Check out the wraps for SOL field hockey teams in action.
SOL American Conference
ABINGTON 2, WISSAHICKON 1
Katie Small didn’t pull any punches. The Ghosts’ second-year coach acknowledged that her team was fortunate to escape with a win.
“Credit Wissahickon, they completely outplayed us – they’re a very skilled team,” Small said. “They’re very fast in the middle, and they have a lot of good stick work, especially Grace Ball. She was an exceptional player.
“Our defense just held it together, and (goalie) Ellie Hughes had an exceptional game. She was on mark in goal today, so that really helped us. They controlled the game.”
Paige Doyle scored a goal that turned out to be the game-winner during corner play with 6:59 remaining in regulation.
“We finally had a good transition down the field, we got in the circle and we had a corner,” Small said. “The ball came out to Paige Doyle, and she dribbled around the fly and the trail and did a reverse shot into the cage.”
Earlier, the two teams exchanged goals. Anna Joseph put the Ghosts on the board with a goal four minutes into the contest. The Ghosts took that 1-0 lead into halftime, but Grace Ball (Sarah Campbell assist) scored the equalizer at the 26:13 mark of the second half. That tie stood until Doyle’s game winner.
The final seven minutes were not without their anxious moments for the Ghosts. The Trojans – who had 10 corners to just one for the Ghosts – had a pair of corners with time expired in the game, but the Ghosts managed to clear the ball out of harm’s way.
“We just were back on our heels, (the ball) was in our feet,” Small said. “They take their free hits very quickly, and we got called numerous times on five yards, so we started getting carded.
“Everyone got frustrated and got in their heads, and that just continued through the entire game. Luckily, again, my back line of Olivia Geissler, Alainna Swift, Aileen Hughes and Mikayla Kizel really stepped up again and got the ball out of the circle and prevented them from scoring.”
Abington’s Ellie Hughes was credited with seven saves in goal while Wissahickon goalie Meghan Reilly had three saves.
The win came on the heels of Abington’s loss to Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday. The Ghosts are fifth in the latest District One 3A power rankings.
“We definitely know that in order to make our goal of having a winning season and making districts we have to win the games we believe we can win,” Small said. “Looking at Wissahickon’s scores from previous games, the scores are not indicative of what their skill level is. They are a very, very good team, and the second half of the season I think they’re going to come out very strong.”
Abington (4-2, 4-1 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Thursday, and Wissahickon (1-3) will host Upper Dublin Thursday.
Abington 1-1 2
Wissahickon 0-1 1
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, CHELTENHAM 0
Paige Mullen scored a pair of goals in the second half to break a scoreless tie and propel the Hatters to their first win of the season.
Mullen’s game-winner came eight minutes into the second half with an assist from Sorrell Long. Four-and-a-half minutes later, Mullen found the cage for her second goal, again using an assist from Long.
Abby Ransom turned away all 10 shots she faced in the shutout win for the Hatters. Cheltenham’s Nimi Bodojoko was credited with 13 saves.
Hatboro-Horsham (1-4, 1-3 SOL) will travel to Abington Thursday, and Cheltenham (0-4) will be on the road at Springfield Township on Thursday.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-2 2
Cheltenham 0-0 0
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2, UPPER MORELAND 1
Maddie Yoder turned an Anya Kochanowicz pass into a goal midway through the second half, breaking a 1-1 tie and propelling the Spartans to their fourth straight win.
All three of the game’s goals were scored in a three-minute span 10 minutes into the second half. Kochanowicz spotted the Spartans a 1-0 lead when she connected on an unassisted goal at the 19:23 mark, and two minutes later, Moira Olexa scored the equalizer, using a Madison Casey assist. The stage was set for Yoder’s game-winner, which came with 16:40 remaining in the game.
UM goalkeeper Isabella Guarenghi recorded nine saves. Kayla Meakim also had a defensive save for the Golden Bears. Springfield goalie Rebecca Berglund was credited with two saves in the win.
The Spartans are third in the District One 1A power rankings.
Springfield Township (5-2, 3-2 SOL) will host Cheltenham, and Upper Moreland (2-4, 1-2) will be on the road at Harry S Truman.
Springfield Township 0-2 2
Upper Moreland 0-1 1
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 7, UPPER DUBLIN 1
Senior Sam Spera scored four-and-a-half minutes into Monday’s conference battle, effectively setting the tone for an impressive offensive performance by the high-flying Colonials. Less than two minutes later, senior Kennedy Reardon connected on an unassisted goal, and midway through the half, it was Spera finding the cage with her second goal. Ava Borkowski (Reardon assist) added a goal late in the half, sending the Colonials into the intermission with a commanding 4-0 lead.
UD’s Ryan Kullmann (Lydia Casey assist) scored at the 21:15 mark of the second half, but the Colonials closed it out with three unanswered goals – the first by Borkowski and the next two by Kaleigh Missimer.
“PW played a strong attacking game,” PW coach Charise Halteman said. “Upper Dublin (scored) on a well-executed corner to tighten the game in the second half, but PW responded by scoring two more goals within a four-minute span.”
PW goalie Sarah Trask had five saves. UD’s Meghan Muth recorded five saves in the first half, and Rhianna Gonzales had four in the second half.
The Colonials are third in the latest District One 3A power rankings while Upper Dublin is 10th in Class 2A.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-0, 5-0 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Thursday, and Upper Dublin (3-2, 2-2) will travel to Wissahickon on Thursday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 4-3 7
Upper Dublin 0-1 1
SOL Continental Conference
NORTH PENN 2, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
The Knights needed a late goal from Kristin Varilla (Eleni Kountroubis assist) to escape with a win over the pesky Bucks at War Memorial Field.
“That goal started in the backfield,” coach Shannon McCracken said of the game-winner. “It started with Madison Waldspurger, a freshman, stepping to the ball, making a play.
“There were a few passes down the left side and then a pass to Leni in the circle, who made a beautiful pass to Varilla in front of the goalie. It was just a beautiful passing pattern to be the winning goal.”
In the opening half, Meghan Daniels turned a rebound of a goalie save during corner play into a goal that spotted the Knights an early 1-0 lead, but Casey Reichwein answered with a goal for the Bucks. That 1-1 tie stood until Varilla’s late goal.
“We played an excellent second half, especially the last five minutes,” coach Shannon McCracken said. “The goal was truly a beautiful passing pattern. When my players pass and they’re connecting and looking for each other and making those plays, what a difference it makes in our play.
“We’re young, but when they play maturely like that, it makes such a big difference. They’re much stronger as a team than individual lines of play.”
North Penn goalie Mallory Stowell recorded four saves. Meghan Daniels and Megan Albert both were credited with a defensive save.
West goalie Cassidy Pitts was credited with 14 saves. The Bucks, according to coach Ginny Moore, also received strong defensive plays from Reichwein, senior Darien Bandison and junior Ella Casale.
"The Bucks had a fast rate of play, were connecting fluid passes and maintained great possession throughout the game," Moore said, noting that both she and coach Mooradd were extremely proud of their team's play.
North Penn – 17th in the District One 3A power rankings – held a 14-9 advantage in corners.
North Penn (3-3, 2-2 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South on Thursday for a 7 p.m. game, and Central Bucks West (1-5, 1-3) will be on the road at Quakertown.
North Penn 1-1 2
Central Bucks West 1-0 1
SOUDERTON 2, PENNRIDGE 1 (OT)
The visiting Rams extended the Indians to the limit, knotting the score with a second-half goal, but it took the Indians just 63 seconds into overtime to bring a dramatic end to the game when Anna Gwiazdzinski (Courtney Kenah assist) turned a rebound into the game-winner.
Earlier, Alyssa Krady put the Indians on the board, using a Jenna Hunsicker assist that sent the Indians into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Emily Amsden turned a cross from Emma Schlotter into the equalizer, setting the stage for overtime.
“The team came out strong today and played very well together,” Pennridge coach Becky Spahr said. “Our midfield – Macy Price, Sydney Borneman, Emily Amsden, Kayla Richards and Monica Kerins – did a great job supporting both sides of the play.
“It was exciting to take a skilled Souderton team to overtime and to see our potential to play with teams at the top of our league.”
Goalie Mac Bross did her part to keep the Rams in the game, turning away 14 shots in a strong outing.
“It was a great game from Mac in goal,” Spahr said. “Her defense played tough around her, but she was stellar in the cage as well.”
Souderton – ninth in the District One 3A power rankings – held an 11-3 advantage in corners.
Souderton (5-1, 4-1 SOL) will host Methacton in a non-league game Wednesday, and Pennridge (1-4, 1-3) will host Lansdale Catholic in a non-league contest Tuesday.
Pennridge 0-1-0 1
Souderton 1-0-1 2
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 8, QUAKERTOWN 1
The Patriots opened up an early lead and never looked back, and it was the team’s nine seniors playing a huge role in this one. Anchoring the Patriots the length of the field were three seniors – forward/captain Cailey Lever, midfield/captain Kyleigh Talomie and defensive back Molly Eron.
“Their poise, leadership and experience was huge in this win,” coach Meghann Spratt said. “Senior Julie Rebstock had a huge impact on our win as well as junior Grace Melloy. It was a great team win.”
Phia Mannino (Emma Donnelly assist) put the Patriots on the board. Sophia Parker (Mannino assist), Cailey Lever, Allie Gallant (Mannino assist) followed with goals to put the Patriots on top 4-0. Goals by Mannino and Gallant (Talomie assist) sent East into halftime with a 6-0 lead.
Mannino – who led the Patriots with three goals and two assists – completed her hat trick with an assist from Kaylie Schorn. Donnelly (Cailey Lever assist) closed out the scoring for the Patriots, who own the top spot in the latest District One 3A power rankings.
Central Bucks East (7-0, 5-0 SOL) will travel to Pennridge on Thursday, and Quakertown (2-5, 0-4) will host Central Bucks West on Thursday.
Central Bucks East 6-2 8
Quakertown 0-1 1
SOL National Conference
BENSALEM 1, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
Angie Lee found the cage with 18 minutes remaining in regulation, breaking a scoreless tie and propelling the Owls to their first win of the season.
“We held strong the rest of the game and pulled through with the win,” coach Dottie O’Neil said.
The Owls’ coach lauded the strong play of defenders Jane Leible and Kaylie Buechner as well as freshman goalie Emily McGivern, who turned away all nine she faced in a standout effort.
Bensalem (1-5, 1-4 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Thursday, and Harry S Truman (1-4, 0-4) will host Upper Moreland on Tuesday.
Bensalem 1-0 1
Harry S Truman 0-0 0
NESHAMINY 5, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
The Redskins received goals from five different players with eight players contributing to the scoring as they notched their fifth win without a loss in conference play.
Peyton Ritchey (Sophie Schardt) put the ‘Skins on the scoreboard just over four minutes into the game, and a Kayla Connelly goal (Jamie Pennington assist) seven minutes later gave the Redskins their 2-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, Dylan Beegal connected on an unassisted goal, and then it was Sophia Perillo turning a Caroline Angerer pass into a goal. Angerer closed out the scoring, using an assist from Asia Barnard.
Neshaminy (5-2, 5-0 SOL) – 13th in the District One 3A power rankings – will travel to Great Valley for a non-league game Tuesday, and William Tennent (1-4) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Thursday.
Neshaminy 2-3 5
William Tennent 0-0 0
Non-league
GWYNEDD MERCY 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1
Mel Dunton turned a Megan Weeks pass into a goal to make it a 2-1 game in the second half, but that’s as close as the Titans would get against a strong Monarch squad in Monday’s non-league game.
“A very talented GMA team scored twice in the first half while CB South could not find the back of the net,” coach Pat Toner said. “(We) fought back…to make it 2-1 and then had 12 shots turned away, nearly netting the equalizer several times.”
GMA sealed the Titans’ fate by connecting on their third goal with two minutes remaining.
The Titans held an advantage in shots (14-10) and corners (12-9).
South goalie Jillian Heilig was credited with seven saves for the Titans, who are 12th in the latest District One 3A rankings.
Central Bucks South (4-3, 2-2 SOL) will host North Penn in a 7 p.m. contest Thursday.
Central Bucks South 0-1 1
Gwynedd Mercy 2-1 3
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