Pennridge and North Penn were winners in SOL field hockey action on Friday. (Pennridge/Quakertown photos provided courtesy of Sean Carpenter)
PENNRIDGE 4, QUAKERTOWN 0
The Rams scored a pair of goals in a six-minute span in the first half and added two more in a four-minute stretch in the second half. That was more than enough to earn the non-league win over their neighboring rival.
Syd Borneman put the Rams on the scoreboard less than five minutes into the game, and six minutes later, Emily Amsden deflected a pass from Caitlyn Amsden into the cage, spotting the Rams a 2-0 lead.
Stealing the spotlight in the second half was Kayla Richards, who found herself in a new position on the forward line. She made the most of the opportunity, scoring a pair of goals.
“I normally play the midfield, but this year she’s been moving a lot of people around, trying to figure out where we all play best with each other,” Richards said. “This was really the first game where I was up there trying to push the ball up the field, so that was exciting.”
Six minutes into the second half Richards deflected Syd Borneman’s diagonal pass across goal into the cage. Her coach couldn’t have diagramed it better.
“It was perfect,” Richards said. “I was ecstatic because we work on that so much in practice, and to actually have it happen is amazing.”
At the 19:52 mark, Richards turned a pass from Emily Amsden into a goal and a 4-0 lead. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
“We weren’t marking in the circle,” Panther coach Kelly Driscoll said. “We were standing and watching.”
Pennridge coach Becky Spahr lauded the play of her forwards – Richards, Maddie Pennie, Macy Price and Abby Ludlow.
“We controlled the tempo, and that’s what we’ve been working on, controlling the tempo,” Spahr said. “The girls are playing better, more consistently, so hopefully that will carry into the rest of our season.”
For a Panther squad that is rebuilding, it’s a learning process.
“They actually work harder than I ask them to because they make it more difficult for themselves,” Driscoll said. “I tell them, ‘You guys make each other run more than I ever make you run in practice.
“We definitely had some good things, but there were a lot of issues with marking up in the circle. There were a lot of issues with connecting our passes and just beating them to the 50-50 balls. I totally believe they can hang with them.”
Pennridge (3-6, 1-5 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South on Monday, and Quakertown (2-8, 2-6) will host Upper Dublin on Monday.
Quakertown 0-0 0
Pennridge 2-2 4
NORTH PENN 4, UPPER DUBLIN 1
The Knights controlled play but led by just a 1-0 score at halftime, thanks to a goal by Julia Scanlon (Bri O’Donnell assist) with 17:25 remaining in the first half.
O’Donnell scored back-to-back goals in the second half, both unassisted, and the Knights led 3-0 midway through the half. Scanlon’s second goal – this one unassisted – upped that lead to 4-0 with 13:38 remaining in regulation before UD got on the scoreboard with a Maisie Hanson goal, using a Maddie Templeton assist.
The Knights held a 25-7 advantage in shots and a 7-4 edge in corners.
Senior Anissa Gardizy was credited with four saves in the shutout win. UD goalies Meghan Muth and Sarah Herchenroder combined for 18 saves.
North Penn (7-4, 6-1 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West on Monday at 7 p.m. Upper Dublin (6-4, 5-3) will travel to Quakertown on Monday.
Upper Dublin 0-1 1
North Penn 1-3 4
OWEN J ROBERTS 3, NESHAMINY 1
The visiting Wildcats opened up a 1-0 halftime lead, thanks to a goal by Bridget Guinan (Olivia Leclaire assist) late in the opening half.
A goal by Julia Lamb 10 minutes into the second half upped that lead to 2-0. That score stood until Sophia Perillo connected on an unassisted goal with 8:22 remaining. A goal by Sarah Garritano in the final minute gave the Wildcats their final margin of victory.
Neshaminy (7-5, 6-1 SOL) will travel to Bensalem on Monday.
Owen J Roberts 1-2 3
Neshaminy 0-1 1
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