Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action on Monday.
SOL Continental
Central Bucks West 2, Quakertown 1
The Bucks had to earn every bit of their win over a very determined Quakertown side on Monday.
"We started out well, we had a lot of chances in the first half, we just couldn't finish," CB West coach Mike Moyer said. "I give Mike (Koch) a ton of credit, his team battled us for 80 minutes. They never gave up."
Ryan Fitzsimmons scored both goals while her twin sister Erin had a massive impact without scoring. While the Bucks didn't finish many of their chances, they put away the two they needed in the first half.
"Taylor Moyer made a great pass to Ryan Fitzsimmons who made a quick turn and buried a shot to make it 1-0," Moyer said. "Just before half, Arianna D'Elia made a great 25-yard pass to Ryan, who used her speed and hit a great low near post shot that found the back of the net."
Quakertown cut the lead in half in the second half, putting the pressure back on the Bucks. Haley Hangey, assisted by Sam Barkholz, provided the tally for the Panthers.
"Quakertown never gave up. Our defense, led by Megan Gallagher and Trish Hauck, just dug their heels in to preserve a conference win," Moyer said. "Despite Quakertown's record, they battle the entire game."
Erin Fitzsimmons may not have scored, but the Bucks wouldn't have won without her.
"Erin was the best player on the field tonight," Moyer said. "She does so much that goes unnoticed and Tori Albrecht continues to dominate air balls."
Central Bucks West (12-4, 7-4 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Thursday at 7 p.m., and Quakertown (3-12, 1-9-1) will travel to Souderton Thursday for a 6:30 p.m. contest.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2 0 – 2
QUAKERTOWN 0 1 – 1
Goals: CBW – Ryan Fitzsimmons, Q – Haley Hangey
SOL National
Pennsbury 2, Council Rock South 1
Pennsbury wanted to send a message Monday in a pivotal conference game.
That message? Don't sleep on the Falcons.
"That was the message from my youngin’s on the bench tonight, but they put together a really great game from our defensive unit all the way to our finishing today," Pennsbury coach Kaitlyn Battiste said. "We've been trying to take this crazy fall season one game at a time, but I saw the competitors in them tonight – they want that league title. They were hungry dogs tonight!"
Playing under the lights at Macclesfield Park, Rosie Bostian found Christine Cataldo-Smith for a 1-0 lead.
"Rosie Bostian had an incredible game tonight," Battiste said. "She was aggressive in the air and created a majority of our offensive opportunities. She has the presence and the ability to take over a game."
After Council Rock South tied it up, the game went back and forth with neither side able to create an advantage. Late in the game, a Falcons player was fouled about 30 yards away from goal.
Bostian stepped up and bombed a ball right into the box where Cataldo-Smith got up and nodded a picture perfect header into the back of the net.
The Golden Hawks nearly had a great late goal of their own, denied only by a timely intervention.
"With about two minutes left in the game, South earned a few chances inside the 18 and Gianna Durle made a goal-line save," Battiste said. "She's probably one of our shorter players, but thankfully, has the most incredible vertical leaping ability and comes out of nowhere to head the ball away.
"They all stepped up their game on both sides of the ball to earn the win."
Pennsbury (12-2-1, 8-1-1 SOL) will travel to Harry S Truman Tuesday for a 7 p.m. contest, and Council Rock South (10-4-1, 6-3-1) will host William Tennent on Tuesday.
PENNSBURY 1 1 – 2
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0 1 – 1
Goals: P – Christine Cataldo-Smith 2
SOL American
Hatboro-Horsham 3, Cheltenham 1
Once Kara Thomas found her footing, there was no stopping her.
"Kara Thomas showed up today for the Lady Hatters, putting away three goals," HH coach Kelsey Daley said.
Playing under the lights on Cheltenham's grass stadium after another day of rains, the Hatters got off to a sloppy start.
"The field was in rough shape and the girls had to adjust to it pretty quickly," Daley said. "Once Kara turned on the jets, there was no stopping her offensively. She played a great game and really stepped up for the team."
Daley said midfielders Cam Ryan and Sophia Liott were instrumental in controlling the center of the field.
"Sophia is only a freshman and she is a game-changer for us," Daley said. "She never backs down from the ball or a chance and makes big time plays for us."
The Hatters (11-5, 9-3 SOL) visit Abington Tuesday night at 7pm while Cheltenham (5-11, 1-11) visits Springfield at 7pm.
Upper Moreland 3, Springfield Twp 1
The Golden Bears intended to start fast Monday, so they went out and did it.
"We wanted to control the tempo of the game. We were able to score first in the eleventh minute of the first half, and got our second three minutes later," UM coach Lisa Benvenuto said. "Knowing our opponent though, Springfield will always battle you, I really respect that in them. They work hard and they never give up. Suzette Wolf has instilled that in this group of girls."
Grace Burns, Emma Meakin and Kathryn Morrow provided all the offense for the Bears, meshing well off each other. Burns scored the two opening goals for UM while Meakim had the last score and assisted the first. Morrow provided the other two assists.
"Our girls are really meshing together well and making things happen on the field. Grace Burns has really stepped up in these last two weeks, and her hard work and perseverance are paying off," Benvenuto said. "She has a nose for the goal and knows exactly what she wants to do with the ball. She and Kathryn Morrow connected quite a few times today. Between Kathryn, Grace and Emma Meakim, they controlled our offense."
Ally White provided the lone goal for Springfield, assisted by Meghan Nelson. Otherwise, the Bears defense silenced the Spartans.
"In goal Jaclyn Martino continues to be solid for us. She had six saves today, and she continues to command our defense," Benvenuto said.
Springfield Township hosts Cheltenham in a night game Tuesday while Upper Moreland visits Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday night.
"We have a had a couple of injuries and have had to shuffle some positions around, and the girls continue to work well together, they play for each other and as a coach, that is exactly what you want to see," Benvenuto said.
Upper Moreland (9-7, 5-7 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh Tuesday for a 7 p.m. contest, and Springfield Township (4-11, 2-10) will host Cheltenham Tuesday at 7 p.m.
UPPER MORELAND 2 1 – 3
SPRINGFIELD TWP 0 1 – 1
Goals: UM – Grace Burns 2, Emma Meakim; ST – Ally White
Nonleague
Souderton 3, Council Rock North 1
All season, Souderton has turned to Campbell Power and Sara Readinger in big moments.
The senior midfielders delivered again on Monday as they held off a game CR North side on its Senior Night.
"Honestly, it's just their effort, they're all really giving 100 percent on the field," Souderton coach Lindsy Jones said. "I always say it and ask for it, but I didn't always feel like I was getting it.
“They're really waking up to it and they can tell the difference when they come out and are not giving that effort and when they are."
Souderton has opened up the top of its formation and it has helped the offense get on track. The visitors struck first off a well-built goal when Hannah Alderfer got wide on the left, then whipped a cross in that Taylor Yoder finished well inside the six-yard box.
Thanks to a clutch save by goalkeeper Lindsey Pazdziorko, Souderton took a 1-0 lead to the break.
"In terms of creating opportunities, it's just developing that confidence," Jones said. "Campbell had been struggling over the course of the year on the ball, she's always had an amazing shot and the last two games she's scored, so I'm hoping that continues."
Power gave Souderton a 2-0 lead early in the second half on an impressive individual effort. The senior, with a defender all over her, turned a failed clearance into a 25-yard rocket into the upper corner of the goal.
Souderton has won two straight after tying Pennridge last Thursday, and Jones has seen a different energy from her team since that draw.
"They saw what happens when you give 100 percent effort," Jones said. "I keep talking about winning those 50/50s and when we are, we're dominating the game. When we aren't, we're going to get slammed. Ever since that game, they've been coming out and doing what I've asked."
Souderton started to put in some subs and CR North jumped at the chance, cutting the lead down to 2-1 when Anna Cairone finished off a gorgeous ball from a deep free kick with about 14 minutes left.
The visitors began to cycle starters back in when Readinger put the game away. Off a short pass from Power, the senior hit a low, curling ball that managed to tuck inside the far post for a 3-1 edge with about six and a half minutes to play.
Pazdziorko made four saves on the night while Souderton's back line had another good showing against an energized CR North squad.
"Defense to me is No. 1, you need to have a strong defense and to me, they've been stellar," Jones said. "They're very smart players. Kailee (Harwick) and Miranda (Kullman) know how to position themselves and communicate with the outside and we have speed on the outsides."
Souderton (9-2-6, 4-2-5 SOL) will host Quakertown on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., and Council Rock North (7-8-1, 4-6-1) will be on the road at Bensalem on Wednesday (7 p.m.).
SOUDERTON 1 2 – 3
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0 1 -1
Goals: S – Taylor Yoder, Campbell Power, Sara Readinger; CRN – Anna Cairone
William Tennent 2, Lower Moreland 1 (OT)
Close games haven't been kind to the Panthers this season, but it hasn't stopped them from pouring their all into every match.
Monday, Tennent celebrated its 10 seniors, fittingly in a close contest.
"It was our Senior Night and they got a lot of time with many substitutions," Tennent coach Bill Hontz said. "It was a real good game up and back. It was nice for the seniors to win as a whole and contribute to the overall team victory. We got lucky with a couple crossbars when that is usually us hitting them, but the seniors were on tonight."
Seniors combined on the first goal while a couple underclassmen delivered the winner in overtime.
"Monica Lotran scored a nice goal early on from a nice pass by Emily Viclitis," Hontz said. "I left them on to play and they did just that. I gave the seniors all little breaks, but it was the fresh legs in the end on a pass from Gabby Sowers to Chelsea Metzler, both sophomores, to end a long night."
In spite of the close losses, the Panthers haven't lost their fight this fall.
"I would attribute that to the seniors and being there in the past to have that will to just keep going," Hontz said. "Hopefully they leave that impression on the younger group."
Lower Moreland scored late in regulation to force the extra time, but again the seniors provided the will.
"Jenna Rodebaugh and Monica Lotran were instrumental in keeping spirits high after Lower Moreland scored late on a nice corner kick," Hontz said. "They were very excited and wanted to win in overtime. I'm happy for them and will miss this group."
The Panthers (6-9, 3-6 SOL) close the regular season with three SOL National games, starting Tuesday with a visit to Council Rock South.
WILLIAM TENNENT 1 0 1 – 2
LOWER MORELAND 0 1 0 – 1
Goals: WT – Chelsea Metzler, Monica Lotran
Plymouth Whitemarsh 8, Calvary Christian Academy 0
Alyse Caffrey's big afternoon also etched her name in the PW record books.
The senior forward notched five goals, including the 50th of her Colonials career. The Shippensburg recruit became just the second PW girls' soccer player to reach 50 goals.
Fiona Gooneratne scored her first career goal in the win. Josee Tassoni and Lindsey Berman each added a single goal.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-8-1, 5-6-1 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 5 3 – 8
CALVARY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 0 0 – 0
Goals: PW – Alyse Caffrey 5, Josee Tassoni, Fiona Gooneratne, Lindsey Berman
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