Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Monday. CR North/CR South photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. CLICK HERE to go to the SOS photo galleries.
SOL National Conference
NESHAMINY 1, PENNSBURY 0
The last couple weeks had been, in a word, frustrating for Neshaminy.
For all the effort, work and runs of controlling play Neshaminy put in, results weren't coming. As the coaches kept going back to the drawing board, the players kept plugging away.
Things seemed to come together for them Monday night.
"You go back to how competitive our league is, there's so much quality, they're a very well coached team and have some really strong players," Neshaminy coach Renny Papendick said of the conference-leading Falcons. "It was a back and forth match. I thought we had the run of the play, but it was just such a competitive game.
"We've been frustrated for a few games, we've felt we were the better team and had the better of play in a few of these games and didn't finish our chances. Our mistakes have been magnified and capitalized, there's no easy games with the season we had last year and just being Neshaminy soccer, everyone is giving us their best."
Papendick said there was some "electricity" in the air as the girls took on Pennsbury ahead of the boys facing Holy Ghost Prep under the lights at the stadium. Aside from parents and fans, Papendick said the Neshaminy football team made its way into the stands to offer support.
One of the things that led to Neshaminy's frustration of late was a lack of finishes. Early on Monday, that trend continued.
"We had a couple early chances, they cleared a ball off the line after our center back Kelli Kowalick had a beautiful header off a corner kick," Papendick said. "Their outside right back was hugging the post and cleared it off the line. It was a physical game, but clean."
It took a full squad effort to pick up the win, so the game-winner fittingly came off the build up between several players.
"We brought in one of our sophomores, Carly Gross, and she connected a great ball off the right side into the middle to Deanna Lebotesis who put a beautiful ball through to Brooke Mullin and Brooke finished it side-panel," Papendick said. "Brooke had a couple chances tonight, a couple head balls, she had a shot from the left side that the Pennsbury goalie made a beautiful save on to keep us out about midway through the second half."
Papendick said the breakthrough came with about 10-12 minutes left in the game. It was also fitting that Mullin netted the winner, as the Neshaminy coaching staff has asked the senior to take on more responsibility at the top of the formation.
"We ask a lot of Brooke, we sit her up top as the target player and try to play through her," Papendick said. "She's so competitive and such a hard worker, she's our leader offensively right now. She's a very smart player, so you put together her drive and her competitiveness and she just knows where to be."
Papendick felt Pennsbury played an excellent match as well, crediting their midfielders and defenders and noting that keeper Alyssa O'Driscoll was "very strong."
The Falcons' offensive players also posed quite a threat.
"Their forwards are outstanding, they play very well together and they never stop working," Papendick said. "Our outside backs had a couple turnovers just because they never quit. Those two up top are very talented, so we wanted to play simple, win the ball, play two-touch and not make many mistakes."
Papendick felt Monday could be a springboard game for his team, and that the group seems to be coming together at just the right time. He noted juniors Emily Tantala, Gina Sexton and Mel Prinos as impact players on Monday, especially Prinos who he dubbed the best player on the field.
In the back, the Neshaminy quartet of fullbacks Alex Ziegler and Jess Dierolf along with central defenders Kelli Kowalick and Hannah Stonkus won the battles they needed to in order to post the shutout. Papendick also lauded seniors Michaela Boyd and keeper Riley Spingler, a Bloomsburg commit.
"I sometimes miss our goalie Riley Spingler, because she's so solid for us and does a great job," Papendick said. "We're at the point where we just think 'Riley's got it' and don't worry about her back there."
Neshaminy still has seven matches remaining due to a deluge of rainouts. One of those is the rematch at Pennsbury at the end of next week.
Neshaminy (8-3, 6-2 SOL) will be at Council Rock North on Tuesday afternoon. Pennsbury (9-2-1, 6-1-1) hosts William Tennent.
"We just want to continue to come together," Papendick said. "I'm all about effort and attitude. Give a great effort and have a great attitude is all I ask and I really think these girls did that tonight."
NESHAMINY 0 1 – 1
PENNSBURY 0 0 – 0
Goals: N – Brooke Mullin
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0 (2 OT) (Resumed Game)
Twenty minutes and two overtime periods could not determine a winner in the resumption of a scoreless game that was halted after regulation on Sept. 25 because of stormy weather.
“It was a fast-paced 20 minutes,” Rock North coach Gavin Flannigan said. “I thought we had more of the ball, but we still had to rely on Grace Needham making a great save in the first OT to keep us in it.
“We couldn’t quite find the final pass or touch to really create a great chance on goal, but I was happy with the intensity and work rate of our players.”
Rock South coach Nick Heim echoed a similar sentiment.
“We had a really good chance early that North’s keeper made a nice play on,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “The rest of the overtime went back and forth, but no other serious chances created.
“It’s tough to get into a rhythm when it’s only 20 minutes after a weekend off.”
Council Rock North (7-6-1, 4-5-1 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Tuesday, and Council Rock South (8-3-1, 4-2-1) will host Bensalem on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Council Rock North 0-0-0-0 0
Council Rock South 0-0-0-0 0
Non-league
ABINGTON 4, CHELTENHAM 0
Olivia Oliphant posted a shutout in goal. It was her third straight and a perfect way to celebrate her birthday.
Kailey Horton scored the lone goal of the first half, a goal that turned out to be the game- winner. She added another goal and an assist in a second half that saw the Ghosts erupt for three unanswered goals. Grace Quinn returned from the injured list and contributed a goal and an assist, and Camille Mugnier connected on her first goal of the season.
Abington (11-1, 10-0 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday, and Cheltenham (4-9, 1-9) will host Wissahickon on Tuesday.
Cheltenham 0-0 0
Abington 1-3 4
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, BENSALEM 0 (2 OT)
With 7:07 remaining in the second overtime, Ashley Balderson found the back of the net on a direct free kick, propelling the Patriots to the hard-earned win.
“It was from about 25 (yards) out and towards the side,” East coach Paul Eisold said of the game-winner. “There was lots of traffic in front of the net, and the ball got through on a really good keeper (senior Kat Rivera).
“Bensalem is an extremely competitive team. They are doing very well in a difficult league, and we were fortunate to win in overtime.”
The Patriots’ coach credited the efforts of several players in the win.
“Allie Hamilton did a great job possessing the ball and getting it forward up top,” Eisold said. “Kristen Obetz recorded the shutout in goal.
“Our midfield of Julie Beedle, Marissa Plack, Izzy Hunter, Brooke Zarzycki along with reserves Kendall Hudson, Grace Taylor and Anna Valko were able to dominate the midfield and get involved in the attack to goal.”
Central Bucks East (5-7-1, 2-6-1 SOL) will travel to Souderton on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. contest, and Bensalem (5-5-2, 4-3-1) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Bensalem 0-0-0-0 0
Central Bucks East 0-0-0-1 1
QUAKERTOWN 4, SAUCON VALLEY 0
Saucon Valley brought a 10-1 record into Monday night’s non-league game at Quakertown. The Panthers – accustomed to life in the tough Continental Conference – weren’t intimidated, scoring a pair of goals in the first half and then adding two more in the second as they coasted to the win.
“They’re a really good team, and we usually have really good games with them,” coach Mike Koch said. “I think we were just so excited we were actually in a game that we ran at it today.”
Ashley Gluck (Haley Pursel assist) scored a goal that turned out to be the game-winner just over eight minutes into the game.
“It was a corner from Sam Barkholz that Haley Pursel headed. It was right on the goal line and it went off Ashley’s foot and in,” Koch said.
With eight seconds remaining in the first half, the Panthers capitalized on another corner – this one a Barkholz corner kick that Haley Hangey headed in for a 2-0 halftime lead.
Just over seven minutes into the second half, Hangey scored her second goal of the game, this one with a Brenna Foster assist. Haley Pursel (Gluck assist) closed out the scoring midway through the half.
“Saucon Valley played well,” Koch said. “We had more shots than they did, but they certainly got dangerous.”
The Panthers’ coach acknowledged the strong efforts of several players.
“Haley Pursel really played well – she had a goal and an assist – and really probably should have had a second goal,” Koch said. “She played particularly well and Ashley Gluck, who had a goal and an assist. They’re a dangerous combination.
“Brenna Foster, who had an assist, played really well today, and probably our unsung player is Cori Pursel. Cori, Melina Jagielloand Kyla Frederick did a great job in the back.”
Morgan Sipprell was credited with three saves in the shutout win. Saucon Valley goalie Zoe Zaharakis also had three saves.
Quakertown (2-9-2, 0-7-1 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. game.
Saucon Valley 0-0 0
Quakertown 2-2 4
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