Check the SOL recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Tuesday.
SOL National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2, PENNSBURY 1
For the second time in four days, the conference rivals did battle – this time on Rock South’s field, and for the second time in as many games, the Golden Hawks won by a 2-1 score.
In Friday’s meeting, the Golden Hawks took a 2-0 lead and then withstood a late Falcon comeback attempt. On Tuesday, it was the Falcons – thanks to a Celia Dolan goal – taking a 1-0 lead into halftime only to watch the Golden Hawks score a pair in the second half.
“They’re quick – they have a couple of really good players,” Rock South coach Lisa Belz said of the Falcons. “We had a hard time with (Maya) Geller, (Anna) Sharp and (Sammie) Hackman, and they had a sophomore who was really fast down the side.
“We had to make some adjustments. We weren’t really playing as intense as we needed to from the start of the game. At halftime, we regrouped. We talked about some things we needed to do. We made a couple of changes, and I think we had a better half the second half.”
Freshman Kerry Kaufman scored both Golden Hawk goals, connecting for the pair in a 59-second span 13 minutes into the second half. Katelyn Cocco assisted on the second goal.
Kaufman has nine goals and four assists on the season.
“She just has a quick shot,” Belz said of Kaufman. “She really has a great touch and a quick shot. She’s extremely coachable. She really listens, and she makes changes. We’re very pleased with her.”
Bianca Bonanni recorded her first defensive save of the season, and Rock South goalie Aspen Handel had one save in the win.
“Sarah Beyer is playing in the back, and I thought she had a good game,” Belz said. “She was very patient, and she’s very good at containing the play.”
Pennsbury goalie Keira Korzeb was credited with 12 saves in another strong outing.
Council Rock South (7-5-1, 7-1-1 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Thursday, and Pennsbury (6-8, 5-5) will host Harry S Truman on Thursday.
NESHAMINY 3, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
It’s official.
With two conference games remaining on their schedule, the Redskins – as a result of Tuesday’s win – clinched sole possession of the SOL National Conference title. It is the program’s first title since 2015.
Sophia Perillo – using a Peyton Ritchey assist – scored the only goal the Redskins would need, finding the cage six minutes into the game with a goal that turned out to be the game-winner. That 1-0 lead stood until midway through the second half when Asia Barnard turned a Perillo assist into a goal. With just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Jamie Pennington closed out the scoring with an assist from Ritchey.
Neshaminy (12-3, 10-0 SOL) will host Council Rock South on Monday, and William Tennent (2-9-1, 2-8) will travel to Upper Merion for a non-league game Wednesday.
William Tennent 0-0 0
Neshaminy 1-2 3
BENSALEM 2, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
Angie Lee scored with 9:23 remaining in regulation to propel the Owls to the hard fought win over their archrivals. The win came on the heels of a 2-0 win over Archbishop Ryan 24 hours earlier.
"It was a close game and the girls really worked hard to come out on top," coach Dottie O'Neil said. "The girls came out strong coming off a win against Ryan the day before."
Earlier, Lauren Wayda spotted the visiting Owls a 1-0 lead when she scored just over three minutes into the contest.
"It was a beautiful deflection," O'Neil said.
The Owls took that one-goal advantage into halftime, but at the 28:17 mark of the second half, Truman’s Paige Gonzalez scored with a Grace Sutton assist, knotting the score 1-1 and setting the stage for Lee’s late-game heroics.
"Truman scored to tie it, which made our girls come out a little harder to make up for it," O'Neil said. "Angie scored on a corner play with a hard drive right into the goal.
"With only nine minutes left in the game, the girls played really well to come out with a win."
Truman goalie Christina Gregory was credited with three saves in a contest that saw both teams collect seven corners.
"Jane Leible played a tremendous game at sweeper keeping goals from going in," O'Neil said.
Bensalem (2-10, 2-8 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Wednesday, and Harry S Truman (2-12, 0-10) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Thursday.
Bensalem 1-1 2
Harry S Truman 0-1 1
SOL Continental Conference
NORTH PENN 4, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
For the second time in as many days, the Knights emerged victorious, blowing open a close game with three second-half goals.
“It was nice to put some points on the scoreboard today,” coach Shannon McCracken said. “We scored two out of the three goals in the second half on corners, and that’s how we were scoring and having success early in the season, so it was nice to return to that type of play by forcing fouls and then getting some quality shots off.”
A goal by Jillian Lampitoc (Kristin Varilla assist) with 12:50 remaining in the first half sent the Knights into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Three minutes into the second half, Lampitoc scored her second goal, this one with an Emily Crawford assist.
CB West got on the scoreboard midway through the half to make it a 2-1 game when Casey Reichwein found the cage.
“I think they’re more talented than their record shows,” McCracken said. “They’re hustlers out there.
“Casey Reichwein is such a nice player, and she’s got such a hard corner shot.”
The Knights responded with a pair of goals in a four-minute span, both during corner play, to take control of the game. Deborah Kim scored on a rebound off the post, and then it was Eleni Kountroubis scoring with a Crawford assist.
McCracken pointed to the strong showings of several players in the win.
“My middle players played really well today,” the Knights’ coach said. “Starting with Madison Waldspurger at center back – she was strong for us again.
“Alex Fein and Emily Crawford are our center mids. CB West’s strength is in the middle – like every team, and I thought they were clogging the center a lot, and my center players did a nice job of distributing the ball to the outside mids and outside forwards to stretch the field and utilize the whole field.
“Jillian Lampitoc and Eleni Kountroubis just had really solid games on the attack line for us. They forced a lot of scoring opportunities, and Eleni has such good speed on the outside for us.”
North Penn (6-9, 4-6 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Thursday at 7 p.m. in its Senior Night game. Central Bucks West (3-12, 1-, 3-6-1) will host Quakertown on Thursday.
Central Bucks West 0-1 1
North Penn 1-3 4
SOUDERTON 5, PENNRIDGE 1
Seven minutes.
That’s all it took for Souderton to turn a scoreless tie into a 3-0 lead early in Tuesday’s contest. Anna Gwiazdzinski scored 2:28 into the game, and three minutes later, Lauren Kenah found the cage with a Gwiazdzinski assist during corner play. Four minutes later, it was Randi Hess scoring with a Lauren Kenah assist. Hess scored her second goal of the half, this one with a Courtney Kenah assist that sent the Indians into halftime with 4-1 lead. Caitlyn Amsden accounted for the Rams’ goal, using a Maddie Bross assist.
Gwiazdzinski scored the only goal of the second half.
Souderton held an advantage in shots (21-9) and corners (12-6).
Pennridge goalie Mac Bross recorded 16 saves.
Souderton (11-2, 8-2 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Wednesday at 6 p.m., and Pennridge (6-8, 4-7) will travel to Central Bucks East on Thursday.
Souderton 4-1 5
Pennridge 1-0 1
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 5, QUAKERTOWN 0
SOL American Conference
UPPER MORELAND 1, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 0
Claudia Zanine slammed home a shot from the top of the circle with 10:59 remaining in overtime, propelling the visiting Golden Bears to the heartstopping win.
“The girls came out strong and ready to play today,” coach Casey Dellostretto said. “Our defenders and midfielders really clicked today with their passing and supporting one another.
“The attack struggled in the beginning of the game, but with the score being 0-0 at the half, the girls knew they were still in the game and refused to give up. This win was huge for the team and a great confidence booster going into our game against PW on Thursday.”
While Zanine stole the spotlight when she connected on the game-winner, it was the defense that kept the Golden Bears in the game.
“With 21 defensive corners and only six shots on goal, Isabella Guarenghi shut down all scoring attempts by Springfield,” Dellostretto said of her goalie.
Guarenghi was credited with six saves in the shutout win, but she had plenty of help.
“Madison Casey played strong for us in the center midfield position,” Dellostretto said. “Kayla Meakim was the leader on the defensive end today, coming up with multiple big stops.
“Moira Olexa played a tough game in the midfield and started our overtime goal-scoring drive. Claudia Zanine played her heart out today and scored the game-winning OT goal.”
Springfield Township goalie Rebecca Berglund was credited with one save.
With the win, the Golden Bears are 18th in the latest District One 2A power rankings.
Upper Moreland (7-9, 5-7 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Thursday, and Springfield Township (9-5-1, 6-5-1) will travel to Cheltenham on Thursday.
Upper Moreland 0-0-1 1
Springfield Township 0-0-0 0
WISSAHICKON 1, ABINGTON 0
Hannah Havrilla turned a Grace Ball pass during corner play into a goal with 9:41 remaining in the first half. That goal turned out to be the difference in the game.
“It was a great win,” coach Lucy Gil said. “It was unexpected but expected at the same time, and the reason I say that is because we played really well against them even though we lost 2-1 the first time we played them.
“We dominated that game, so going into this game, I tried to remind the girls that we played very well and that we could do it, and they did it. They held on. The defense is playing really, really well.”
Anchoring the defense at center back is Havrilla.
“She takes over the field,” Gil said. “I don’t understand how she gets to where she has to be, but she’s always moving, always getting herself into position and everywhere on the field.
“And she has such great vision. She hits the ball really hard when she has to, she passes small when she has to. She’s really a smart player, one of the best I’ve seen. It will be nice to have her for another year.”
Meghan Reilly (four saves) and Alli Wood (three saves) combined for the shutout in goal.
“Meghan Reilly has been playing really, really well – she had 16 or 17 saves the other day against Gwynedd,” Gil said. “My freshman goalie (Wood) was out with a concussion, but she came back today, and they both played well.”
Gil also credited the strong play of Ball in the win.
“She had an assist, and she’s just a terrific ball handler, and she moves the ball up the field really, really well,” the Trojans’ coach said.
The win was the fifth in six games for the Trojans, who are seeded 10th in the latest District One 2A power rankings.
“We’ve been playing really well,” Gil said. “Even though we lost to Gwynedd (1-0), we lost to them last year 6-0.
“We’re going uphill, and we’re really peaking at the right time, and I’m really proud of them.”
Abington goalie Ellie Hughes recorded six saves.
Wissahickon (9-5, 8-4 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Thursday, and Abington (8-7, 8-4) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham on Thursday.
Wissahickon 1-0 1
Abington 0-0 0
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, CHELTENHAM 0
Sorrell Long broke a scoreless tie 10 minutes into the second half, and with five minutes remaining Leah Crest scored during corner play to give the Hatters their final margin of victory.
Goals, however, did not come easily, and for one half, the Hatters could not solve the mystery of Cheltenham goalie Nimi Rodojoku, who was credited with 16 saves.
“Nimi is an amazing goalie,” HH coach Laura Swezey said. “She was stellar last year against our team, and I knew this year she would be on her game.
“I know her from coaching at Mystx Club when she first started and could tell by her athleticism and smarts that she was going to be a game-changing goalie. She kept Cheltenham in the game and made it very difficult for us to score. I give her such kudos.”
The Hatters held a decided advantage in shots (20-0) and corners (13-4), an advantage that was negated by the standout effort of Rodojoku.
Hatboro-Horsham (1-12, 1-10 SOL) will host Abington on Thursday, and Cheltenham (1-11, 0-11) will host Springfield Township on Thursday.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 0-2 2
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 5, UPPER DUBLIN 0
The Colonials – thanks to a Kaleigh Missimer goal – led by just a 1-0 score at halftime but erupted for four unanswered goals in the second half on their way to their 51st straight win in conference play.
Ava Borkowski led the Colonials with a hat trick – all three in an explosive stretch early in the second half.
“Although PW got off to a slow offensive start against Upper Dublin in the first half, Ava Borkowski was able to tally three quick goals in the first five minutes of the second half to open up the game,” coach Charise Halteman said.
Sam Spera added a goal in the opening five minutes of the second half as well. Missimer also had an assist.
Sarah Trask recorded five saves in the shutout win.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (15-1, 12-0 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland on Thursday, and Upper Dublin (9-5-1, 6-5-1) will host Wissahickon on Thursday.
Upper Dublin 0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-4 5
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