Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Saturday.
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1, PENNRIDGE 0
The visiting Bucks picked up their first win of the young season Saturday.
“It was a good and competitive match,” West coach Dave DeAngelis said. “The Pennridge goalkeeper (Maia Machado) did a fantastic job.
“Regardless of the outcome, this was our best game as a team so far this season. We have adjusted our lineup and rotations out of necessity each of the first three matches. We were able to string multiple passing connections that led to better ball possession and offensive opportunities, and our defense held up. Our young team will continue to work hard and improve. Happy for our student-athletes with the outcome.”
Central Bucks West (1-2 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East Tuesday for a 5 p.m. game. Pennridge (1-4, 0-3) will be on the road at Souderton on Monday (5 p.m.).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 5, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1
The Titans won the battle on the field as well as the mental battle of taking on the defending division and district champions, scoring four second-half goals to notch a decisive win on Saturday.
“East is a well-coached, talented team,” South coach Pat Toner said. “It’s sometimes a mental thing playing East, and I said to them, ‘You definitely have the ability to do it this year. What do you have to lose? Go out there and play the way you know how to play, and let things happen the way they happen.’
“I think they were a little bit nervous when East tied it up, but in their heads, they said, ‘No, it’s not happening. We’re winning,’ and they did. I said to the kids, ‘This is no slouch thing that just happened today. You guys beat the reigning district champs.’”
A goal by Erin Smith (Anna Shirley assist) gave the Titans a 1-0 lead with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter. That 1-0 score stood until East’s Sophia Parker (Paige Keller assist) scored the equalizer five minutes into the third quarter. Two minutes later, Meg Reilly scored a goal that gave the Titans a lead they would not lose.
“The ball bounced off the goal post, and Meg redirected it in,” Toner said. “It was a heads-up play by Meg because it looked like it would not go in.”
Just over a minute later Rebecca Zakrzewski scored with an assist from Shirley to give the Titans a 3-1 lead heading into the final quarter. Shirley (Smith assist) and Smith (Zakrzewski assist) each added a goal to close out the scoring.
“It was a tough fought game and disappointing that the final score does not reflect the competitiveness,” East coach Emma Rosenthal said. “Being in such a difficult conference, any given team can really win on any given today. Credit to South for being able to capitalize and get the job done today.
“We had a beautiful goal from Sophia Parker with a Paige Keller assist. We’ve got a tough week ahead of us with two conference games, so we can only move forward from here- learn from our past mistakes and look ahead to the future.”
East held a tenuous 7-6 edge in corners while the Titans had an 11-5 advantage in shots.
East goalie Grace Gidwani was credited with six saves while South goalie Emma Kraft had four.
“It was a total team win,” Toner said. “Sarah Cooper had a fantastic game and so did Julia Cooper, Erin Smith and Anna Shirley. Grace Haag and Lily Haag also played really phenomenal on the sides. They played really good defense.
“East is a good team, and they have some very strong players, but we were able to keep switching up who was where, trying to mix it up so they couldn’t get into some type of rhythm like they normally do against us.”
Central Bucks South (2-1 SOL) will host North Penn in an important conference battle on Monday, and Central Bucks East (1-2) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday.
Central Bucks East 0-0-1-0 1
Central Bucks South 1-0-2-2 5
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