Check out Wednesday’s SOL field hockey results. To view photos of the CR North/CR South game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
National Conference
NESHAMINY 5, PENNSBURY 1
It’s official.
Neshaminy clinched it first conference title since 2008, thanks to Wednesday’s convincing win over the Falcons. The win came two days after the Redskins defeated defending conference champion Council Rock North.
“It’s sweet – it’s the icing on the cake,” coach Caitlin Koczynski said. “These are big games for us. Every game, especially in the league, is huge because we have such a strong league.
“It’s exciting to end the league season on such a high note.”
The Redskins seized control of Wednesday’s game early, getting on the scoreboard when Brittany Sheenan scored her first of four goals just 25 seconds into the game, this one with a Rachel Rotteveel assist. She followed that with back-to-back goals, the first with a Juliette Rihl assist and the second assisted by Rotteveel, to put the Redskins on top 3-0. Annie Kopera turned a pass from Christen Pennington into a goal that sent the Redskins into halftime with a 4-0 lead.
“They knew we needed this game today, and Pennsbury is such a strong team,” Koczynski said. “They knew they needed to take care of the ball and not focus on anything else.
“They needed to focus on this game, and that’s what they did. They went out and worked so hard, and I’m so proud of them.”
Maggie Purcell scored to break up the Redskins’ shutout bid, but Sheenan (Adrienne Reice assist) connected with 13 seconds remaining for the 5-1 final.
The Redskins’ dominance is underscored in their advantage in shots (16-1) and corners (23-1). Pennsbury’s Christina Diretto was credited with nine saves in goal while her counterpart, Sarah Mitchell, was not forced to make a save.
To read field hockey beat writer Karen Sangillo’s complete game story, please click on the following PhillyBurbs.com link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/courier/neshaminy-claims-sol-crown/article_f7256e12-6eed-56a8-90bf-248e4e29e107.html
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
Alex Kuzma scored the game's lone goal at the 17-minute mark, using an assist from Kate Keller. The Indians closed out their regular season with a 12-2 mark in league play (13-5 overall) while the Golden Hawks are 10-3-1 in the league (12-5-1 overall).
WILLIAM TENNENT 6, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
Rachael Mueller connected for the hat trick to lead the Panthers, and teammate Jennifer D'Angelo added a pair of goals. Colleen McCabe scored a single goal to close out the scoring for the Panthers, who closed out league play with a 7-6-1 record (8-8-1 overall). The Tigers finished 2-12 in the league (4-13 overall).
ABINGTON 5, BENSALEM 0
The Ghosts celebrated Senior Night with an impressive win over the Owls, opening up a 2-0 halftime lead and never looking back. Senior Cate Hughes led the Ghosts with the hat trick, using assists from Katherin Geating, Lizzy Petermichi and Faith Geating. Katherine Geating (Jackie Farides assist) and Farides each connected for single goals to close out the scoring.
The Ghosts closed out league play with a 4-7-3 record (5-9-3 overall) while the Owls were 0-13-1 in the league (0-15-2 overall).
Continental Conference
NORTH PENN 1, PENNRIDGE 0
The Maidens brought an end to Pennridge’s five-game winning streak, keeping the Rams off the scoreboard with a standout defensive effort. Goalies Chessa Kownurko (six saves) and Jess Wagner (four saves) combined for 10 saves in the shutout.
“Our defense has played well for us all season, and our goalkeeping has been outstanding,” coach Shannon McCracken said. “It was a great win for the seniors. It was a great way to end the season.
“Pennridge has been playing really well, so it’s a really good win for us.”
Amanda Laessig (Shannon Talbot) scored the game’s lone goal at the 18:19 mark of the first half. That goal stood the rest of the way.
The Maidens closed out their season with a 6-6-2 mark in league play (7-8-2 overall), recuperating from an 0-6 start to finish strong.
“You can’t go back in time, but those first six games – five out of the six we lost by one goal,” McCracken said. “It was hard to jumpstart this team because of the youth and inexperience, but once we got underway and figured out where the pieces were, they really came together and played really well.
“I told the kids after the game tonight – maybe their record doesn’t show it, but it was a rewarding season because of the way they turned things around. You can fold when you start 0-6, but they did not.”
The Rams also finished strong, winning five out of six and closing out their league season with a 5-8-1 record (9-8-1 overall).
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1, HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
The Bucks won Wednesday’s battle for second place in the conference standings, scoring the game’s lone goal when junior Madison Shields deflected a corner shot by sophomore Kim Hitchcock into the cage for the game winner with 7:40 remaining in regulation.
The Bucks held a 21-2 advantage in corners.
“We couldn’t find the back of the cage today,” coach Casey Hughes said. “We played a great defensive game. All my backs – Carson LeGreca, Mackenzie Gallagher and Jacqueline Fitzgerald – had great games as well as goalkeeper Brianna DeAngelis.”
Keeping the Hatters in the game was sophomore goalkeeper Emily Braunewell, who recorded 23 saves.
With the win, the Bucks improved to 9-5 in league play (13-5 overall) while the Hatters saw their record drop to 7-6-1 in the league (9-8 overall).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0
The Titans closed out the season with 3-0 win over the Patriots. The shutout was their 10th of the league season and 14th overall.
“The team came together as a unit, started connecting with our passes to finish,” Emily Cliggit said. “It is exciting to win the league, but we need to keep working hard and taking one step at a time.”
The Titans close out the regular season with a 13-1 mark in conference play (17-1 overall) while the Patriots completed their season with a 3-11 mark in league play (4-13 overall).
SOUDERTON 5, QUAKERTOWN 0
The Indians closed out their regular season on a high note with their convincing win over the Panthers. The win avenged a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Panthers earlier this season.
“What a great end to the regular season,” coach Lauren Whiteside said. “We wanted to beat Quakertown since they beat us the first time on their grass.
“We wanted to make a good mark for ourselves going into the postseason to show that we are playoff worthy. We really played as a team today.”
Tabatha Almond got the ball rolling for the Indians when she turned an Alyssa Ziegler pass into a goal at the 24:11 mark of the first half. Ten minutes later, Meghan McDermott added a goal, also using a Ziegler assist. Abbey Gabriel’s goal during corner play after time had expired sent the Indians into halftime with a 3-0 lead. Bekah Hershey had an assist on the final goal of the half.
In the second half, Gabriel connected for a pair to complete her hat trick, the first with an assist from Gabby Sedares.
“I said to the girls at the end of the game that every goal we scored today was a ‘team goal,’” Whiteside said. “We had great passes starting with our defense all the way up through our midfield and up to our forwards.
“Everyone touched the ball today and played well, making for one of our best offensive games of the season.”
The Indians’ coach went on to laud the individual efforts of several players.
“Abbey Gabriel had a great game, scoring the hat trick for us,” Whiteside said. “She was a fireball in the circle, playing hard and not giving up. Tabatha Almond in the midfield was a huge asset for us today in our transition game.
“I am proud of my team today, and I know they are proud of themselves as well.”
Souderton held an advantage in shots (19-6) and corners (11-2). Goalie Jen Bergey was credited with four saves in the shutout while Quakertown’s Maddie Calder had five saves.
Souderton evened its league mark to 7-7 (9-8 overall) while the Panthers fell to 4-10 in the league (8-10 overall).
American Conference
WISSAHICKON 8, UPPER MORELAND 0
The Trojans clinched sole possession of the American Conference title with their no-doubt-about-it win over the Golden Bears.
Senior midfielder Jackie Hibbs – who had three assists in the win - broke Wissahickon’s single season assist record of 26 established by U.S. National Team standout Katie O’Donnell in 2004. Hibbs now has 28 assists on the season.
Caroline Kovacs led the Trojans with three goals and two assists, and Lindsay Anderson had two goals. Angela Virtu, Devon Love, Emily Gallagher and Sophie Hessler each added single goals. Catherine Campbell had an assist.
Wissahickon’s Emoni Fisher had two saves in the shutout while Upper Moreland’s Saige Wenik had 16 saves.
The Trojans closed out the regular season with a 13-1 record in league play (15-3 overall) while the Golden Bears are 0-14 (1-16 overall).
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 2
The Colonials apparently saved their best for last, using a goal by freshman Aurora Mills (Rachel Konowal assist) with seven minutes remaining in regulation to earn the upset of the Spartans.
“It’s exciting,” coach Andrea Carr said.
The game marked the return to the lineup of sophomore forward Allison Spinelli, who was sidelined for five games because of a concussion.
“That made a big difference when she came back today,” Carr said. “Everybody started to play well. I wish we could go back and redo those last five games.
“We were doing so well until Allison got hurt, and then everything went downhill. All the games we should have won, we didn’t win. It would have been great if we could have won all the other games we should have won.”
The Spartans took an early 2-0 lead on goals by Libby Field and Colleen Morris, but Courtney Konowal scored back-to-back goals to send the teams into halftime deadlocked 2-2.
“The game was back and forth,” Carr said. “We did have a hard time getting the ball down to our end. Rachel and Courtney Konowal have excellent stickwork, and they’re the ones that really helped get the ball down the field.”
The Colonials closed out their league season with a 7-7 record (7-10 overall). The Spartans are 11-2-1 in the league (12-2-1 overall).
UPPER DUBLIN 2, UPPER MERION 1
The Flying Cardinals avenged a 5-1 loss to the Vikings in the last meeting between the two teams.
“We played a lot better this time than the first time we played them,” coach Heather Boyer said. “I think the grass was an advantage for them and a disadvantage for us. We did not execute well, we did not adjust to what they were doing well, and they really had a good presence in the circle.
“Today by the end of the first half, we had a significant time of possession, and we executed on a couple of corners.”
Alycia Hildebrand put the Flying Cardinals on the scoreboard, and the Flying Cardinals led 2-0 after a goal by Jen Harchut.
“Jen Harchut did a beautiful job of penetrating the circle and bringing the ball around the left side of the cage and put a nice goal in to make it 2-0 at the half,” Boyer said. “After halftime, Upper Merion turned it up a notch, and in the first minute of so, they had a couple of corners.”
Danielle Antonucci cut the Flying Cardinals’ lead in half with a goal at the 23:44 mark.
“We called a timeout after that and made a couple of adjustments,” Boyer said. “Our girls played well. They took care of the ball in transition and had a couple of good looks on corners but didn’t convert.
“It was an exciting win. It was our Senior Day, and our seniors played really, really well. The underclassmen stepped it up to make it a memorable day for them.”
Boyer acknowledged the strong play of goalie Julia McKernan in the first half.
“They had a flurry in the first half, and she had several saves consecutively and kind of held us down there,” she said. “Sydney Lang was very steady as our sweeper today. She made some nice stops in the circle when we needed her to.”
The Flying Cardinals, who will face Germantown Academy in their season finale Thursday, closed out their league season with a 6-8 record (6-11 overall). The Vikings fell to 7-6-1 in league play (8-7-1 overall).
Tuesday, Oct. 16
UPPER MERION 1, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 1
The two teams were deadlocked 0-0 at halftime. Mia DiBella scored off a pass from Amanda McAteer to put the Vikings on top. The Spartans tied it up at the 27:20 mark of the second half on a goal by Juli Cardamone.
“My entire team played incredible today,” coach Angie Yanocha said. “They came out wanting the win, and their performance showed it. We had several scoring opportunities in the overtime period and it's just so unfortunate we couldn't put one in.
“A Springfield player had a beautiful defensive save in OT, otherwise that was the game winning goal for us. Even still, I am so proud of my girls for not backing down against one of the strongest teams in the league.”
Yanocha praised the performances of midfielders Amanda McAteer and Kaitlyn Lutz.
“They played extremely well in both regular game play and in the overtime period,” she said. “Danielle SanFelice also came up with some key defensive plays in the overtime period. Devyn Antonucci had several clutch saves (in goal) to hold Springfield to only one goal in the second half.”
Antonucci was credited with eight saves.
NORRISTOWN 1, CHELTENHAM 1
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Carolyn Brown late in the first half. The Eagles knotted the score when Kerri Harner (Rachel Hagel assist) connected with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.
The Eagles held an 11-9 edge in shots. Norristown goalie Jess Grose was credited with six saves while Cheltenham’s Emily Hawkins had nine.
Norristown coach Stacie Staufenberg, whose team had 21 corners, credited Rachel Hagel for playing relentlessly.
The Eagles closed out league play with a 7-6-1 record (8-8-1 overall) while the Lady Panthers are 3-10-1 in the league (3-13-1 overall).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4, SOUDERTON 0
The Titans dominated play in their win of the Indians on Wednesday.
“The kids played awesome as a unit,” co-coach Marie Schmucker said.
“They are really playing well together,” co-coach Jeff Harding added.
With the win, the Titans improved to 12-1 in the league (16-1 overall).
“Overall, I think our team effort was great,” Jessica Schmidt said. “Everyone fought for the ball, and we did a good job finding the open man and moving the ball. We were effective in moving the ball.”
QUAKERTOWN 2, HATBORO-HORSHAM 1
The Panthers broke a 1-1 halftime tie with a goal by Janelle Croissette seven minutes into the second half. Earlier, the Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Sara Reigh (Hillary Scott assist) only to watch the Hatters knot the score when Robyn Barbell connected with four minutes remaining in the half, using a Casey Swezey assist.
Coach Peach Draper lauded the standout performance of goalie Maddie Calder in the win.
"Maddie was sensational," the Panthers' coach said. "She was diving for every ball and really led the defense with the help of senior left back Jess Wheelin.
"Our team loves playing under the lights, and we also were playing for a purpose."
The team honored Quakertown teacher Mrs. Sullivan, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in July. Her prognosis is very good. She had a tumor, the size of a baseball, located above her heart, but because of the treatments she received, it has diminished and is not visible on the most recent PET scan. Mrs. Sullivan will continue with chemo and then go int
o a maintenance treatment for two years.
Tuesday night's game honored Mrs. Sullivan for her courage and strength. Players and coaches wore lime green as a symbol of her fight against lymphoma. The proceeds from the snack stand and the sale of wristbands by the players will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. On the wristbands was the phrase 'No one fights alone!' The proceeds raised will be matched by GSK's Light the Night initiative. The total donation made in Mrs. Sullivan's honor was $1,656.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 6, NORTH PENN 2
Senior Virginia Moore (Heather Zezzo assist) put the Bucks on the scoreboard just four minutes into the game. North Penn’s Shannon Talbot knotted the score, but the Bucks capitalized on a penalty corner 11 minutes into the first half when junior Elena Romesburg scored (Zezzo assist). Talbot converted a penalty stroke to knot the score 2-2, but the Bucks took a lead they would not lose when Moore connected on back-to-back goals, the second with a Kim Hitchcock assist, sending the Bucks into halftime with a 4-2 lead.
West added a pair of goals in the second half. Junior Kate Varallo (Erick Fiorelli assist) scored the fifth goal, and it was Moore scoring her fourth goal on – according to coach Casey Hughes – a beautiful shot on a penalty corner (Zezzo assist) for the 6-2 final.
“West played a great passing and possession game,” Hughes said. “All seven seniors – Arden Hawes, Virginia Moore, Victoria Mettin, Mia Cilberto, Mackenzie Gallagher, Courtney Kauffman and Heather Zezzo – played an impeccable game and started and finished strong.
“It was a total team effort – a beautiful game and a big win for this West team.”
Moore had four of the team’s six goals. Zezzo had three assists. Hughes lauded the defensive play of sophomore Carson LeGreca and senior Mackenzie Gallagher as well as the standout offensive play of Moore, Erick Fiorelli, Romesburg, Varallo and Shields.
PENNRIDGE 2, CHRISTOPHER DOCK 0
Kari Moyer (Kelly Wolff assist) scored at the 18:17 mark of the second half, breaking a scoreless tie. Jess Csaszar turned a pass from Jess Tennett into a goal at the 12:29 mark for the 2-0 final.
The Rams held a 12-5 advantage in shots and a 7-3 edge in corners. Pennridge goalie Sarah Seiler was credited with five saves in the shutout while Dock’s Marissa Souder had nine saves.
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