Check out the results for SOL field hockey teams in action Wednesday.
National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1
Anna Lehman has been on some kind of a tear.
On Wednesday, the senior forward connected for the hat trick to lead the Indians to the important win over their neighboring rival, upping her goal total over the last three games to 12.
“I moved her back to left forward, and it seems to be working,” coach Heather Whalin said. “I had her at center attacking mid because I was worried we weren’t going to get enough of a push in the middle, but Devon Mela has been playing there, and she’s doing well.
“We needed more of a push on the left side, so I said, ‘All right, let’s do this again,’ and she’s responded.”
Lehman put the Indians on the board at the 27:25 mark of the first half, using an assist from Jennica Jonovich. With 3:17 left in the half, the Lehman-Jonovich connection was at it again, combining for a goal that sent the Indians into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
“When I got to the game today, I could see how pumped Anna was,” Whalin said. “I leaned to my assistant coach and said, ‘She’s on fire today.’
“You could see it. When she’s going to go, she’s going to go, and there’s no stopping her.”
The Golden Hawks trimmed the Indians’ lead to 2-1 when Mikayla Van Aken (Caroline McGovern assist) scored at the 23:11 mark of the second half, but two minutes later, Lehman – once again using a Jonovich assist – had an answer, connecting for her third goal that gave the Indians their final margin of victory.”
“I think after we played Neshaminy and played so well (in a 1-0 overtime loss) – I think this team realized that we have to play as a team,” Whalin said. “This was a good game.
“You could see after we scored our third goal that South got a little deflated, but they were in it the whole time. They played tough the whole time. Caroline (McGovern) is such a dominant player. Jennica Jonovich and Julianne Mangano really keyed on Caroline, and it helped us a lot.”
Wednesday’s win avenged a 3-2 overtime loss at the hands of the Hawks in the initial meeting between the two teams.
“What hurt us the last time was our corner defense,” Whalin said. “We let them score twice on corners, and this time we did not.
“They’re playing as a team right now. They’re trusting each other, they’re feeling comfortable with each other. My three backs – Hannah Stalker, Gabby Shepherd, Rachel Pomerantz – played fantastic today.”
Rock North Margaret D’Auria turned away three shots in the win.
“She has stepped it up, and she never played goalie before ever – she’s the lacrosse goalie,” Whalin said. “Today she stopped a breakaway.
“She’s just a hard worker. If she started her freshman year, it would be scary where she would be right now. Her saves have been unbelievable, and that’s coming from a goalie.”
Rock South goalie Julia Pero stopped five shots. The Indians – who are now tied with Pennsbury for third place in the conference standings – held a 9-5 advantage in shots.
Council Rock North (10-5, 8-4 SOL) will travel to Abington on Friday, and Council Roc South (11-5, 10-2) will be on the road at Pennsbury.
Council Rock North 2-1 3
Council Rock South 0-1 1
NESHAMINY 4, PENNSBURY 0
Senior Christen Pennington had a hand in all four goals, contributing a hat trick and an assist to lead the Redskins to a win that clinched at least a share of the National Conference crown. Of far more importance to coach Kaitlin Koczynski was her team’s response to its first loss of the season 24 hours earlier.
“Yesterday was definitely a learning experience for us,” the Redskins’ coach said of her team’s 2-1 loss to Central Bucks West. “We were taking shots yesterday, but nothing was going in.
“Today when we would take a shot, good things were happening for us when we were in the circle.”
Pennington had a lot to do with that.
Two minutes into the game, she turned an Emily Alexis pass into a goal to put the ‘Skins on the scoreboard, and midway through the half, the senior captain scored an unassisted goal. The Redskins took that 2-0 lead into halftime.
“Christen was making the right touches and finding the back of the net,” Koczynski said. “With our team – when we score early, we get even more hyped. Getting on the board early and often really helped in the long run.”
Maria Palmieri (Pennington assist) connected for a goal at the 21:47 mark of the second half, and Pennington closed out an impressive performance with her third goal with 9:52 remaining in regulation – this time using a Palmieri assist.
Today’s win capped a tough stretch of three games in three days for the Redskins.
“Pennsbury is always a tough game for us,” Koczynski said. “Every year, they’re very skilled, they’re aggressive, and they want to win just as much as we want to win. Every year, whether we’re home or away, it’s a good game.
“We’re definitely not done yet. We have two more games, and we just want to finish strong.”
Neshaminy (15-1, 12-0 SOL) will host Truman on Friday, and Pennsbury (10-6, 8-4) will host Council Rock South.
Neshaminy 2-2 4
Pennsbury 0-0 0
BENSALEM 1, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
It’s always a battle when the neighboring rivals square off against each other, and Wednesday’s contest was no exception.
Unlike the initial meeting between the two squads that saw Truman open up an early 2-0 lead only to watch Bensalem fight back to earn a 3-2 win, the Owls took the early lead and then held on the rest of the way. The win gives the Owls a sweep of the season series.
Alyssa Dalrymple scored off a corner at the 24:30 mark of the first half. Neither team scored over the final 55-and-a-half minutes.
“We definitely came out strong at the beginning,” coach Amanda Tu said. “It was actually a really good game. My girls just played really good defense, and Selena Lee made some really great saves.
“It was definitely an exciting game.”
Lee was credited with 11 saves in the shutout win.
Tu also to lauded the standout defensive efforts of Dalrymple, Meghann Freeley, Lianna Cameron, Faith Dydak and Madison Kubik.
The win came on the heels of a 4-0 loss to Abington the preceding day.
“In our game yesterday, I feel like my girls dominated, and every shot they took – they were just missing the net,” Tu said. “We had 13 corners, and I told them – ‘After all the shots you took yesterday, one of them has to be on today.’”
Bensalem (5-9, 2-9 SOL) will host William Tennent on Friday, and Truman (0-14-1, 0-11-1) will travel to Neshaminy.
“I told them – anything can happen this week,” Tu said. “Hopefully, they can pull out some wins.”
Bensalem 1-0 1
Truman 0-0 0
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2, HATBORO-HORSHAM 1
The Bucks won their third game in as many days to clinch at least a share of the Continental Conference crown, eking out the win over the Hatters.
“Hatboro brought intensity and a quick strike attack to their game today and played gritty against (us),” West coach Courtney Lepping said.
Hatters’ coach Laura Swezey was pleased with her team’s performance against a West squad that hasn’t lost this season.
“What an amazing game,” she said, crediting the defensive play of Heather Timm and Kayla Reighn. “They did exactly what they were asked to accomplish in marking different CB West players.
“The defense of Kaitlyn Wallace, Keeley Henry, Kelsey Hopkins, Brenna Reilley and (goalie) Liz Wilburn on corners was outstanding.”
West got on the scoreboard when Taylor Mason turned a Cadera Smith pass into a goal at the 13:46 mark of the first half, capping a passing sequence that began at the 50 and culminated with Smith sending a pass from the 25 through the circle to Mason.
“Play was in Hatboro’s circle after (we) earned multiple corners, and off of the corners, Hatboro was able to counterattack and take it the length of the field to score,” Lepping said.
Lizzy Theurer (Syd Rausa assist) scored the tying goal with 7:03 remaining in an opening half that saw West hold a 9-1 edge in corners. The Bucks – who drew 18 corners in the game – continued to control play in the second half but couldn’t convert until the 15:32 mark when Ryan Murray deflected an Emily Halderson shot on a corner into the cage.
“We had a chance to tie the score when Syd Rausa had a fierce shot from the top of the circle with about six minutes left in the game that hit the post and ricocheted out,” Swezey said. “With that goal, the game would have been tied and then anyone’s game.
“Our team has been consistently picking up momentum, and it was evident in the way we played tonight.”
Wilburn was credited with 11 saves in goal. West held an 18-1 advantage in corners.
Central Bucks West (15-0, 11-0 SOL) will close out the week with a showdown at Central Bucks East on Friday (3:30 p.m.). Hatboro-Horsham (6-9, 5-7) will travel to Pennridge on Monday night (7 p.m.).
Central Bucks West 1-1 2
Hatboro-Horsham 1-0 1
PENNRIDGE 2, NORTH PENN 1
The Lady Rams understood the significance of Wednesday’s contest at North Penn if they entertained hopes of earning a district berth.
“We don’t talk about power rankings all the time, but on Monday when the rankings came out, they were a little disappointed because they beat (Central Bucks) South, but they didn’t move up – they went down,” coach Becky Spahr said. “They knew North Penn was up there, and in our huddle, they said, ‘This is what we have to do to get to playoffs.’ They’re excited.”
Senior Jenna Richardson broke a scoreless tie when she scored in the final minute of the first half, using a Larissa Motts assist.
“She’s been a midfielder, and I moved her up to play some forward,” Spahr said. “She’s done a good job.
“All the girls are taking new positioning in stride. They just want to do whatever they need to help the team.”
Freshman Caitlyn Amsden scored an unassisted goal at the 27:12 mark of the second half to give the Rams a 2-0 lead.
“I think they have confidence that we can score this season,” Spahr said. “I think in the past it’s been like – who knows if we might actually score.
“I think they’re really getting that confidence that we can put the ball in the cage, and having that lead just lets them be comfortable, lets them communicate a little bit more. Nobody is panicked, and that really helps.”
Brianna O’Donnell put the Maidens on the scoreboard with 10:28 remaining, and that 2-1 score held the rest of the way.
Carley Wingate came up huge in the win, turning away 13 shots in goal for the Lady Rams.
“Our defense had to play tough today,” Spahr said. “North Penn really stepped up their intensity in the second half and put a lot of pressure on Carley and the defense.
“Late in the season, we had a few injuries, and I am so impressed with the fitness and toughness of our entire team, especially midfielders Kellie Drugotch, Kira Ozer, Larissa Motts and Emily Price. They’re literally playing the entire game. They’re just being tough.”
The Maidens held a 14-10 advantage in shots and a 12-7 edge in corners.
“We’ve been struggling with that,” said Spahr of the corner disparity. “I think part of it is we changed up our defense because we lost Victoria Arnold to an injury.
“We moved Meghan Griffin back, and she helps us offensively, so I talked to the girls and said, ‘We haven’t had as many offensive opportunities, but the ones we have we have to finish.’
“They’ve really done that. We’ve got a really nice, strong defense, and they’re helping us get those opportunities and the same with the midfield. We have a young forward line, and they’re putting the ball in the cage when they need to.
“I have a great group of girls that love playing together. They are motivated and ready to work each game.”
Pennridge (8-6, 6-6 SOL) will host Bensalem on Saturday, and North Penn (7-8, 7-5) will travel to Souderton on Monday.
Pennridge 1-1 2
North Penn 0-1 1
SOUDERTON 4, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2
The visiting Indians struck quickly and never lost their early momentum, opening up a 4-0 lead early in the second half before the Titans – who celebrated Senior Night at War Memorial Field – scored a pair of late goals.
“A lot of teams score early on us, and we know what that can do,” Souderton coach Lauren Whiteside said. “Right out of the gate, you could just tell from the way we did our cheer to our focus watching the jayvee game, we were ready to go.
“We have been to this field so many times, and we haven’t had successes. When we came here again, we looked at this field and said, ‘We need a win here. We need momentum in our direction.’”
If the Indians needed momentum, they got it when Liz O’Hara – who finished with the hat trick – turned a Nina Disco pass into a goal at the 18:49 mark of the first half.
“Liz and Nina were really able to communicate on that left side of the field,” Whiteside said.
The Indians added a goal during play after their fifth corner of the half. South goalie Sarah Zeszotarski delivered a glittering stick save of the Indians’ initial shot, but Disco found the cage with the rebound to put the Indians on top 2-0 with 12:32 remaining in the opening half.
Any doubts about the outcome were put to rest when O’Hara scored a pair of goals within a four-minute span early in the second half. Senior Erin Sayboldt assisted on both.
The Titans got on the scoreboard when senior Steph Litzenberger scored an unassisted goal during corner play, and with 25 seconds remaining, Alexa Milanesi scored for the 4-2 final.
“This means so much,” Disco said. “We’ve really had an up and down season.
“This is really pumping us up for the rest of our games so we can end our season good. We just love being around each other. We really feed off each other.”
The win was the third in four games for the Indians, who began their late season run with an upset of CB East last Friday.
“This past week we really showed the improvement we’ve had,” O’Hara said. “I think we know it’s coming to the end of the season, and we have to give it our all.
“The seniors know this is the last chance they can play on the high school field. I think we’re just really putting our hearts in the game. We’ve all been working so well together.”
Whiteside credited the strong play of O’Hara and fellow sophomore Jessica Gabriel.
“Jess’s touches were really on today,” the Indians’ coach said of her speedy forward.
For the Titans, it was a disappointing outcome on Senior Night.
“We had a really good vibe in our pregame warm-up,” South coach Lindsay Walbrandt said. “Everybody was excited for Senior Night. I guess we just didn’t find a way to translate that out onto the field.
“I was very proud of the way they ended. They turned it around. We always say – play to the final whistle, and that’s what they did.”
Souderton (6-8-1, 3-8-1 SOL) will host North Penn on Monday (6:30 p.m.), and Central Bucks South (3-10-1, 3-7-1) will travel to Quakertown on Monday (7 p.m.)
Souderton 2-2 4
Central Bucks South 0-2 2
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 7, QUAKERTOWN 3
The Patriots sprinted to a 5-1 lead on their way to the important win.
Kelsey Mulholland ignited the Patriots’ offense with back-to-back goals within a four-minute span early in the opening half – using a Riley Donnelly assist on the first and an Abbey Butler assist on the second. Quakertown’s Emma McLaughlin cut that lead in half five minutes later, but the Patriots closed out the half with goals from Mackenzie Boyle and Butler (Boyle assist) to go into halftime with a 4-1 lead.
Donnelly connected for an unassisted goal at the 22:22 mark of the second half before McLaughlin scored back-to-back goals for the Panthers to make it a a 5-3 game. Donnelly and Cailey Lever (Donnelly assist) both scored late goals for the Patriots for the 7-3 final.
Quakertown held a 9-8 edge in corners, but the Patriots had a 13-6 advantage in shots.
Central Bucks East (13-3, 9-3 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Friday, and Quakertown (4-12, 2-10) will host Central Bucks South.
Central Bucks East 4-3 7
Quakertown 1-2 3
American Conference
WISSAHICKON 2, NORRISTOWN 1
Norristown goalie Lauren Whitley singlehandedly kept her Eagles’ squad in Wednesday’s game, turning away 21 shots in a stellar outing.
Jess Waite scored both of Wissahickon’s goals – the first with a Marie Dickson assist at the 23:36 mark and the second with an assist from Sarah Edelson with 5:17 remaining in the half.
Catriona Fox scored a goal for the Eagles to make it a 2-1 game at the intermission. That score held the rest of the way.
Wissahickon goalie Claire Tarzia was credited with seven saves in a winning effort.
Wissahickon (11-4, 10-2 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Friday, and Norristown (1-15, 1-11) will host Upper Moreland.
Norristown 1-0 1
Wissahickon 2-0 2
UPPER DUBLIN 5, UPPER MERION 1
Jess Grodsky connected for a hat trick to lead the Cardinals to the win. It was Grodskey (Marlee Siegel assist) putting the home team on the scoreboard at the 27:27 mark of the opening half.
Rella Staley answered with a goal for the Vikings, knotting the score four minutes later, but Siegel got that goal back when she found the back of the cage a minute later. Anna Gouveia’s unassisted goal put the Cardinals on top 3-1, and when Grodsky scored her second goal, this time using an Elizabeth Barber assist, it was a 4-1 game at the 12:17 mark. Neither team scored the remainder of the half.
Grodsky’s third goal of the afternoon with an assist from Gouveia at the 24:21 mark of the second half put the finishing touches on the big win.
UD had a decided advantage in shots (24-3) and corners (8-1). UM goalie Kate Foy was credited with 19 saves while Marlowe Gardner recorded one save for the winners.
Upper Dublin (5-9, 5-7 SOL) will travel to North Penn for a non-league contest on Thrusday. Upper Merion (2-12, 1-10) will host Springfield.
Upper Merion4-1 5
Upper Dublin 1-0 1
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 1
In a game of limited offensive opportunities, the Colonials edged the Spartans.
“A lot of the game was played in the midfield,” PW coach Marianne Paparone said.
The Colonials took a 1-0 lead when Paige Totten turned a Sophie Kolkka pass into a goal at the 21:43 mark of the first half. That lead stood until Springfield’s Meredith Giordano scored on a corner with 12:06 remaining in regulation. Kolkka scored the game winner with 5:29 left on the scoreboard clock.
Paparone credited Kolkka for playing a strong game in the midfield and also acknowledged the solid play of Kolby Bechtel and Sami Mangine on defense.
“Springfield played strong defense and limited (our) scoring opportunities,” the PW coach said. “They also are a good grass team.
“We need to play with a little more energy, and we need to play smarter field hockey.”
PW held an edge in shots (7-2) and corners (5-2).
Plymouth Whitemarsh (12-2, 11-1 SOL) will be on the road at Cheltenham on Thursday. A win will clinch at least a share of the conference crown. Springfield (7-8, 5-6) will travel to Upper Merion on Friday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-1 2
Springfield 0-1 1
UPPER MORELAND 8, CHELTENHAM 0
Jenna Getz scored four goals, and Emily Zanine added a pair to lead the Golden Bears to the decisive shutout win.
Getz (Maura O’Leary assist) gave the Bears a lead they would not lose when she scored at the 24:32 mark of the first half. O’Leary (Jess Flanagan assist) and Emily Jeinnings each tacked on a goal before Getz (Flanagan assist) connected for her second goal of the day with 37 seconds remaining in the half to put the Bears on top 4-0.
Getz scored back-to-back goals within a five-minute span midway through the second half, and Zanine closed out the game with a pair of her own for the 8-0 final.
UM goalies Allison Felicetti and Melissa Barber were not forced to make a save in the shutout. Cheltenham’s Tegan Dorley recorded 21 saves.
Upper Moreland (11-4, 9-3 SOL) will travel to Norristown on Friday, and Cheltenham (6-9, 5-7) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Thursday.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Upper Moreland 4-4 8
About the Author
