Several SOL teams notched big wins in their non-league season girls’ lacrosse openers on Friday. Check out all of the results. To view photos of the CB West/CR South game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 9, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 8
There was nothing easy about it, and it wasn’t always pretty, but the Bucks took an early lead and then withstood a pair of Golden Hawk rallies to eke out the win.
The Bucks led 9-5 with 4:39 remaining in regulation after a goal by Jane Savard (Elena Romesburg assist). That lead, however, turned out to be anything but secure as the Golden Hawks reeled off three straight goals, a run that was capped with 25.5 seconds remaining in regulation when Leann Hurley connected to make it a 9-8 game.
“We’re working to try and become a fastbreak team, but when we are up, we have trouble slowing it down or seeing the open girl, and we’ll make a good pass but then throw it away,” West senior captain Tara Shugars said. “We’re learning to find each other and give it away at the proper time.
“A lot of our struggles are with the ball control. The momentum starts with the draw, so whoever takes the draw takes the momentum. What happened today was we would get the draw, possess and then throw it away.”
The Bucks were led by the three-goal efforts of Savard and Jess Circuit while Steph Cooper added a pair of goals and Jacqueline Fitzgerald contributed a goal and an assist. Romesburg had a pair of assists.
The Bucks sprinted to an early 4-0 lead, a tear that began with a free position goal by Circuit and culminated with a Savard goal at the 15:50 mark. The Golden Hawks trimmed that lead to 6-3 by halftime after a late goal by Nikki Boyd. They opened the second half with goals by Hurley and Christine Besselman, and suddenly, it was a 6-5 game with 14:51 still remaining in regulation.
“We just weren’t capitalizing on our opportunities, and to their credit, they were capitalizing on the offensive end even when they were down,” West coach Tara Schmucker said of a Golden Hawk squad that survived several yellow cards. “There were some key caused turnovers – Tara Shugars had a couple, and Elena Romesburg had a couple.
“When we really needed it, someone came up with the ball. Christy Grezesak came up with a great draw for us when things got close. Unfortuna
tely for them, they had several cards, which helped us. When we were starting to lose it, their (yellow) cards gave us momentum.”
The Golden Hawks received a pair of goals from Hurley, Gabi Rosenfeld and Christine Besselman while Boyd and Kiera McGovern both added single goals.
Despite the outcome, Rock South coach Erica Hellerstein was pleased with her team’s effort.
“This year it’s been so great coming into tryouts even,” she said. “We have a ton of athletes. We do have a few girls that have never played before.
“I told them, ‘You guys came back from a (four-goal) deficit, and for them to step up, get organized on defense and turn around and put some of those goals in – I’m very proud of the way they played today.”
Hellerstein lauded the efforts of her defense – led by returning veterans Taylor Hunt and Amanda Besselman, a senior and sophomore.
“Colleen Kirlin played varsity last year but has stepped into a starting role this year,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “Patrice McFillin never even played lacrosse until last year, and she’s been phenomenal, stepping up all over the defensive end for us.”
To read the game story in PhillyBurbs.com, please click on the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/doylestown/cb-west-holds-off-cr-south/article_084f3ecc-c220-53fc-802e-a4955a37aa11.html
CHELTENHAM 8, PENNSBURY 7 (OT)
Allison Hawkins scored on a free position shot with 54 seconds remaining in the first three-minute overtime period to give the Lady Panthers their second overtime victory in as many years over the Falcons. Last year, they earned a 13-12 win in OT.
“We have such a young and inexperienced team,” Cheltenham coach Dave Burton said. “There are just some things we need to do to be able to compete.
“When it was tied with three minutes left, I told them, ‘Regardless of what happens, you guys should be really proud of the way you’ve played.’ They’re such good soldiers. They did everything they were asked.”
The Lady Panthers, according to Burton, had a chance to win it in regulation but couldn’t connect for the game winner until Hawkins scored her fifth goal of the game in OT. She also controlled 13 of 17 draws in a standout individual effort.
“I’m not sure if it’s a great thing that we had that many draw controls and only won in overtime,” Burton said. “If nothing else came out of that game, it was the realization by so many of those young players that they can play at that level.
“It’s almost hard to believe, but we had six girls who played the entire game who had played lacrosse for the first time a year ago.
“We had one senior in the starting lineup, and aside from the youth, it’s just the lack of experience. It’s going to be one of those years where I know we’ll have ups, and I know we’ll have downs. This was certainly an up to start the year.”
Burton went on to laud the defensive effort of Emily Leibovitz.
“She’s been out a lot of the spring with a knee injury, and she played the entire game,” he said of his D-wing. “She did a lot of good things.”
Another player who came up big was sophomore goalie Jack Dudo, who turned away nine shots. Dudo was one of five male players to come out for the team after the boys’ program folded this spring due to dwindling numbers.
“Our goalie, who was a two-year starter, quit going into the season,” Burton said. “We had three different girls try it out a day at a time, and none of them liked it.
“Jack said, ‘I’ll play goalie,’ so we have a goalie. He’s a great kid, and he played really well today.”
In addition to Hawkins, Sammie McManus, Gabby Szczepanek and Skye Wallace each added one goal. McManus also had a pair of assists.
“Gabby also played a good game,” Burton said. “As low scoring as this game was, I think the lead changed hands three or four times. It was two evenly matched teams and a really well played game.
“There weren’t a lot of fouls. It was a really good lacrosse game. It was really good for the kids. We have to be disciplined with our lack of experience and youth, and they did everything they were asked to do. I’m so glad they were rewarded with a win. They deserved it.”
Pennsbury was led by the three-goal effort of Kelsey Gumbert while Joy Hopkins added a pair. Jackie Sweeney and Alyssa Matthews both scored single goals.
NORTH PENN 12, BOYERTOWN 7
The two teams found themselves deadlocked 5-5 at halftime, the Maidens outscored the Bears 7-2 in the second half.
“At the beginning of the game, we had some first-game jitters,” coach Jami Wilus Behm said. “We threw the ball away a ton and had some unforced turnovers and had girls out of position on transition a lot of times.
“At halftime, we told them, ‘You need to settle down. It’s lacrosse. It’s the same game you play every single day.’ Brenda McDermott really stepped up, and she was a leader. She kind of set the tone with the midfield play.
“We ended up going on a run. We had a couple of fastbreaks, which we didn’t have in the first half.”
The Maidens used back-to-back-to-back goals by Hannah Young, Aubrie Stouffer and McDermott to take a lead they would not lose.
“All of a sudden, we were up by three goals, and we were able to control the tempo of the game from there on,” Behm said.
Jenna Stover turned away seven shots in goal for the Maidens.
“She had some huge saves in the first half to keep us in the game when we were a little bit out of sorts and just nervous for the beginning part of the game,” Behm said. “She helped us a couple of times when their girls were right on the doorstep and came up with saves and led us into transition so we were able to keep it even in the first half. We played less defense in the second half than we did in the first.”
Behm also credited senior Emilie Ikeda for coming up with some important draw controls. Ikeda finished with four draw controls while McDermott and Kaitlin Suzuki each had three.
Tara Rogers led a balanced Maiden attack with three goals while Rachel Shaw (one assist), McDermott (one assist) and Suzuki each added two goals. Laura Delongis contributed a goal and an assist.
The Bears came into the game ranked in the top 10 in a pair of preseason polls.
“They’re a good team,” Behm said. “They’re very well coached and extremely disciplined. Every girl on their team can catch and throw. It was definitely a good win for us, but we said at the beginning of the game and at the end of the game – we’re not going to get too high or too low because we know that we’re a young team, and we need to keep developing.
“We have girls that made mistakes, but they made up for it with hustle, which I think was definitely a key to winning the game.”
UPPER DUBLIN 15, ABINGTON 5
The Flying Cardinals took a 7-5 lead into halftime and then seized complete control of the game in the second half, outscoring the Ghosts 8-0.
“I felt like we came out really slow and just weren’t clicking,” coach Dee Cross said. “At halftime, we went over a couple of things. I was pretty stern with them, and they responded.
“We held them scoreless. Our defense tightened up. We have two new goalies, and we definitely have a different squad than last year, but we have a core group of seniors that set the tone. I was just really pleased with the way they came together in the second half.”
Senior Kelly Cross led the Flying Cardinals with seven goals and one assist.
“She stepped up and did a nice job getting the offense settled and going to goal when she knew she had to,” coach Cross said. “Abington is a good team. They’re well coached, and they’re fast. We knew we would have our work cut out for us.
“We knew we had a little more experience, and we needed to set the tone right away. It took us a little while, but I’m very pleased with the overall effort.”
Brooke Callahan added the hat trick for Upper Dublin. Taylor D’Ginto collected two goals and an assist, and Emily Hitchings, Anna Trentini and Rachel DiFrangia each scored single goals. Julie Cross had an assist.
“We had some really nice plays – old-time lacrosse where it started in our defense and was pass, pass, pass,” Cross said. “We had two fastbreaks that were total team efforts.”
The Flying Cardinals, who are without veteran Michele DeVincent (injured), received a lift from freshman goalie Sarah Gallagher (six saves).
“That was key because in the beginning we didn’t have any momentum, and she really came in as a freshman and really did a nice job,” Cross said. “Stephanie Speese, who’s a senior, really helped settle the defense down and did a real nice job keeping everyone together. She is definitely the field general for defense.
“Emily Hitchings had played attack for us the last three years, and this year we’re asking her to play a true midfield. She played offense and defense, and she did a really nice job today playing both ends of the field.”
Junior Meredith Cox led the Ghosts with three goals while Hanna Sjoholm added two goals. Elisa MacColl had one assist.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 12, EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 7
Caroline Hagan is best known for her defensive prowess, but the all-league senior defender – who is 16th on ESPNHS’s list of top 25 defensive midfielders - paced the Hatters’ offense with four goals.
“Caroline is a ground ball person,” coach Duncan Swezey said. “I didn’t realize she had four goals until I picked the book up.”
The Hatters also received a standout 12-save effort in goal from Jackie Giovannazzo, who – according to Swezey – has stepped up her game since last year.
“It was one of the improvements we needed to make,” he said. “I think she is number one in her class, so all during the fall and winter, she doesn’t do indoor clinics, but my wife Laura has been working with her.
“We have another goalie coach – Joe Vitale, and Jackie is getting 30-45 minutes a day of private work that we never did before. She had 12 saves today, and she had some nice saves. I think the girls are starting to feel more confident in her, and to me, that is huge.”
The Hatters, who led 7-4 at halftime, also received the hat trick and an assist from Lizzy Carr while Courtnee Daley had two goals and one assist. Nicole Beck contributed one goal and one assist in a half of action while Julie McKay and Rachel Rauza each added single goals.
“For me, it was more of a relief,” Swazey said of earning the win. “It’s your first game of the year. Last year they had a lot more storied players, but Episcopal always had a great program.”
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 15, WISSAHICKON 12
The Titans found themselves staring at an 8-5 second-half deficit but outscored the Trojans 10-4 in the second half to earn the come-from-behind win.
“I think it was first-game nerves,” coach Janique Craig said. “I truly believe that because we didn’t play the way we played in our scrimmages.
“In the second half we started to play our game. Megan Hamilton came up with the draw and had some big plays in the midfield, which gave us momentum, along with Emily Cliggett.”
Seniors Maddie DiBrino (four goals) and Brynn Dietzel (three goals) led the Titans. Sophomores Devon Dietzel and Megan Hamilton (one assist) both added a pair of goals while Mackenzie Harding, Cliggett, Corrinne Kenney and Alisa Morelli each added single goals. Cliggett was credited with four assists.
The Trojans were led by Laura Frankenfield (3 goals, four assists) and Zoe Kale (three goals). Lauren Irvine added two goals, and Zoe Gomez had one goal and two assists. Taylor Myers, Alana Stutman and Rachel Zucker each added single goals. Stutman and Zucker both had one assist. Trojan goalie Julie Silverman was credited with 19 saves.
PERKIOMEN VALLEY 11, PENNRIDGE 10
The Rams, who led by as many as four goals, watched their lead slip away in the second half when they were forced to play down a player for the final 11 minutes after their squad received its fourth yellow card of the contest.
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