angle on the baseline.
A goal by Jessica Gabriel from the top of the circle with 3:50 remaining in the half made it a 2-0 game at the intermission.
Saybolt connected for her second goal during corner play, this time using a Nina Disco assist, and then it was Saybolt assisting on an Ali Casciato shot, also during corner play. An unassisted goal by Jenna Hunsberger put the Indians on top 5-0 with 23:40 remaining. Gina Markus (Maddy Murtha assist) tipped in a shot to put the Panthers on the board with 6:44 left in the contest.
The Indians held a decided advantage in shots (23-4) and corners (16-5).
“Our middies did a great job holding the width of the field and using effective passes,” Whiteside said. “William Tennent played a high offense game and our defense did a great job in marking and not allowing breakaways. Offense took almost twice as many shots as other games and really connected with each other in their passing and shots.”
Souderton goalie Megan Mehaffey was credited with four saves in the win. Tennent’s Trish McCoy recorded 18 saves.
Souderton (5-8-1, 2-8-1 SOL) will travel to War Memorial Field for a 7 p.m. contest against Central Bucks South on Wednesday. William Tennent (2-12-1, 2-7-1) will host Abington Thursday at 7 p.m.
William Tennent 0-1 1
Souderton 2-3 5
POTTSTOWN 2, NORRISTOWN 1 (2 OT)
The Eagles lost a hard fought battle against the visiting Trojans.
Georgiai Werkiser scored an unassisted goal to put the Eagles on top 1-0 with 18:16 remaining in the half, and it looked as though that lead would hold up the rest of the way, but the Trojans had other ideas. Breana Bocmar scored an unassisted goal with 5:30 remaining in regulation to knot the score and set the stage for overtime. Pottstown won it with 5:57 remaining in OT.
The Eagles held an 11-7 advantage in corners.
Norristown (1-13, 1-10 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon on Wednesday.
Pottstown 1-0-0-1 2
Norristown 1-0-0-0 1
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