A dreary and rainy Monday provided the backdrop for some interesting SOL contests that featured a pair of major upsets, proving once again that anything can and probably will happen.
Central Bucks East 3, North Penn 2 (OT)
The Patriots apparently boast some kind of magic spell over the Maidens when the two teams meet in Buckingham. Or perhaps it’s simply the advantage of playing on a grass field that is the extreme opposite of North Penn’s turf field.
“We know our field,” coach Marie Meehan said.
And that seems to work in the Patriots’ favor.
Monday’s overtime win over the Maidens was the third in three years for the Patriots on their home field, but this one over an unbeaten North Penn squad may have been the most surprising.
“No one is expecting anything, and that’s the beauty of it,” Meehan said. “I know a little more about my team than a lot of other people.”
The Patriots’ coach also knew that the dreary weather and a grass field were working in her favor when taking on a Maiden squad that relies on speed and pinpoint passing.
“The weather was horrible,” Meehan said. “I really didn’t think we would play, but the schedule is so compressed right now that everyone is concerned about rescheduling games.
“It was kind of a misty rain, and the field wasn’t puddled, but with the wet conditions, we felt that could neutralize some of North Penn’s speed. They're such a quick team, and we took advantage of that.”
Did they ever.
The Patriots didn’t just win, they controlled play for major stretches of the game and held a 20-11 advantage in shots and a decisive 11-3 edge in corners.
“We stopped balls and stepped in front well,” Meehan said. “I switched the lineup, and I knew if we could pop a few balls through that Carolyn Remmey and Marissa Glatt could take anyone 2v1, and that’s kind of what we were working on for fast break scenarios.
“Then we got in the circle and put a lot of pressure on them. We missed a lot of shots – a lot of them went wide, and their goalie (Shannon Keen) had 12 saves, which was very good. They came back strong.”
The Patriots won it in dramatic fashion when – with 5:32 remaining in overtime – Emily Vasey turned a touch pass from Glatt into the game winner.
“Marissa was on a breakaway, and Vasey was coming up on her side,” Meehan said. “It was kind of like a 3v2, and Marissa gets into the top of the circle, and I see her pass the ball. She’s our leading scorer, and I’m thinking, ‘Why aren’t you shooting?’
“She touches it to Vasey on her right, and Vasey smacked it in, and it went under the goalie’s foot. It was a beautiful angle, and that was it.”
Earlier, Vasey (Carolyn Remmey assist) scored at the 14:38 mark of the first half, sending the Patriots into intermission with a 1-0 lead. Senior Amy Coughlin scored the equalizer at the 20:08 mark of the second half.
Midway through the second half, Shannon Devlin (Carolyn Remmey assist) connected to put the Patriots on top, and again Coughlin had an answer, knotting the score with 11:21 remaining in regulation.
“North Penn answered our goals, but we just played a very strong, together game, and their hearts were really in it,” Meehan said. “Melissa Remmey and Carolyn Remmey were just very, very strong leaders on the field – Melissa defensively and Carolyn at forward.
“They’re very competitive and their will to win is strong. I think they helped their teammates really focus.”
The Patriots’ celebration was brief. They will travel to Souderton on Tuesday for a battle of teams with identical 5-2 records in SOL play.
Abington 1, Neshaminy 0
The Ghosts added another upset to their rapidly growing list, and perhaps it’s time to stop calling every win an upset for an Abington squad that improved to 4-3 in SOL play (6-4 overall).
“They’re starting to believe in themselves, and they’ve been putting into play what we’ve been working on in practice,” coach Amanda Deering said. “They’re just a very coachable team that wants to work hard to play hard.
“I’m very, very proud of them. I couldn’t ask for any more than what they’ve been giving me, whether it be at practice or a game or a team activity. They like each other, and they want to play not just for themselves but for each other, and it’s really showing on the field.”
The Ghosts received the only goal they would need when Katherine Geating scored with 15:47 remaining in the first half, using a Meredith Cox assist.
“With the weather, I thought we might only get in one half, so I told my team we had to get on the board first,” Deering said. “Katherine Geating was playing a phenomenal game for us.
“She works hard at practice every day, and today she put everything together. She works well with the other sophomores on the line. She had great shots that missed the cage, and I told her during a timeout, ‘Katherine, now it’s time to put one in the cage.’ She put one in, and it turned out to be the game winner. She really came up huge for us.”
The Redskins held a 9-7 edge in corners.
“Both teams had their chances,” Deering said. “There were moments when we were dominating, but the Redskins are a tough team.
“They had their opportunities as well. We were just able to capitalize on one opportunity. Our defense played great. When you have a shutout, you’re not talking about one great player or two. You’re talking about a solid defensive base. They’re playing well together – they’re talking, they’re communicating, and they’re working on marking in the circle. The girls are stepping up great.”
Deering credited sophomore goalie Faith Geating for making some big saves.
“She’s an aggressive goalie,” the Ghosts’ coach said. “She has great athleticism, and she’s really taking charge of that cage. She’s tough physically and also mentally and keeps herself in it.”
The shutout was the fifth of the season for the Ghosts, whose defense was anchored by Vika Guendelsberger, Hanna Weckel and Emily Towey.
“Our defense did a great job, but when the defense transitions the ball to the offense, the offense is doing a good job of taking care of the ball,” Dearing said. “We’re getting our opportunities.
“When we play a team like Neshaminy, you can’t win with just a couple of players. You have to have 11 players on your team playing the best they can play, and that’s what my team has been doing.”
The Ghosts have a make-up game with William Tennent on Tuesday and then their regularly scheduled games against Council Rock North on Wednesday and Pennsbury on Friday.
“This is a very, very huge week for us,” Deering said. “Four out of five days, we’re playing the top of the league. My team knows they have a tall order.
“They came in today and said, ‘This is our first one of the week. Let’s see what we can do.’”
Souderton 2, Central Bucks West 0
The Indians scored a pair of goals in a five-minute stretch early in the first half, and that would be the extent of the scoring for the rest of the game.
Junior Rachel Valentine had a hand in both goals. The junior forward converted a breakaway into a goal at the 25:05 mark, turning a lead pass from Alex Atiyeh into a goal that gave the Indians a quick 1-0 lead.
“I cut through for it, called her, and she laid it out,” Valentine said of the sequence leading up to her goal. “I did a pull right and hit it in.”
When Courtney Bradshaw turned a Valentine pass across the cage into a goal, the Indians led 2-0.
“I was happy with the forwards coming out and scoring like that,” Souderton coach Mary Ann Harris said. “Our goals today were hard-fought goals.
“The last time we played them we had a much easier time. This was a much better game.”
Take away the first 10 minutes, and the Bucks played the Indians to a draw.
“After the first 10 minutes, we got it together, marked better, stayed on our girls better, and it was more of a possession game instead of just big balls, hitting it down the field,” West’s Trish Kilgannon said.
The contest was a far cry from an early-season meeting between the two teams that saw the Indians roll to a 6-1 win.
“I think we are getting better,” Kilgannon said. “The last time we played them they forced it down the right side, and we knew they were going to do the same thing this time, so we focused on keeping it on our right side and not allowing them to get it strong side.
“The last time, within a 10-minute span, they scored four goals. It was really unfortunate for our team. This time we held them – we marked better, and they didn’t have all the opportunities they had before.”
West coach Kit Sinnamon was pleased with her team’s showing.
“I told my girls, ‘You played wonderfully. It could have gone either way. I can’t ask you to do anything different,’” the Bucks’ coach said. “They did well.
“I didn’t even get a sub in because everyone just played very well. We are finally recognizing small passes, we’re seeing each other and recognizing not only the pass-to space, but we’re watching the players hold onto the ball until that person gets there and then passing.”
The game was played in less than ideal conditions, and the cold and rain did not help either team.
“It’s a lot mental,” Valentine said of the inclement weather. “You really have to stay focused in the game, and you have to want to win.”
Souderton returns to action on Tuesday with a key game against Central Bucks East and 24 hours later will take on conference-leading Central Bucks South. A game against Hatboro-Horsham will close out the week.
Wissahickon 4, Plymouth Whitemarsh 0
The Trojans controlled play in Monday’s win over the Colonials, who did not force goalie Rina Lobell to make a save in the shutout.
Emily Gallagher scored a pair of goals, the first assisted by Gretchen Guaglianone and the second by Jackie Hibbs. Gallagher also assisted on a Jackie Hibbs goal, and Lauren Becker scored an unassisted goal to close out the scoring for the Trojans, who remained perfect in SOL play.
PW goalie Becky Stiteler turned away 12 shots in a busy afternoon.
Upper Dublin 2, Cheltenham 1
Cheltenham goalie Emily Hawkins turned away 18 shots in a stellar effort, and behind their goalie’s strong showing, the Panthers went into halftime deadlocked 0-0.
Stephanie Speese scored an unassisted goal with 12:30 remaining to put the Flying Cardinals on top 1-0, and that lead grew to 2-0 after Kelly Cross scored an unassisted goal two minutes later.
Allison Hawkins cut that lead in half with a goal at the 4:01 mark.
The Flying Cardinals, who improved to 6-1 in SOL play (8-3 overall), had a 19-2 advantage in corners.
Central Bucks South 4, Pennridge 0
The Titans took over sole possession of first place as a result of their win over the Rams. Junior Kayla Kenney connected for the hat trick while Alexa Schrieber added a single goal.
Council Rock South 2, Harry S. Truman 0
Lower Moreland 2, Upper Moreland 1
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