Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Friday.
SOL Continental
SOUDERTON 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0
The Indians scored a goal in each of the first three quarters to remain unbeaten on the young season, but scoring goals was anything but easy in this one.
“We had six shots – we have struggled all year in our offensive circle,” said Souderton coach Sue Casciato. “We’re not even getting the ball on pads.”
Ava Jones scored her eighth goal of the season on a corner just over five minutes into the contest. Ange Borisow and Ava Shaw were credited with assists. With 5:37 remaining in the second quarter, Tatum Andrews scored with a Borisow assist to send the Indians into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
Senior Lauren Frye scored in the opening minutes of the second half during corner play. Shaw was credited with her second assist on the play.
Souderton held just a 4-2 edge in penalty corners, and despite the outcome, South coach Pat Toner had no complaints about her team’s performance against the defending division champs.
“Going through a rebuilding year in our league is brutal,” said the Titans’ coach, whose team did not manage a shot. “We take turns beating each other up year after year, and the level of play is always very intense.
“I never thought I’d be happy with a 3-0 loss, but I am so proud of the way our players stepped-up after a tough loss to a talented North Penn team yesterday. Souderton is always strong, and Sue Casciato does a great job, so I wasn’t sure how we’d respond.
“We played well, and despite the loss, I saw some very positive signs that we are beginning to work together as a team. Lily Haag, Ella Haag, Marielle Mauri, and Sam Thomas had an exceptional game. I was also pleased with the strong play of Bella Schute and Maddie Orr. Congrats to Souderton on a strong performance.”
Souderton (4-0, 3-0 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday (5 pm) in a battle of unbeaten squads, and Central Bucks South (1-3) will travel to Pennridge on Tuesday (7 pm).
Central Bucks South 0-0-0-0 0
Souderton 1-1-1-0 3
Non-league
UPPER MORELAND 2, BRISTOL 0
Lia Liou scored the only goal the visiting Golden Bears would need in Friday’s non-league game, connecting for an unassisted goal midway through the opening period. That 1-0 lead stood until Maggie Morrow scored with a Kyleigh Convey assist with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
“We did what we needed to do today to get a win,” UM coach Marissa Elizardo said. “We were gritty and fought the whole game. We learned a few lessons last week while playing on the grass at Tennent, and we were able to adapt to the grass today rather quickly.
“Our backs did a nice job stepping to the ball and limiting the shots on cage. Lia Liou and Zoe Longstreth both played a great game in the midfield.”
UM’s Addi Hurley was credited with three saves in the shutout win that saw the Golden Bears hold a 5-3 edge in penalty corners.
Upper Moreland (4-1, 2-1 SOL) will travel to Springfield Township on Monday for a 5 p.m. contest.
Upper Moreland 1-0-1-0 2
Bristol 0-0-0-0 0
NESHAMINY 8, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 0
Kasey Rieger had a hand in five goals, setting up her teammates with three assists and finding the cage with a pair of goals. Ava Arbakov finished with a hat trick in a contest that once again underscored the Redskins’ depth on attack as eight players contributed to the scoring.
“Today was a great team effort,” Neshaminy coach Jamie Pinto said. “Our passing looked good, and we were able to generate different scoring opportunities. We moved well down the field and did a nice job cutting and moving off the ball to support each other.
“Everyone that stepped on the field hustled and did their job well. Our forwards were led by Kasey Rieger and were able to get good touches in the circle, and Ava Arbakov did a nice job finishing. The mids did a nice job of distributing the ball and the defense stepped up not allowing any shots on goal.”
Arbakov and Mia Sermarini each scored a goal in the opening five minutes of the contest – both with Rieger assists. In the second quarter, Arbakov turned a pass from Cait Colyar into a goal that sent the Redskins into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
Rieger scored a pair of goals in the third period – the first with an Avery McGinty assist and the second unassisted. In the fourth quarter, the Redskins received goals form Abby Perkins (Rieger assist), Colyar (Maddy Shtino assist) and Arbakov (Perkins assist).
Neshaminy (5-0, 4-0 SOL) will host Bensalem on Tuesday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (3-3, 3-1) will host Wissahickon on Tuesday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-0-0-0 0
Neshaminy 2-1-2-3 8
PENNSBURY 5, CONWELL EGAN 0
(Article submitted by Pennsbury field hockey)
It was a battle of the birds Friday at Pennsbury.
The Falcons flew into the weekend with a solid win over the Conwell-Egan Eagles, taking a tiny bit of the sting out of the loss to (Council Rock) South only 24 hours before.
“We came into this game fueled by frustration about how we performed Thursday,” admitted head coach Traci Curtis. “Each day is new, but we are definitely carrying the weight of the ups and downs from our first four games. Today was a step in the right direction to finding our groove and settling into a rhythm.”
Rachel Stein started off the scoring less than a minute after the starting whistle with an assist from Mia Popovich as they cleaned up rebounds off of the goalie’s pads. Angelina Kenney added a beautiful goal with 15 seconds left in the quarter off a deflection from Popovich. Meg McClure put a great shot on pads that Popovich deflected up and Kenney came in using her lacrosse talents and slapped it into the goal from mid-air. It was an awesome combined effort and heads up play in the circle to put the Falcons up 2-0.
The second quarter was scoreless on both sides as Conwell Egan held the Falcons to two goals going into halftime.
The Hawks had really low, strong sticks that made it difficult at times to get the ball out of our defensive end.
“You can tell they have been working hard and really come together as a tougher team than in the past. They made us work for everything from end to end,” Curtis said.
Meg McClure added the only third quarter goal unassisted off of the goalie’s pads, putting the orange and black up 3-0.
“Yesterday we were on the other side of that 3-0 score,” Curtis explained, “so it felt good to be the ones putting the ball in the cage today.”
Rachel Stein struck again in the fourth on an assist from Ava Jordan, and then Stein assisted the final goal of the game for Jessie Martin, making it 5-0 in favor of the home team.
“Rachel’s cross was so accurate, and Jessie was in the perfect spot for the tip,” Curtis said. “We practice that so much, so it’s beautiful when they are able to finish the pattern! They are great friends off the field, so we loved seeing those two connect like that – pure joy!
It was nice to see such a variety of players contributing in the game today and helping us to score and take charge. Our entire defense worked together sharing in the shutout – Gabby Darling, Riley Henderson (really strong performance), Liv Graebner, Angelina Kenney, Reagan Ward, and Kaylin Flannery kept the circle very well protected. Goalie and senior captain, Jordan Vradenburgh leads and has the unit running like a well-oiled machine with her vocal guidance and direction.
“The non-league win puts a tally in the win column and gives us momentum as we head into next week and face CR North on Tuesday. It will be a week playing on turf, so there are adjustments that need to be made as we prepare. We have to take care of our league games and really focus on what needs to be done from here on out. Focus on winning the moments and moving forward no matter what is in our path.”
Pennsbury (3-2, 1-2 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Tuesday and then travel again on Thursday to face North Penn.
Conwell Egan 0-0-0-0 0
Pennsbury 2-0-1-2 5
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