Check out the results of SOL field hockey teams in action Thursday.
National Conference
NESHAMINY 3, PENNSBURY 1
The Redskins won a key conference battle, gutting out a win over the archrival Falcons in a battle of two squads that had not lost in SOL play.
“This was a great win for us,” coach Jami Pinto said. “We started out a little rough in our non-league games. The score didn’t always reflect how we played in those games, but they weren’t wins.
“The girls have been working really hard at practice. We’ve been working on basics and building on them because they are a new group. There are only four or five girls that were on the field at one time last year. This is a new team. They need to get used to each other, and today, everything came together.”
Elayna Curtin broke a scoreless tie midway through the first half when she turned a Mia Sexton pass into a goal, and the Redskins led 2-0 after Kayla Connelly (Sexton assist) connected at the 7:34 mark.
Pennsbury’s Maya Geller found the cage, using an assist from Amanda Sharp, to make it a one-goal game 12 minutes into the second half. Curtin’s second goal of the day in the closing minutes with a Peyton Ritchey assist gave the Redskins their final margin of victory.
“For the first 5-7 minutes, we were not in control – we had to call a timeout,” Pinto said. “Pennsbury was down in our end that whole time.
“We said, ‘If this is how it’s going to be, it’s going to be a long game.’ We kind of regrouped and got them focused again. They went out and started playing better, making better passes. We got the ball down there, and we were able to finish. That’s what we’ve been working on a lot in practice. It was a hard fought game. We never felt comfortable. We knew they weren’t going to give up.”
Pinto pointed to the senior leadership of captains Elena Donato, Emily Alexis, Elayna Curtin and Mia Sexton as key.
“They really stepped up this game, and for the rest of the season, they know that’s one of their jobs as captains and as seniors,” Pinto said. “They need to lead the team because the younger players feed off of that, and it came together today.
“We knew Pennsbury was going to be tough, so I think the girls were ready for that too.”
The Redskins have six seniors in their starting lineup, but the four captains are the lone returning starters. Pinto – who also starts a pair of freshmen and sophomores – credited senior defender Taylor Benton for stepping elevating her game.
Senior goalie Jill Mitchell – who had five saves – is a first-year varsity starter.
“She’s working hard to step up because she knows we need her to do that,” said Pinto.
Melanie Pond recorded five saves in goal for the Falcons.
Neshaminy (3-0, 3-2 SOL) will travel to Great Valley on Saturday for a non-league game, and Pennsbury (3-2, 2-1) will be on the road Monday at Council Rock South.
Neshaminy 2-1 3
Pennsbury 0-1 1
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3, ABINGTON 1
The visiting Indians broke a 1-1 halftime tie with a pair of second half goals to earn the conference win.
Council Rock North (4-3, 3-1 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Monday, and Abington (1-4, 0-4) will be on the road at Souderton Friday for a non-league contest.
Council Rock North 1-2 3
Abington 1-0 1
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4, WILLIAM TENNENT 1
Six players had a hand in the Titans’ four goals with senior co-captain Lauren Dougherty connecting on a pair to lead the way. Both of Dougherty’s goals – her first and second goals of the season – were scored on penalty corners.
Casey Reilly and Sierra Davis both added a single goal while Molly Sullivan, Ally Fitts and Erin Chioffe each had an assist.
Tennent took an early 1-0 lead on a goal by freshman Karly Adkins, who scored on a breakaway. The Titans answered with three goals to go into the intermission with a 3-1 lead.
Coach Kaitlyn Rauchut lauded the exceptional performances of sophomore Victoria Poust in the midfield and senior Sarah Reed on the defensive end.
The Titans held a 15-5 advantage in shots on goal.
South keeper Francine Richick was credited with four saves in the win. Tennent’s Tricia McCoy recorded 10 saves.
Central Bucks South (2-2-1, 2-2 SOL) will host Bensalem in a non-league contest Friday, and William Tennent (1-3-1, 0-3) will be on the road at Central Bucks East on Monday.
Central Bucks South 3-1 4
William Tennent 1-0 1
SOUDERTON 2, PENNRIDGE 0
The Indians scored a goal in each half of Thursday night’s contest against the visiting Rams. Ashlyn Catto used assists from Jess Gabriel and Liz O’Hara to put the Indians on the board, and Isabella Palde added an insurance goal.
Coach Nicole Bauer credited Gabriel for contributing great transitions on offense and defense.
Pennridge goalie Mackenzie Bross was credited with 15 saves in a strong outing.
“Tonight was a very competitive game with both teams playing with a lot of intensity,” Pennridge coach Becky Spahr said. “We need to focus on finishing in the circle and keeping offensive possession, but I am happy with some of the changes that the girls made to their play.
“This is the most complete game that we have played as a team so far this season. Despite the score, I am very proud of our team play and intensity.”
Souderton (4-2, 2-1 SOL) will host Abington in a non-league game on Friday, and Pennridge (1-4, 0-3) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Monday.
Souderton 1-1 2
Pennridge 0-0 0
American Conference
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2, UPPER MORELAND 1 (OT)
The Spartans used a goal at the 14:17 mark of overtime by Ellie Hamilton to eke out an overtime win over the visiting Golden Bears. It was the first win of the season for the Spartans, who have played just three games.
“We had no preseason non-league games, so we had no games before the (league) season started,” coach Linda Nixon said. “We didn’t play Cheltenham because the superintendent closed down all the activities because of the heat, so we couldn’t practice or anything.
“I graduated three really strong players and the year before I graduated four strong players, and I haven’t replaced them so we’re really young and inexperienced, and we’re starting to play better.”
Hamilton – who scored both of her team’s goals – put the Spartans on the scoreboard with an unassisted goal at the 26:23 mark of the first half. The Spartans took that lead into halftime.
Upper Moreland Jess Flanagan (Kylee Bowman assist) found the cage with the equalizer at the 25:28 mark of the second half, and that tie stood until the opening minute of overtime when Hamilton connected for the game winner.
“We haven’t beaten Upper Moreland in a couple of years, so it’s a real turnaround,” Nixon said. “They do have a nice team.
“They don’t have a big team, but they really played pretty well on our field.”
Leading the Spartans this season are seniors Madison Baer and Victoria Ebner and juniors Hannah Grophusen and Ellie Hamilton.
“They have all been doing a nice job,” Nixon said. “Izzy Boles, our goalie, has experience.
“Once we get a little bit more solid defense we’ll do okay. Tomorrow we’ll get a lot of practice on defense because we play GA.”
Boles was credited with four saves in the win. UM’s Allison Felicetti was credited with 10 saves.
Springfield (1-3 SOL) will travel to Germantown Academy for a non-league game Friday, and Upper Moreland (1-4, 1-3) will host Academy of the New Church in a non-league game Friday.
Upper Moreland 0-1-0 1
Springfield Township 1-0-1 2
WISSAHICKON 4, HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
Anna Blackney came off the bench to contribute a pair of goals and an assist in a contest that saw the Trojans score a pair of goals in each half en route to the shutout win over a Hatter squad that had not lost in conference play.
“We needed a win today, and the team was able to get one,” coach Leah Angstadt said. “Every single player stepped up today and did what we needed them to do.
“We have been working hard on our outletting and ball movement, and today the girls really showed how much it has improved. We have also been working on goal scoring and tipping. All four of our goals today were a tipped ball into the net. We were very proud of how the girls played, and they really deserved this win. We need to be able to play this well and this together for the rest of the season.”
Caroline Testa tipped a pass from Julianna Sutow into the cage for a 1-0 lead, and then Jess Waite (Blackney assist) scored on a tip to make it a 2-0 game at halftime.
Blackney scored her first goal on a tip of a lifted shot by Grace Ball, and her second was on a tip of Waite’s corner shot after Bell delivered the insert pass.
“Grace Ball had a terrific game in the middle of the field,” Angstadt said. “We moved her from attack to our defensive center mid, and she really stepped up, played amazing and did what we needed her to do.
“Anna Blackney also had her best game yet. She came off the bench and was able to produce two goals and one assist. She was a key player in our game today. Every single girl played their best today, and that’s exactly what we needed.”
Wissahickon (2-4, 2-2) will be on the road at Cheltenham on Monday, and Hatboro-Horsham (3-3, 3-1) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh Monday.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0 0
Wissahickon 2-2 4
QUAKERTOWN 4, CHELTENHAM 1
Quakertown scored a pair of goals late in the first half and took a 2-1 lead into halftime. The visiting Panthers added a pair in the second half to earn their first league win.
“Transitioning from turf to grass is always a challenge, and that proved to be the case today,” coach Diane Molinaro said. “(We) got off to a slow start and took awhile to find rhythm due to the slower pace of the grass.
“About midway through the first half, we began to control the ball better and made some nice attacks on goal.”
With 5:40 remaining in the opening half, Jennifer Jiminez came up with the rebound of a goalie save and gave the ball to Anna Thompson, who got it by the goalie for the score. Less than two minutes later, Thompson found Julie Ely open in front of the cage for the tap in.
“Just before the half, Cheltenham’s Maddie Stackhouse showed aggressiveness and determination and brought the ball into the circle where she passed to Lucy Mackenzie, who quickly shot and scored with two minutes left on the clock,” Molinaro said.
Midway through the second half, Mackenzie Hadfield scored on a strong individual effort to put the Panthers up 3-1. A few minutes later, Jiminez brought the ball down the right baseline, wove through some defenders and made a great cross to Ely, who slammed the ball into the cage.
“Cheltenham played tough and never gave up,” Molinaro said. “(We) will take the lessons learned from this game and come out stronger next week.”
Quakertown (2-4, 1-3 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Monday night at 7 p.m., and Cheltenham (0-5, 0-3) will host Wissahickon on Monday.
Quakertown 2-2 4
Cheltenham 1-0 1
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 8, UPPER DUBLIN 1
The Colonials took over sole possession of first place in the conference standings with a convincing win over previously unbeaten Upper Dublin, taking a 2-0 lead into halftime and blowing the game wide open with six second-half goals.
“Today was a team win as we had four different goal scorers contribute to the effort,” coach Charise Halteman said. “Frankie O’Brien played great in the midfield and led the way with three goals.
“In the first half, we didn’t play true PW field hockey, but the team made adjustments at halftime and came out ready to play.”
Goals by Kerin Bechtel and O’Brien (Sam Spera assist) sent the Colonials into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Julia Fiddler (Jess Dixon assist) scored to open the second half, giving the Colonials a 3-0 advantage before UD’s Emma Mead found the cage.
It was just a temporary reprieve for the Cardinals as the Colonials closed it out with Bechtel’s second goal of the game – this one with a Spera assist – as well as a pair of O’Brien goals sandwiched around Fiddler’s second goal of the day.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (5-0, 4-0 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday, and Upper Dublin (3-1-1, 3-1) will host North Penn in a non-league game on Friday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2-6 8
Upper Dublin 0-1 1
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