Check out the results for SOL field hockey teams in action Thursday. To view photos of the CR South/CR North game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 3, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1
Things have taken an interesting turn in National Conference play this week.
Just when it looked like Council Rock North would coast to a conference crown, Neshaminy and Rock South posted back-to-back wins over the Indians, setting up a logjam atop the standings. All three teams have two losses. Neshaminy has just one game remaining on its schedule while the Indians and Golden Hawks both have two. Neshaminy and Rock South are slated to play each other on the final day of the regular season.
Rock South’s win on Thursday avenged a 4-3 overtime loss to the Indians on Sept. 15.
“I’m extremely thrilled,” Rock South coach Lisa Belz said. “I told them yesterday, ‘We need to focus on tomorrow. We need to win tomorrow, and we’ll take it one game at a time.’ North is always a huge rivalry. It’s always a great game. They have great players, and they’re coached well. They’ve been undefeated and had some really big wins.
“This was very exciting. I’m really, really proud of them. I told them – the program has come a long way. It’s a big accomplishment.”
Nikki Boyd put the Hawks on the scoreboard at the 13:19 mark of the first half, but two minutes later, the Indians got that back when Anna Lehman scored, using a Gigi Tutoni assist. The two teams went into halftime deadlocked 1-1.
Freshman Tori Wright connected for a goal that turned out to be the game winner at the 19:29 mark of the second half, and nine minutes later, Boyd scored her second goal of the day, this time using a Caroline McGovern assist. That 3-1 score stood until the final horn.
Both teams took just five shots, but the Indians held an 8-1 advantage in corners.
“Defensively, I think we did really well,” Belz said.
Maddie Keppel, who was sidelined with an injury, saw some action in Tuesday’s game against Tennent, but the senior defensive back was in the starting lineup Thursday and played the entire game. Joining Keppel in the backfield were Kayla Nitka, Jackie Shragher and Katie Rafter.
“The four of them did awesome today – really big step ups, and our defensive corner team did well,” Belz said. “Anna (Sternberg) had some big saves. They all did awesome.
The Hawks’ coach went on to credit center midfielder Katie Bagdon for her play.
“She did awesome in the center,” Belz said. “They have a really strong midfield, and Katie was getting double teamed in the center. She was doing really well.
“The team just really played together as a unit, and they stayed composed, and they played really well together.”
Sternberg was credited with four saves while Rock North’s Julia Singer had two saves.
Both teams boast identical 10-2 records in league play. The Golden Hawks are 11-4-1 overall while the Indians are 14-2.
Council Rock South 1-2 3
Council Rock North 1-0 1
BENSALEM 1, HARRY S TRUMAN 0 (OT)
The Owls celebrated Senior Night by picking up their first win in conference play, earning a dramatic overtime victory when – with 8:33 remaining – Madison Kubik connected, using a Breanna Buechner assist. The win avenged a 1-0 loss to the Tigers in the initial meeting between the two teams.
“This happens every year where it finally comes together at the end of the year,” coach Amanda Tu said. “That’s why we encourage them to play all year round because obviously other schools that are doing that don’t start where we start.
“We continue year after year seeing that they are finally communicating and working together as a team at the end of the year. It’s good for them to see it. We’ve been telling them how much talent they do have. It’s nice that they just beat Little Flower, and they beat Truman tonight.”
Tu went on to credit her team’s defense in a contest that saw the Owls threaten on numerous occasions.
“The defense did a really good job,” she said. “The forwards were coming down, and our goalie, Selena Lee, had a couple of really good saves. She stopped a breakaway.”
The Owls’ coach also credited her defensive unit comprised of Alyssa Dalrymple, Meghann Seeley and Lianna Cameron as well as midfielders Buechner and Mia Ali.
“Breanna (Buechner) and Mia Ali are our two seniors, and they played really well tonight,” Tu said.
The Owls are 1-11 in league play (3-12 overall) while the Tigers are 1-12 in the league (3-12 overall).
Harry S Truman 0-0-0 0
Bensalem 0-0-1 1
WILLIAM TENNENT 4, ABINGTON 1
The Panthers and Ghosts battled to a 1-1 tie in the initial meeting between the two schools, but the Panthers owned Thursday’s rematch.
“This week has been a true testament to the hard work my players have put into practice,” Tennent coach Kaitlyn Rauchut said. “Abington played well in today’s contest. Abington and William Tennent have a major entity in common – we both have young growing programs.
“I am extremely proud of the progress my players have made. With such a young group of players, I knew progress would take some time, but I am coming to the realization that we are heading in the right direction.”
Jamie McCarney put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a goal in the sixth minute, using an Isabella Cardona assist. When Lexi Frieling (Niyah Rhoades assist) scored midway through the half, the Panthers led 2-0, a lead they took into halftime.
Four minutes into the second half, Sam McGee cut that lead in half when she scored with an assist from Kaila Brown. Kylie Weiss (Kendal Brasch assist) got that goal back three minutes later, and when Brasch (Rhoades assist) connected with 10 minutes remaining in regulation, the Panthers led 4-1.
“Offensively, everyone contributed to the win,” Rauchut said. “I am very proud of the offensive efforts, especially Kendal Brasch, Kylie Weiss and Niyah Rhoades. On the defensive end, Kalisi Taufelele, Briana Dohery, Libby Betz, Jessie Betz and Colleen Killoran did an outstanding job of defending the ball. The key to success is consistency. The center of my consistency is Meghan Izak, Kalisi Taufelele and Maddie Murtha. Whille Meghan is the most experienced, Maddie and Kalisi show the true athleticism of the Lady Panthers.”
William Tennent improved to 4-7-1 in league play (4-9-1 overall) while the Ghosts are 3-8-1 in the league (4-10-1 overall).
William Tennent 2-2 4
Abington 0-1 1
NESHAMINY 2, PENNSBURY 1
The Redskins followed Tuesday’s big win over Council Rock North with a win over archrival Pennsbury. Neshaminy, Council Rock North and Council Rock South now all have two losses in conference play, but the potential for a three-way tie at the top will be broken when the Redskins travel to Rock South for their regular season finale on Wednesday.
Christen Pennington put the ‘Skins on the board in the fifth minute of the game, using a Maria Palmieri assist. The Redskins took that 1-0 lead into halftime.
Midway through the second half, Abby Alexis (Pennington assist) connected on a goal that turned out to be the game winner. Emily Zazzu (Kira Crain assist) scored with 10 minutes remaining to make it a 2-1 game. That score stood the rest of the way.
The Redskins are 11-2 in conference play with just one SOL game remaining (12-5 overall) while the Falcons are 8-4 in the league (8-8 overall).
Pennsbury 0-1 1
Neshaminy 1-1 2
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3, SOUDERTON 0
The Titans blew open a tight game with three goals in the final 17 minutes and with the win – and CB West’s loss to Hatboro-Horsham – clinched sole possession of their eighth consecutive conference title.
“I definitely do think we’ve improved a lot since the beginning of the year,” coach Brittany Grzywacz said. “A lot of it was the transition of me being a new coach and the transition of different girls playing together.
“A lot of girls graduated, and a lot of different girls had to step up and into those leadership positions. Over the season, game upon game upon game, we were able to make improvements each game. Some games we didn’t play as well as I’d hoped, but overall, they really have improved and are really working the ball around well and doing everything that I want them to be doing.”
The Titans were 2-2 after four games but haven’t lost since, and according to Grzywacz, it’s been a team effort.
“There’s not really anybody that isn’t contributing to each win that we have,” the Titans’ coach said. “Everybody is working hard from defense all the way up to our attackers. They’re all important and vital to the team, and when girls come off the bench, they’re ready to go, and they know the game plan. They’re getting right in there and not missing a beat with that.
“The losses we had were to tough teams, but I think you can learn from losses like that. They don’t like to lose, and I could see that at the beginning of the year. I don’t like to lose, and they don’t like to lose – ‘Hey guys, this is what it feels like, and it doesn’t feel good, so let’s not do it again.’”
Thursday’s win was number 12 in a row for the streaking Titans, who found themselves locked in a scoreless tie at halftime. Emily Cliggett, who had a hand in all three goals, put the Titans on the scoreboard when she converted a penalty stroke with 17 minutes remaining in regulation.
At the 11:30 mark, Lexi Milanesi (Cliggett assist) scored on a cross cage tip. The final goal of the game came four minutes later when Cliggett turned a Corrine Kenney pass into a goal.
“We were in our attacking end most of the game, but we weren’t able to get those touches and finish inside the circle,” Grzywacz said. “Our corner execution was not exactly on today. We had a lot of opportunities we weren’t able to capitalize on, but overall, I thought we had a good offensive game and kept it inside our attacking end. We just weren’t able to finish.”
The Titans are 12-0 in league play (14-2 overall) while the Indians are 3-9 in the league (5-10 overall).
Souderton 0-0 0
Central Bucks South 0-3 3
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
The Hatters knew they would need to be at the top of their game to defend a West squad they had not beaten in over four years, and they were.
“I think this was the best game we have played,” Syd Rausa said. “As a team, we just looked really composed, we were all working together – not trying to do it ourselves but looking for our teammates, and I think that really did show.”
It was Rausa connecting for a goal that turned out to be the game winner on a textbook corner play at the 25:16 mark of the second half. The play began with Casey Swezey receiving the insert pass inside the circle and passing it back to teammate Jenna Cutilli, who immediately sent it back to Swezey. The senior midfielder sent a shot that Gabby Acker redirected to Rausa for a goal that put the Hatters on top 2-1.
The Bucks responded with a brief flurry, but after a Hatter timeout at the 19:58 mark, the Hatters pretty much controlled play, stymying the Bucks at every turn.
“We switched our whole line around from the first time we played them,” said senior Jamie DiQuattro, who effectively silenced West standout Kim Hitchcock. “We moved a lot of our defensive players around because I think we were having a lot of trouble in the beginning of the season.
“Jenna Cutilli was playing defensive mid, and we moved her back to center defense. She’s committed to William and Mary, and she’s absolutely astonishing. I think that really is key, and we really just figured out how to make our defense work.”
“We were trying two forwards, and we could not score,” Rausa added. “That’s when we lost to East and that’s when we lost to North Penn. We decided we needed three at the top because it’s crucial to score.”
The Hatters got on the scoreboard when Cutilli converted a penalty stroke at the 11:25 mark of the first half. The Hatters were awarded a stroke when DiQuattro – who had beaten everyone in her path on a breakaway – saw her shot deflect off the leg of a West defender on the goal line.
The Bucks got that goal back with 4:45 remaining in the first half when Sami Zarrett scored. They would not score the rest of the way as the Hatters – who have been part of eight one-goal games – went on to earn the important win.
“I don’t know what it was, but I think we were just tired of losing those one-goal games because it is discouraging. This is huge for us. We were 24th in district (seeding), we were borderline districts, and we said, ‘This is our time.’”
Coach Laura Swezey credited the play of her entire team, noting the performances of several players.
“Jenna (Cutilli) had a save behind our goalie in the first half – she had a couple of saves,” the Hatters’ coach said. “Jamie (DiQuattro) did a great job of marking, and Casey (Swezey) had great lifts down the field. She was throwing the ball really far.
“Everybody played well. Corner-wise – we’ve been working a lot on tipping and hitting on angles, and that’s how we scored our last goal.”
For the Bucks, the loss was their second of the week after losing just once in their preceding 14 games.
“We’ve had some injuries through the course of the season that have affected us – just playing people in different spots that they’re not used to,” West coach Courtney Hughes said. “We’ve got to keep staying positive, promoting things that we’re doing well.
“There are things we’re doing well as a team, and we’re trying to consistently make sure they’re aware they’re doing those things well. We’re just not finding the backboard. That’s all it is. We’re going to keep working to pick each other up and stay positive for each other.”
The Hatters are 6-5-1 in league play (8-5-1 overall) while the Bucks are 9-3 in the league (12-3-1 overall).
Hatboro-Horsham 1-1 2
Central Bucks West 1-0 1
NORTH PENN 5, PENNRIDGE 3
The Maidens sprinted to a 4-0 lead midway through the second half, but the Lady Rams refused to go down quietly, battling until the final horn.
“We really struggled in the first 45 minutes of the game, but the team fought back, and I am proud of how we finished today,” Pennridge coach Becky Spahr said. “It is great to see our subs step up and play well.”
Freshman Brianna O’Donnell spotted the Maidens a 2-0 halftime lead, connecting nine minutes into the game with an assist from her sister, senior Casey O’Donnell. She scored her second goal in the final minute of the half, this one unassisted. Amanda Laessig’s goal 18 minutes into the second half gave the Maidens a 3-0 lead, and when Casey O’Donnell scored an unassisted goal 29 seconds later, the Maidens led 4-0.
Just over a minute later, Emily Price (Meghan Griffin assist) put the Lady Rams on the scoreboard, and when Claire Weirheim (Aimee Beck assist) scored 24 seconds later, it was suddenly a 4-2 game as the two teams scored four goals in a two-minute span. Laessig and Kellie Drugotch (Griffin assist) exchanged goals in the game’s closing minutes for the 5-3 final.
The Maidens held a decided advantage in shots (25-5) and corners (15-1).
North Penn upped its record to 8-4 in conference play (10-6 overall) while the Lady Rams are 0-12 in league play (1-14 overall).
Pennridge 0-3 3
North Penn 2-3 5
QUAKERTOWN 4, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2
The Panthers took a lead midway through the first half and never looked back on their way to the important win. Emma McLaughlin had a hand in all four goals, scoring twice and contributing a pair of assists.
“We’ve been working on our transitions from offense to defense in the past few weeks, and it is starting to click for the girls,” Quakertown coach Alyssa Maltese said. “We still have some work to do, but the girls are excited to play and learn.
“We did much better at possessing the ball and moving the ball around the field instead of always going forward, but we still have some work to do on finishing plays on our attacking circle. We are looking to build on this momentum as we finish the last two games of the regular season.”
Before fans settled in their seats, McLaughlin (Megan Thompson assist) put the Panthers on the scoreboard at the 28:34 mark, but East got that goal back when freshman Riley Donnelly scored just over two minutes later. Elaina Abramson’s goal with 17:31 remaining in the half, using a McLaughlin assist, made it a 2-1 game. That lead held until the intermission.
Gabby Dontonville (McLaughlin assist) scored at the 23:38 mark of the second half to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead, but Donnelly made it a one-goal game when she connected for the second time. McLaughlin put the finishing touches on a big day with a goal at the 6:59 mark for the 4-2 final.
Despite the outcome, East coach Brittany Kocis was pleased with her team’s performance.
“Riley Donnelly displayed phenomenal stickwork carrying the ball down the field to distribute to her teammates,” the Patriots’ coach said. “Katelyn Stout, Gabby Hieber and Mackenzie Boyle all did an excellent job in the midfield finding the open players while Abby Butler and Rachel Fife hustled hard on the forward line, firing nice shots into the circle.
“Sydney Badger, Theresa Haug and Sarah Sheehy all came up with unbelievable defensive stops and converted our defensive saves into goals. We just couldn’t find the cage tonight, but the girls played really well and, again, never stopped hustling until the last horn sounded.”
Quakertown goalie Rylee Lawler had seven saves.
Quakertown upped its league record to 5-6-1 (8-7-1 overall) while the Patriots are 4-8 in the league (7-9 overall).
Quakertown 2-2 4
Central Bucks East 1-1 2
American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2, SPRINGFIELD 1
The Colonials clinched at least a share of their second consecutive American Conference title, thanks to Thursday’s win. The Spartans took a 1-0 lead when Marley Berger (Tara Murphy assist) scored on a corner. With eight minutes remaining in the half, the Colonials rallied to knot the score on a goal by Aurora Mills. They took a lead they would not lose when Paige Totten scored on a corner as time expired in the half. Sophie Kolkka and Frankie O’Brien contributed assists.
“We got off to a strong start and had the ball in our offensive end for an extended period of time, then allowed Springfield to score on their first corner and shot of the game,” PW coach Marianne Paparone said. “The game was evenly played for the most part, and both teams fought hard for the win.
“Springfield has some excellent threats on attack and also played very solid defense. It was a good win for us against a skilled and hard-working team.”
PW held an advantage in shots (14-11) and corners (10-5).
The Colonials improved to 10-1-1 in league play (11-4-1 overall) while the Spartans are 7-6 (8-7 overall).
Springfield 1-0 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2-0 2
WISSAHICKON 7, NORRISTOWN 0
The Trojans sprinted to a 5-0 halftime lead on their way to the decisive win. It was their fourth win in a row after dropping three out of four games.
Six different players contributed goals with Ashley Laskowitz scoring a pair – one unassisted and the other with a Gillian Southworth assist. She also had three assists. Adding single goals were Sasha Phillips (Brianna Miles assist), Rachel Zimmerman (Laskowitz assist), Marie Dickson (Laskowitz assist), Sarah Cammarota (Laskowitz assist) and Sophie Hessler (Kara Miles assists).
Norristown goalie Lauren Whitley was credited with 19 saves while Wissahickon’s Claire Tarzia had three saves in the shutout.
Coach Lucy Gil acknowledged the strong performances of Laskowitz, Lauren Marolla and Kyra Miles as well as the strong play of Norristown’s Natalie Mitchell.
The Trojans are 8-3-1 in conference play (8-6-1 overall) while the Eagles are 0-12 in the league (0-15 overall).
Wissahickon 5-2 7
Norristown 0-0 0
UPPER DUBLIN 3, UPPER MERION 2
The Flying Cardinals opened up a 3-1 lead early in the second half when Cydney Christian scored just over three minutes in, using a Grace Schwabenland assist. The Vikings, however, refused to go down quietly rallying to make it a 3-2 game when Kaitlyn Lutz (Danielle Antonucci assist) scored with 7:54 remaining. The Flying Cardinals’ defense held the rest of the way.
Coach Heather Boyer lauded the strong play of sweeper Jillian Kenny.
Earlier, it was Courtney Vincent putting the Cardinals on the scoreboard midway through the first half, but Danielle Antonucci (Lutz assist) made it a 1-1 game with a goal at the 8:42 mark of the first half. Two minutes later, Sarah Blatt (Christian assist) put the Cardinals on top 2-1 when she found the cage.
The Flying Cardinals held a 12-8 advantage in shots and a 7-5 edge in corners. Upper Dublin goalie Mikaylah Johnson was credited with seven saves while Upper Merion’s Devyn Antonucci had eight.
The Flying Cardinals are one of three teams in the conference with an 8-3-1 record. They are 8-6-1 overall while the Vikings are 4-9 in league play (5-11 overall).
Upper Merion1-1 2
Upper Dublin 2-1 3
UPPER MORELAND 4, CHELTENHAM 0
Four different players scored goals for the Golden Bears, who find themselves locked in a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings with two games remaining.
Noelle Woodman (Maura O’Leary assist) put the Golden Bears on the scoreboard just over seven minutes into the opening half. A Jessica Flanagan goal with no time showing on the scoreboard clock– this one with a Delaney Smith assist – sent the Bears into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
Midway through the second half, Alexa Wister connected, benefitting from Smith’s second assist of the game. Ashton Hirsch scored with 6:27 remaining for the 4-0 final, using O’Leary’s second assist of the day.
Cheltenham’s Tegan Dorley was credited with eight saves in goal while Upper Moreland goalie Allison Felicetti was not forced to make a save in the shutout.
The Golden Bears are 8-3-1 in league play (10-4-1 overall) while the Lady Panthers are 2-10 in the league (3-12 overall).
Upper Moreland 2-2 4
Cheltenham 0-0 0
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