Check out the results for SOL field hockey teams in action Wednesday.
American Conference
CHELTENHAM 3, UPPER MERION 0
Conference wins have been hard to come by in recent years for the Lady Panthers, who have had just two in each of the last two seasons.
The Lady Panthers are looking to change that this season, and they took a step in the right direction with a shutout win in Wednesday’s opener at Upper Merion.
“It was a nice league win,” coach Elaine McGoldrick said. “They put it together, and everyone had a great game.
“When everyone can play their best together on the same day, the outcome is usually good. They made the changes individually that we needed them to make, correcting some of their skills, some of the things they were doing.”
Madison Gianelle scored a pair of first half goals to send the Lady Panthers into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
“Both goals were unassisted,” McGoldrick said. “She brought the ball into the circle and shot – she scored on two hard drives.”
Tegan Dorley was getting the job done in goal, turning away all three shots she faced in the opening half. She added six more saves in the second half and was a key player in the win.
“She gets all the credit,” McGoldrick said of her goalie. “Every save, she cleared the ball well past the circle. They were beautiful.
“Upper Merion challenged us. We started the game, and we were clearly dominating the first five minutes, but after that, it was a back and forth game. If it wasn’t for Tegan making those saves – 50 percent of the time the defense got it out but the other 50, they were letting Upper Merion take too many shots and pass the ball around.
“Tegan’s saves today were very strong, and she cleared the ball. They didn’t get any rebound shots. She really worked hard at getting the clears out right away, and they weren’t able to take the second and third shots on her.”
The Lady Panthers tacked on a goal in the second half. This time it was freshman Mattie Ellis scoring with an assist from Sasha Narine.
“We have a lot of freshmen on the team,” McGoldrick said. “That was really exciting to see her get her first varsity goal.
“It was on a deflection, and we’ve been working on those.”
McGoldrick lauded the performances of several players in the win.
“Our captain, Alexa Grady, plays center back, and she had a good game,” the Lady Panthers’ coach said. “She followed the ball out and didn’t stop until she got the ball out. She played solidly.
“Upper Merion almost scored on a corner at the very end of the game, and between Alexa and Dana (Feeney), they cleared the ball out. Tegan worked so hard, and I was hoping we could keep them from scoring. Tegan earned it.”
Feeney, according to her coach, also came up big.
“She had a solid game,” McGoldrick said. “She really cleared it out up to attackers. She had a great game.
“They all played so well. It’s hard to point out standouts because they all played so well. The girls are working hard, and they’re making progress. Everyone played well and contributed to the success today. The win today was a true team effort.”
Cheltenham (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Friday while Upper Merion (1-1, 0-1) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Cheltenham 2-1 3
Upper Merion0-0 0
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2, UPPER MORELAND 0
In a battle of two of the American Conference’s top teams last season, it was the defending champion Colonials – sparked by a standout defensive effort – earning the hard fought win.
“The playing conditions with the heat and humidity were very difficult for both teams as was playing on grass and the fight and scrappiness of Upper Moreland,” PW coach Marianne Paparone said. “Both teams generated many scoring opportunities, but the PW defense held strong and did not allow the relentless UM forwards to score.
“It was our first shutout of the season that was well earned by senior goalies Clair McAllister and Victoria Byrne as well as the defense. It was not a pretty game, but PW worked hard for the win.”
The Colonials jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead, thanks to goals from Sophie Kolkka (Frankie O’Brien assist) and Kennedy Reardon. That lead held the rest of the way.
The Golden Bears held a 16-15 edge in shots and an 8-5 advantage in corners.
Upper Moreland’s Allison Felicetti (nine saves) and Melissa Barber (two saves) shared time in goal.
PW (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will host Upper Merion on Friday, and Upper Moreland (0-1, 0-1) will travel to Wissahickon.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2-0 2
Upper Moreland 0-0 0
WISSAHICKON 3, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2
Julianna Sutow turned a pass from teammate Emily Purnell into a goal at the 25:19 mark of the second half, breaking a 2-2 halftime tie and giving the Trojans a lead they would not lose in Wednesday’s SOL opener.
It was the Spartans taking an early lead when Meredith Giordano (Marley Berger assist) scored just over five minutes into the game. That 1-0 lead stood until Purnell – who had a hand in all three goals – scored the equalizer with 3:28 remaining in the half, using a Kara Miles assist.
Just over a minute later, Berger scored on a penalty stroke to put the Spartans back on top, but not for long. Purnell (Jess Waite assist) knotted the score with just 1:20 remaining in the half.
Trojan goalie Claire Tarzi and Spartan goalie Isabelle Boles both were credited with six saves. Emily Henry also had a pair of saves for the Spartans, and Madison Baer was credited with a defensive save.
Wissahickon held a 13-10 advantage in corners with the Spartans drawing their 10th and final corner as time expired, but they could not convert.
Wissahickon (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Friday while Springfield (0-1 SOL) will travel to Norristown.
Wissahickon 2-1 3
Springfield 2-0 2
UPPER DUBLIN 9, NORRISTOWN 1
Marlee Siegel connected for the hat track and also had a pair of assists to lead the Flying Cardinals to the convincing win in their SOL opener. It was Siegel scoring at the 26:22 mark of the first half, igniting a 4-0 first-half tear by the Cardinals. Also contributing goals in the half were Sarah Blatt, Molly Lunney and Anna Gouveia (Siegel assist).
Siegel opened the second half with back-to-back goals before Siani Sanders connected at the 12:10 mark to put the Eagles on the scoreboard. Lauren Kintzley (Elizabeth Barber) answered with a goal for the Cardinals, and Amanda Warkow closed out the scoring with back-to-back goals in the game’s closing minutes, the second with a Siegel assist.
The Flying Cardinals held a lopsided 25-3 advantage in shots and a 9-0 edge in corners. Norristown’s Maya Pate had a defensive stick saves in the opening half.
UD coach Heather Boyer credited midfielder Maddie Templeton and defender Kristen Jones for turning in strong performances.
Norristown goalie Lauren Whitely turned away eight shots while Upper Dublin’s Mikaylah Johnson had two saves in the win.
Upper Dublin (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Friday, and Norristown (0-1 SOL) will host Springfield.
Norristown 0-1 1
Upper Dublin 4-5 9
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 8, QUAKERTOWN 3
After averaging seven goals a game between them in three preseason wins, the Bucks and Panthers figured to be in for shootout when the two teams squared off in their conference opener on Wednesday.
As expected, goals came easily, but surprising was the fact that the first five – all scored in the opening six minutes and 27 seconds of the game – were scored by an inspired West squad.
“It’s exciting to see what they’re capable of,” West coach Courtney Lepping said. “I was really proud of how we came out.
“It’s our first league game, and we didn’t want to be flat footed, we didn’t want to be slow. We wanted to come out and play our game, and we did.”
The Bucks’ were nothing short of overpowering on Wednesday, and they didn’t just score goals, they put on an offensive clinic.
“I feel like coming into the preseason our team as a whole was more conditioned,” senior Emily Halderson said. “A lot of us play club sports, so we’ve been practicing a lot with our stick skills, so it’s just made it a lot easier to work on the little things like connecting passes.
“I think the personalities on the team click very well together, and that obviously helps with the passing.”
“I think our team chemistry is really clicking,” junior Bryn Boylan added. “That’s helping transition onto the field, making better looks, making better passes and communicating more on the field.”
The Bucks’ chemistry was on display during a seven-minute span that bordered on perfection.
The dazzling 5-0 run began with a goal by Ryan Murray (Cadera Smith assist) one minute into the game and was capped when Taylor Mason, who finished with the hat trick, turned a Boylan pass into a goal at the 23:33 mark of the opening half. By halftime, the Bucks led 7-1.
After the Bucks’ opening barrage, the Panthers – thanks to some defensive adjustments – played them even the rest of the way and actually outscored the Bucks 2-1 in the second half.
“One thing I would say is that Quakertown made some great adjustments the second half, and they took it to us,” Lepping said. “That’s something positive for them, and it was nice to see how our kids would react to the challenge.”
While Mason led the way with three goals, Boylan had a hand in six goals, scoring two and assisting on four others. Murray also had a pair of goals.
Emma McLaughlin put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a goal midway through the second half, and Becky Gerhart and Adriana Alexander connected for back-to-back goals in the second half to make it a 7-3 game before Eva Altadonna connected for the Bucks’ lone goal of the second half.
While the Bucks boast depth and experience, the Panthers were minus a pair of regulars – a starting defensive back (illness) and a reserve forward, necessitating that coach Diane Molinaro call several players up from the junior varsity.
“I’m really happy because they stepped up and did a great job,” the Panthers’ coach said. “After adjusting and figuring out how to play defense on them, I think we did really well, especially in the second half.
“That’s what I’m looking at as how we can grow as a team. To be able to come down from a 7-1 deficit, stay in the game, put pressure and actually come ahead in the second half.”
Central Bucks West (2-0, 1-0 SOL) will host Pennridge on Friday while Quakertown (2-1, 0-1) will travel to Souderton.
Central Bucks West 7-1 8
Quakertown 1-2 3
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2, PENNRIDGE 1
Sparked by a pair of goals by sophomore Riley Donnelly, the Patriots sprinted to a 2-0 halftime lead, but the Lady Rams didn’t go down quietly, making it a one-goal game late before falling 2-1.
“We have a young team, and we started out playing very indecisively,” Pennridge coach Becky Spahr said. “We let CB East control the game in the first half.
“In the second half, we started to play our own game and were more successful. I am happy with the team’s effort and resiliency.”
Donnelly spotted the visiting Patriots a 2-0 halftime lead with goals at the 25:10 and 8:30 marks of the opening half, one with an Abbey Butler assist. The Lady Rams cut that lead in half with a goal by Megan Griffin (Larrisa Motts assist) with 3:20 remaining.
“CB East was very strong for the first half of the game, but Pennridge came back strong in the second half,” East coach Michelle Finegan said. “Goalie Sydney Richter was strong in the cage for us.
“Riley Donnelly and Abbey Butler were connecting well on the front line to create some nice scoring opportunities. We won the game, although there is no doubt we are capable of performing at a higher level.”
Spahr lauded the strong defensive play of Abby Bruzas and Victoria Arnold.
Pennridge’s Carley Wingate turned away 12 shots in goal and Richter stopped six for the Patriots.
East had an advantage in shots (8-7) and corners (8-3).
Central Bucks East (3-0, 1-0 SOL) will host North Penn on Friday, and Pennridge (0-1 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West.
Central Bucks East 2-0 2
Pennridge 0-1 1
SOUDERTON 5, HATBORO-HORSHAM 2
Jessica Gabriel (four assists) and Nina Disco (three goals, one assist) both had a hand in four goals while Erin Saybolt (two goals, one assist) had part in three to lead the Indians to their second win in as many outings.
“We are very happy with a big league win and even more happy that we did it as a team,” coach Lauren Whiteside said. “When we scored three minutes into the game, we were pumped, but we knew the next few minutes were crucial to not let HH open back up and take advantage. We believed in each other the entire game and never lost face of that. We had a lot of fight in us today and that is all I can ask for in these girls. We had moments of shutting down but we were able to pull through and regain our composure quickly.”
The Indians took a 2-0 lead into halftime, sparked by single goals from Saybolt and Disco. In the second half, Disco scored a pair of goals and Saybolt added a single goal.
“Nina Disco had a great second half for us,” Whiteside said. “At halftime we reiterated that 'everyone is ready at all times'. You never know when the ball can take a bad bounce or get through a player so everyone is ready for the ball at all times.
“Nina did just that – in the last couple of minutes, she scored two goals from across cage from Erin and Jessie. Erin Saybolt had a great game for us as well. Erin's drives and shots were on today and she also helped us on defense tackling back.
“Jessica Gabriel was all over the right side of the field, setting up her teammates and taking great shots. Jessie is a selfless player and always looking to her teammates for the best passes and when she has it, the best shots. She really is so speedy and composed for us.”
The Hatters got on the scoreboard at the 21:20 mark of the second half when Andrea Baldus converted a Gabby Acker insert pass during corner play into a goal with a strong shot. Kayla Reign (Sydney Rausa assist) also connected.
“There was a lot more movement with the ball today,” said Hatters’ coach Laura Swezey, whose team was coming off a shutout loss to Council Rock South 24 hours earlier. “There was better transition of the ball and more shots on goal. We’re gelling more each day.”
Whiteside acknowledged the strong play of several additional players.
“Courtney Kwiatkowski and Julianna Borisow played solid defense and were able to shut down the very strong middle of the field attack from HH,” the Indians’ coach said. “Megan Mehaffey made some outstanding saves for us today. She turned down numerous aerial shots and clusters in front of the cage. She not only turned away shots but she was able to put the rebounds out to the side to set us up on transition attack.”
Hatboro-Horsham goalie Liz Wilburn recorded six saves, and Souderton Megan Mehaffey had 10 saves in the win.
Souderton (2-0, 1-0 SOL) will host Quakertown on Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (0-2, 0-1) will host Central Bucks South.
National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 7, WILLIAM TENNENT 2
Devon Mela and Anna Lehman each scored a pair of goals to lead a balanced Indian attack in Wednesday’s SOL opener.
It was Mela (Jennica Jonovich assist) spotting the visiting Indians a 1-0 lead four minutes into the game, but a minute later, Kylie Weiss, who scored both of Tennent’s goals, answered. Kalisi Taufalele assisted on the equalizer. That tie held up for all of one minute as Bridget Thompson had an almost immediate answer for the Indians. A goal by Lehman (Rachel Pomerantz assist) midway through the half put the Indians on top 3-1, a score that held until the intermission.
Mela opened the second half scoring, this time using a Juliana Mangano assist. Then it was Kristen McNamara and Lehman connecting for back-to-back goals before Weiss closed out the scoring with a late goal (Niyah Rhoades assist).
The Indians held a 25-4 advantage in shots, but Tennent goalie Trish McCoy turned away 18 shots. Margaret D’Auria had a pair of saves in the win for the Indians.
Council Rock North (2-1, 1-0 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Friday, and Tennent (0-2, 0-1) will travel to Harry S Truman.
Council Rock North 3-4 7
William Tennent 1-1 2
PENNSBURY 6, ABINGTON 1
The Falcons raced to a 4-1 halftime lead on their way to the big win in Wednesday’s SOL opener. Connecting for goals in the first half were senior captain Missy Frankil (Olivia Mauro assist), sophomore Kate Chesney, junior Caroline Siekierka (Maya Geller assist) and sophomore Annie Price (Marguerite Salamone assist).
In the second half, Chesney scored her second goal and Geller also found the cage for the 6-1 final.
Pennsbury (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Friday while Abington (1-1, 0-1) will host Neshaminy.
Abington 1-0 1
Pennsbury 4-2 6
NESHAMINY 10, BENSALEM 0
The Redskins scored early and often in Wednesday’s SOL opener against the visiting Owls. Christen Pennington spent the day setting up her teammates, assisting on six goals and scoring one. She got the ball rolling by finding teammate Maria Palmieri for a goal three minutes into the game, and then the senior standout set up a goal by Mia Sexton.
Amanda Blum scored an unassisted goal, setting the stage for four straight goals to close out the half. Lauren Dunkenfield connected on a pair, the first with a Palmieri assist and the second with an assist from Pennington. Blum (Palmieri assist) and Pennington (Emily Curran assist) also scored to send the ‘Skins into halftime with a commanding 7-0 lead.
Palmieri, Sexton and Curran each added single goals in the second half – all with Pennington assists.
Neshaminy (2-0, 1-0 SOL) will close out the week with a non-league game against Mount St. Joseph on Thursday and then will travel to Abington on Friday. Bensalem (1-1, 0-1) will host Council Rock South on Friday.
Bensalem 0-0 0
Neshaminy 7-3 10
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 8, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
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