Check out the results for SOL field hockey teams in action Tuesday.
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 6, NORTH PENN 4
Four goals is more than enough to beat most teams, but the Patriots are proving they’re not most teams.
“They’re just extremely dangerous on the attack end,” North Penn coach Shannon McCracken said of the high-flying Patriots. “They’re very dynamic, very quick, and they have the ability to lift the ball.
“They don’t give up in that circle. That’s a hard team to defend.”
On a day that saw the Knights’ defense limit Riley Donnelly to just an assist until the Maryland-bound junior found the cage with under five minutes remaining, the Patriots proved that they have plenty of other weapons. Sophomore Cailey Lever connected for a hat trick, and senior Abbey Butler added a pair.
It was Lever putting the Patriots on the scoreboard less than three minutes into the game, using a Butler assist, and at the 20:26 mark, Butler turned a Riley Donnelly pass into a goal and a 2-0 East lead. Bri O’Donnell wasted little time cutting that lead in half, finding the cage 21 seconds after Butler’s goal with an assist from Amber Blackshear. Midway through the half, Butler scored with an assist from Emma Donnelly, but Mikayla Barrow’s unassisted goal made it a 3-2 game at halftime.
Brynne Schoppe, who finished with 16 saves, delivered back-to-back saves during a bang-bang sequence early in the second half. The Knights gained possession but couldn’t generate any attack.
The Patriots transitioned back on the attack, and before the Knights’ defense had a chance to settle in, Lever scored on the rebound of a goalie save to give the Patriots a 4-2 lead.
“When we can work it down together as a team and quickly rebound, it kind of shocks them,” Butler said.
“That’s also when we feel most like a team,” Lever added, “because we’re able to connect all the way from the defense to the offense and put it in the cage.”
At the 17:23 mark, the Patriots cashed in on a corner opportunity. Schoppe made the stop of Finegan’s rocket, but the ball deflected high off her pads to Lever, who deflected the ball down into the cage.
“It came up off the goalie’s pads, and given the fact that no one was in my way except for the goalie, I was able to put it in,” said Lever, attributing her deft reaction to her lacrosse background.
That goal loomed large when Barrow connected for her second goal of the game to make it a 5-3 game. Riley Donnelly answered for the Patriots, connecting on a rebound of her own shot. All three of East’s second-half goals came on rebounds of goalie saves.
“We do work on (rebounds) a lot,” East coach Michelle Finegan said. “We do a lot of drills where we have them getting the ball off the pads putting it away and just trying to make sure we are in a ready position. It’s not over until we hear the boards.”
Emily Crawford’s goal with 48 seconds remaining closed out the scoring.
“I’m very proud of the way we played today,” McCracken said. “They came out fighting, they came out to play hard.
“I think we won a lot of the 50-50 balls especially in the second half. They were really pushing the attack. We’re very similar in our transition games – we both transition pretty quickly, so that was a nice even match. They’re an excellent team, and this type of game is great for our team as we move forward into the season because they fought real hard.”
Coach Finegan lauded the play of her dangerous attack.
“I have some quick players on the front line, and they’ve been doing a really nice job – not only with their stick and ball but their movement,” she said. “They’re aggressive, competitive and quick. They have a lot of attributes that are good.
“Obviously, we’re working on a lot of other things. We have a rough schedule ahead, but this was a nice win. North Penn is a really good team. They’ve come off some really strong wins. They’re well coached, they have some talented players, and they’re hard to beat.”
With the win, the Patriots improved to 7-0 in conference play – a far cry from two short years ago when they were 5-9 in league play on the heels of a 2-12 conference season.
“It’s so exciting my senior year,” Butler said. “I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“We started off the season with a loss, but we really bounced back, and that’s really what our team is all about. We don’t give up. That’s what I love about these girls. It’s so fun working with them. We’re all so close and tight knit. We hang out – we’re like sisters. That’s part of why we’re so good because we’re so close.”
“It’s so great,” added Lever. “We have such great leadership on this team, and honestly, all of us work together so well.
“We’re really lucky to have such a close-knit group that works so well together, and it really transitions into our game of play.”
The seniors are playing for their third coach in four years.
“I played for Michelle on my club team on FSC,” Butler said. “She’s great. She’s such a good leader and such a good role model in all aspects of life.”
Central Bucks East (9-1, 7-0 SOL) will host Souderton on Thursday, and North Penn (5-5, 4-3) will host Central Bucks West on Thursday at 7 p.m.
North Penn 2-2 4
Central Bucks East 3-3 6
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1, SOUDERTON 0
Senior captains Lauren Dougherty and Erin Chioffe teamed up for the game winner at the 12:50 mark of overtime, propelling the Titans to a hard-fought win over the Indians at War Memorial Field. The win avenged a 2-0 loss at the hands of the Indians earlier this season.
“This was really important for them for their mindset and just turning this program around to what CB South used to be like,” coach Pat Toner said. “We have to take small steps. We’re expecting a lot out of them, and we’ve been pushing them hard.
“On top of everything else we’re very young. We have a lot of 10th graders out on the field right now and, at times, a ninth grader. We’re expecting a great deal out of them, and they’re starting to respond.”
The Titans’ game winner came during corner play when Dougherty turned a pass from Chioffe into a goal.
Take away that goal, and Tuesday’s game belonged to the respective defenses. Sophomore goalie Francine Richick was credited with 13 saves in a strong outing.
“She had a great game – she came up with several outstanding saves,” Toner said. “Our defense had a great game – our corner defense did a really phenomenal job.
“We’ve been working on all aspects of the game, but we’ve been working a lot on defense.”
The Titans’ coach lauded the performances of Kasey Dietzel and Ally Fitts in the midfield.
“They did an excellent job of controlling the midfield and distributing the ball,” Toner said. “Everybody has some kind of a bug right now, so a lot of people aren’t feeling well. I was really proud that they pushed through anyway.”
Souderton held a 13-5 advantage in shots and an 8-6 edge in corners.
“I have a lot of respect for Nicole Dudek (Bauer) – she does a fantastic job,” Toner said of the Indians’ first-year coach. “Both of us are working hard to get our teams to a level to compete in this league, which is a very difficult league.”
Central Bucks South (4-4-1, 3-4 SOL) will be on the road at Pennridge on Thursday, and Souderton (6-5-1, 3-3-1) will be on the road at Central Bucks East.
Souderton 0-0-0 0
Central Bucks South 0-0-1 1
American Conference
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 3, HATBORO-HORSHAM 2 (OT)
The Spartans – holding a 2-0 lead with five minutes remaining – appeared to be on their way to a comfortable win in Tuesday’s Pink Night game at Hatboro-Horsham. The Hatters had other ideas, rallying to knot the score with goals by Marielle Spiezio with 4:05 remaining and then – with 15.3 seconds – by Elizabeth Shaffer.
The Spartans displayed remarkable resilience, rallying from that setback to earn the win on a goal by Ellie Hamilton with 7:53 remaining.
“Springfield did a great job getting the ball up the field,” Hatters’ coach Laura Swezey said. “We had some opportunities that we needed to connect on but missed the cage.
“We came out into OT strong with a few shots on goal right away but just missed our tip-ins. I’m proud of our girls for an incredible comeback in that last six minutes of play of regulation.”
Madison Baer scored both of Springfield’s goals in regulation – the first at the 9:44 mark of the first half and the second with 22:05 remaining in the second half.
The Spartans were 24 hours removed from a 6-1 non-league loss to Methacton on Monday night.
“If you’re going to have a night game, you may as well have a second one,” coach Linda Nixon said. “After you get over the newness, then you can actually focus, although I thought we played pretty well against Methacton. They’re just really strong.
“(Hatboro-Horsham) beat us on our field earlier in the year 1-0, and I thought we could have beaten them then but didn’t.”
Nixon lauded the strong play of Baer, Hamilton, Hannah Grothusen and Charlotte deKerillis.
Springfield goalie Emily Henry recorded three saves in the win in a contest that saw the Spartans hold a 10-9 edge in shots and a 6-4 advantage in corners.
Hatter goalie Liz Wilburn recorded seven saves.
Springfield (3-6, 3-4 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Thursday, and Hatboro-Horsham (4-6, 4-4) will travel to Upper Moreland on Thursday.
Springfield 2-0-1 3
Hatboro-Horsham 0-2-0 2
WISSAHICKON 3, QUAKERTOWN 2
The Trojans took a 2-1 lead into halftime, but the Panthers rallied to knot the score. The Trojans won it with a late goal, but Quakertown coach Diane Molinaro was thrilled with her team’s performance, pointing to her team’s improvement since its 6-0 loss to Wissahickon on Sept. 7.
“We were coming off a tough game with Pennridge the day before,” the Panthers’ coach said of a 4-0 loss to the Rams in their season opener. “That was a tough turnaround to play hard that night and then have an away game at Wissahickon. The girls were a little tired, and we came out flat. Today we had fresh legs after a weekend of rest.
“Now that we’re in the second half of the season, I kept telling everyone, ‘Look, we have the skills, we have the game plan. We need to execute with everyone playing with grit and determination all at the same time, and it has to be for 60 minutes.’”
Jess Waite scored on a corner at the 27:51 of the first half, using a Grace Ball insert pass to put the Trojans on top 1-0. The Panthers knotted the score just over a minute later on a goal by Sydney Fondl (Anna Thompson assist). The Trojans took a 2-1 lead at the 24:19 mark when Caroline Testa scored on the rebound of a corner shot by Waite. They took that 2-1 lead into halftime.
The Panthers knotted the score at the 24:52 mark of the second half, this time Fondl assisted on Olivia Jackson’s direct shot on goal. With five minutes remaining in regulation, Waite connected on a corner shot, once again using a Ball insert pass.
“The thing I’m so excited about for our team and I’m so proud about is they came out with heart and they fought for 60 minutes,” Molinaro said. “If we can continue to do that, I think you’ll see a different team in the second half of the season.
“Everyone stepped up to the plate. The thing we have to do – and I want to work on it this week – we’ve never really had an opportunity in a game to build an attack. We’ve done a hit-and-run type of game because we’ve always been under so much pressure. Now the girls are playing with more heart, they playing with more confidence. Now they can start piecing together an attack.
“That’s exciting to see because they’re gaining confidence. They’re starting to believe they can do it in a game. All they have to do is find that grit and determination. I’m hopeful. I think the girls learned a lot tonight.”
Exceptional players, according to the Panthers’ coach, included senior Mel Olivieri.
“She had a spectacular game and really energized our defense,” Molinaro said. “She really made some transitions out of the defense – intercepting, reading the play and bringing it up to generate an attack.”
Goalie Amanda Tuley also came up big.
“She had a phenomenal game,” Molinaro said. “She definitely got peppered. She had some amazing saves and really kept us in the game.”
Wissahickon (6-4, 6-2 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Wednesday in a key conference battle, and Quakertown (2-8, 1-7) will be on the road at Upper Dublin.
Wissahickon 2-1 3
Quakertown 1-1 2
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 5, UPPER MORELAND 0
It was the Frankie O’Brien-Sam Spera show in Tuesday’s game at PW. While O’Brien scored four goals, Spera had four assists.
O’Brien’s unassisted goal just over a minute into the game marked the beginning of an impressive offensive showing. O’Brien’s second goal came on a corner shot with an assist from Spera at the 17:31 mark, and that 2-0 lead held until halftime.
O’Brien completed her hat trick with 10:51 remaining in the game, again converting a corner shot with a Spera assist. Three minutes later, Kennedy Reardon found the cage, benefitting from a Spera crossing pass. O’Brien put the finishing touches on a big day with another goal during corner play at the 3:55 mark, using a Spera assist.
“Today I thought (we) struggled to find our rhythm and style in the first half,” PW coach Charise Halteman said. “We scored early on a reverse stick shot by Frankie O’Brien but then struggled to capitalize offensively as Upper Moreland played solid defense in their circle and their goalkeeper made some athletic saves to keep the game close.”
UM keeper Allison Felicetti recorded 27 saves in a strong outing. UM defenders Emily Keene and Becca Miekley each had a defensive save. PW’s Katherine Houghton was credited with three saves in the shutout win.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (10-0-1, 9-0 SOL) will be on the road at Wissahickon Wednesday, and Upper Moreland (2-8, 2-6) will host Hatboro-Horsham.
Upper Moreland 0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2-3 5
UPPER DUBLIN 6, CHELTENHAM 0
Jess Grodsky collected a hat trick to lead the Cardinals to the decisive win. Grodsky scored a pair of goals to send the Cards into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Her first goal was set up by a Shannon Reape assist.
Grodsky connected on her third goal at the 21:24 mark of the second half, using a Maddie Templeton assist. The Cardinals closed it out with three goals in the final 6:30 with Marlee Siegel connecting for a pair – the first with a Lauren Greene assist, and Greene added an unassisted goal.
The Flying Cardinals had 34 shots and 25 corners on a day that saw the Lady Panthers manage just one shot.
UD goalie Meghan Muth (one save) and Sarah Herchenroder were forced to make just one save in the shutout win. Panther goalie Nimi Budejoke recorded 25 saves in another solid outing.
Upper Dublin (7-2-1, 7-1 SOL) will host Quakertown on Thursday, and Cheltenham (0-10, 0-8) will be on the road at Springfield Thursday.
Upper Dublin 2-4 6
Cheltenham 0-0 0
National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 7, ABINGTON 0
Caroline McGovern’s hat trick led a balanced Golden Hawk attack in Tuesday’s shutout win.
Katelyn Cocco put the Hawks on the board in the 11th minute, and 12 minutes later McGovern scored an unassisted goal. Mikayla VanAken turned a Sarah Womer pass into a goal, and then it was VanAken setting up a goal by Tori Wright to send the Hawks into halftime with a 4-0 lead.
McGovern scored a pair of goals in the second half, and Caitlyn Thornton also put her name in the scoring column, finding the cage with an assist from Rachel Thorpe.
Rock South held an advantage in shots (25-6) and corners (10-0).
Sabrina Masone was credited with three saves in the shutout win.
Council Rock South (10-1, 7-0 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Thursday, and Abington (4-7, 3-5) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Thursday.
Council Rock South 4-3 7
Abington 0-0 0
PENNSBURY 6, BENSALEM 0
The visiting Falcons scored three goals in each half on their way to the shutout win.
Maya Geller connected on a pair – both unassisted. Olivia Mauro added two goals and one assist – one goal was unassisted, and Mauro used a Nell Webber pass on the other. Katie Chesney scored with an assist from Amelia Sharp, and Sammie Hackman added an unassisted goal.
Pennsbury (3-3, 4-5-1 SOL) will host Abington on Thursday, and Bensalem (0-9, 0-7) will travel to Neshaminy on Thursday.
Pennsbury 3-3 6
Bensalem 0-0 0
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