North Penn edged PW in a classic battle of SOL powers. Check out the results for SOL field hockey teams in action Friday.
Non-league
NORTH PENN 3, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2
The Knights celebrated Senior Night with a dramatic come-from-behind win over the Colonials, scoring a pair of goals in the final 5:44. Emily Crawford scored the game winner with 1:03 remaining.
“It was an awesome win,” coach Shannon McCracken said. “I felt like we really put together a complete game and played really well as a team and kept good control of the ball. Our passes were really crisp and on tonight.”
The two teams exchanged goals in the first half. Bri O’Donnell spotted the Knights a 1-0 lead when she connected on an unassisted goal with 8:35 remaining in the first half. Ava Borkowski answered with just 24 seconds remaining, scoring on a reverse stick goal.
Eight minutes into the second half, Julia Fiddler found the cage to put the Colonials on top 2-1, using a beautiful cross from Sam Spera. That score stood until Julia Scanlon turned a pass from Kellie Pickford into a goal with 5:44 remaining, setting the stage for Crawford’s game winner.
“The winning goal was in a quick transition, and it was a pass up the middle and then Emily beat two defenders and took it into the circle, pulled around the keeper and put it in – it was a beautiful goal,” said McCracken, lauding the effort of her forwards – Crawford, O’Donnell and Mikayla Barrow.
“I thought our offensive line was key tonight,” the Knights’ coach said. “They were dynamic, they were fast, they kept possession of the ball, and they created opportunities in the circle.”
The Knights had 12 corners to just five for the Colonials, but PW held an 18-13 advantage in shots, an advantage that was negated by the 15-saves effort of senior goalie Anissa Gardizy.
“Anissa had a great game in goal for us,” McCracken said. “She’s just been playing great for us the entire season.”
PW coach Charise Halteman had her take on the disappointing ending.
“Unfortunately, our inability to outlet the ball under pressure cost us in the last five minutes of the game,” the Colonials’ coach said.
North Penn (10-5-1) will host Pennridge on Monday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (15-2, 13-0) will be on the road at Quakertown on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-1 2
North Penn 1-2 3
NESHAMINY 2, MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH 0
The Redskins notched an impressive non-league win, defeating a Magic squad that is seeded fourth in the latest District One 2A power rankings and has lost just three times all season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our team,” coach Jamie Pinto said. “The girls needed a big win, and they deserved it today.
“We came out strong, intense and ready to play. The girls played hard the whole 60 minutes – never backing down, connecting on passes, playing smart and finishing. They have been playing well, and it came together today. We want to build on this win and finish our season strong and then start to focus on districts.”
Peyton Ritchey turned an Abby Geisler pass into a goal seven minutes into the game, and that’s all the Redskins would need. Three minutes into the second half, Kayla Connelly added an insurance goal with assists from Ritchey and Geisler.
Neshaminy (11-6, 9-2 SOL) will close out its regular season at Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Mount St. Joseph 0-0 0
Neshaminy 1-1 2
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, RIDLEY 1
The visiting Indians rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to earn the non-league win. The win came on the heels of back-to-back losses to Neshaminy and conference champion Pennsbury earlier this week.
“They played awesome yesterday – I was really proud of them,” coach Heather Whalin said of the Indians’ showing in a 3-0 loss to the Falcons one day earlier. “Today we came out real, real slow. They were tired, and I get it because they were up for such a big game with Pennsbury, and they don’t know who Ridley is.”
The Green Raiders scored the only goal of the first half 11 minutes into the game. Abbie Lustig connected on the equalizer with 13:32 remaining in regulation.
“They scored the first goal on a corner, and it was not a good goal,” Whalin said. “Everyone got mad.
“I put one of my jayvee players (Lustig) in the game, and she did great. She scored the first goal. I said to my girls, ‘Do you want to go into overtime with them?’ They said, ‘No.’”
Bridget Thompson made sure that didn’t happen, connecting for the game winner with 2:25 remaining.
“I said, ‘Bridget, ‘You’ve got to take it on your back,’ and she was like, ‘I got it, coach,’” Whalin said. “Bridget played a great game. I pushed everyone up a unit, so Bridget – instead of being attacking mid went up to center forward, and she just got it done.
“She was like, ‘I am not getting knocked out of playoffs because of this game,’ and she really took the team on her back in the second half and did a great job.”
Whalin may have given her team added motivation to earn the win. The Indians’ coach had surgery on an injured finger earlier in the day but was not about to miss the game. Unable to drive, Whalin rode to the game with her father.
Council Rock North (8-9, 5-7 SOL) will host Mount Saint Joseph Academy in its regular season finale on Monday at 3:30 p.m.
Council Rock North 0-2 2
Ridley 1-0 1
ABINGTON 3, GARNET VALLEY 0
Natalie McNamara staked the visiting Ghosts to a 1-0 halftime lead when she connected on her first of three goals. The senior standout completed the hat trick with a pair of goals in the second half – the first with an Anna Joseph assist.
The Jaguars held a 13-9 advantage in shots, but Mackensie Grenier stonewalled them at every turn, recording 13 saves in the shutout.
Garnet Valley also held an 8-5 edge in corners.
Abington (9-9, 5-6 SOL) will host Bensalem on Tuesday.
Abington 1-2 3
Garnet Valley 0-0 0
PENNRIDGE 8, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 0
The Rams exploded for six first-half goals on their way to a rout of the visiting Crusaders in a non-league game.
Senior Maddie Pennie scored back-to-back goals to open the scoring onslaught. After Caitlyn Amsden turned a Sydney Borneman pass into a goal, senior Caroline Beljan connected on back-to-back goals of her own – the first unassisted and the second with an Amsden assist. Amsden (Macy Price assist) found the cage with her second goal to send the Rams into halftime with a commanding 6-0 lead.
The second half featured goals by Sydney Borneman (Emily Amsden assist) and Emily Amsden (Caitlyn Amsden assist).
Goalie Makenzie Bross was credited with four saves in the shutout.
“It was a great team win,” coach Becky Spahr said.
Pennridge (5-10, 2-9 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Monday.
Lansdale Catholic 0-0 0
Pennridge 6-2 8
PALISADES 4, QUAKERTOWN 2
Senior Jennifer Jimenz scored a pair of goals – the first one with five seconds remaining in the first half to make it a 2-1 game. Her second came after the Pirates had opened up a 4-1 lead.
Quakertown (5-10, 5-8 SOL) will close its season on Tuesday when the Panthers host Plymouth Whitemarsh at 7 p.m.
Quakertown 1-1 2
Palisades 2-2 4
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 10, VILLA JOSEPH MARIE 0
Mackenzie Boyle scored the game winner less than 10 minutes into the game, and the Patriots were just getting started. Three minutes later, Riley Donnelly connected on her first of three goals, this one with a Boyle assist. Phia Mannino (Cailey Lever assist) and Riley Donnelly each added a goal to send the Patriots into halftime with a 4-0 lead.
Mannino scored on the rebound of a goalie save of a Donnelly shot less than a minute into the second half, and then it was Lever scoring on a reverse chip with an assist from Isobel Mannino. Back-to-back Donnelly goals – the first with a Phia Mannino assist and the second with an assist from Lever – gave the Patriots an 8-0 lead. Boyle and Whitney Dietz (Isobel Mannino assist) both found the cage to close out the scoring.
The Patriots' dominance is underscored by their advantage in shots (20-0) and corners (12-0).
Central Bucks East (14-3, 10-1 SOL) will close out its regular season at Central Bucks South on Tuesday (3:30 p.m.).
Central Bucks East 4-6 10
Villa Joseph Marie 0-0 0
Thursday, Oct. 12
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 10, CHELTENHAM 0
The Colonials opened up a 6-0 lead en route to a win that clinched sole possession of the program's fifth consecutive conference crown.
Ava Borkowski, Sam Spera and Kaleigh Missimer each conributed a pair of goals while Jess Dixon, Autumn Luptak, Jes Bendl and Kennedy Reardon each added one goal. Sophie Kolkka had a pair of assists.
With the win, the Colonials upped their conference record to 13-0 with one conference game remaining (15-1 overall).
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 6-4 10
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