Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Thursday. (Truman pics courtesy of Dreyonna Graham/Truman soccer)
SOL Liberty
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2, Hatboro-Horsham 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh has developed a style all its own this fall.
PW knew it would have a strong core with nine senior players returning. They were amplified by a strong freshman class that’s seen three of those ninth graders earn starting roles.
A team that was already good at scoring off set pieces now had other ways to attack defenses as the upper and underclassmen started to mesh. Notably, that’s come on the flanks with some speed and skill that’s generated scoring chances and even more set pieces.
So, the Colonials have a style that’s worked well this fall. They also have some personality to go with it.
“Getting wide is our strong suit,” PW freshman Lori Flannery said. “Most of our outside players are really fast, Maite (Jayo) and Marleigh (Burton), they can beat anyone on the outside.”
“You’re pretty fast too,” Jayo said.
“I don’t want to toot my own horn,” Flannery said.
Plymouth Whitemarsh improved to 8-0-0 in the SOL Liberty ahead of two rather large fixtures next week, first on the road Monday night at Abington then home against Upper Dublin as it tries to lock up an outright league title. First, the Colonials had to withstand a Hatters team that has faced some hard luck this season but was a big win or two away from getting itself on the right side of the playoff bubble.
Hatboro-Horsham put forth a terrific effort that challenged the division leading Colonials for much of the night.
“Hatboro is playing for their playoff lives, and it felt like that. I thought they were really, really strong tonight and they were on the front foot and taking it to us,” PW coach TJ DeLucia said. “Our first half was not our best soccer but that being said, we did create chances in the first half but could not put them in
“The first 10 minutes of the second half, they came out firing and we withstood it.”
The Colonials do plenty of damage on set pieces and that’s where they’d get their first goal on Thursday. A corner kick that was meant to go to the far post instead made it to the front post but that’s where Flannery was set up.
With a poised flick off her right foot, the freshman redirected Liv Patete’s service into the net to put PW up 1-0 with 18:23 to play.
“You gotta be on your toes at all times,” Flannery said.
Senior Keira Whalen would ice the game with 6:52 left. The forward, who earned shout outs from Jayo and Flannery after the game, drew a foul in the box then stepped up to the spot to convert the penalty kick.
Senior Olivia Bragg made three saves for the Colonials while H-H senior Sydney Cassel made four stops. Kaiane Jayo covered a lot of ground defensively for PW while Marleigh Burton made numerous runs down the right side of the field.
“The effort tonight is what carried us,” DeLucia said.
Scoring Summary
1st half
No scoring
2nd Half
PW – Lori Flannery (Liv Patete)
PW – Keira Whalen (PK)
PW Coach TJ DeLucia on the win: “This was a great experience for them because this is what the last two weeks of the season are – teams fighting for their lives and trying to accomplish whatever their goals are and we’re doing the same thing. We have the target on our back and we did respond.”
–Mixing veterans and newcomers: “The seniors have been so good with our freshmen, we have three freshmen starting right now in Molly McEvoy, JJ Lafferty and Lori Flannery and with the nine seniors, there’s no jealousy, they’ve welcomed them with open arms, they’ve pushed them to be their best.”
–Props: “Liv Buden stepped off the bench, Liv Patete stepped up off the bench and did a job. We had to drop our ‘six’ Maddi Lazaroff to center back which she really hasn’t played all season and the final 23 minutes she played there and withstood the Hatboro pressure.”
–Developing a style: “We’ve really figured out a style of play and we have different options on both sides of the field, we’re playing balls into space, we’re taking on fullbacks and getting to the endline where we’re winning corner kicks or winning long throws. We’re also able to play direct, in the second half we needed to go a little more direct and played with the two forwards, which we haven’t done a lot of.”
–Keeping focus as playoffs approach: “We don’t talk about it a ton. We talked about goals in the spring, just me and the seniors then we did not talk about it at all in the fall and we did that on purpose because I wanted them to just play. A lot of them haven’t been in this position before so we’re trying to take it one practice and a time and one game at a time and I know that’s cliche but it’s what you have to do in our league where you can’t look ahead.”
PW senior Maite Jayo on the team’s play this season: “We came in ready to play. We knew we had a strong returning class, but we also got some freshmen who came in, put their best foot forward and have started for us so that’s been the difference.”
–Team’s style: “We’re just relentless. Our forwards and our midfielders, even our defense, we all hustle after the ball and pressure it every chance we get.”
Preparing for the postseason: “We’re a really close group and we’ve been playing forever so I don’t know if it’s desperation but more we want to end with a bang.”
PW freshman Lori Flannery on the second half response: “We did good coming back from our first half. That first half was a little rough, but we came out much better in the second half. We knew we could play better and we realized we had to come out stronger.”
Hatboro-Horsham coach Chris Artman on the match: “We got the ball forward, we had some chances but we didn’t finish and that’s kind of been our M.O. all year, we’ll struggle to score then we’ll get a goal down and it’s a little deflating after that.”
–Hatters still going hard: “They’re upset after games, they’re frustrated but with 10 seconds left, they’re still tackling the ball on the field so for me that shows a lot of heat and a lot of character from them. They don’t give up.”
–Props: “Cara Neeld is super solid in the back, our whole back line honestly has played really well throughout the season. We’ve got good play out of strikers, good play out of our midfield, it just hasn’t been as consistent in those areas. Leah Nelson really has done a good job, Cara went out with a concussion, so Leah filled in with no drop off, she’s been our jack of all trades, she plays central mid, outside mid so she’s been a strong player for us.”
Up next: Plymouth Whitemarsh will travel to Abington Monday (7pm), and Hatboro-Horsham will be on the road at Upper Dublin on Monday (7pm).
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 0 2 – 2
HATBORO-HORSHAM 0-0 0
Upper Dublin 3, Quakertown 0
Life on the bubble is tenuous.
Every result is magnified a little bit more no matter what side of the cutoff line a team is on, but even more so when it happens to be the wrong side. That’s where the Cardinals found themselves walking into Thursday’s match against Quakertown, as UD entered the day No. 29 in the Class 4A rankings and a spot out of the postseason.
An early goal put UD on the right path and with senior Rosie Sitman chipping in a goal and an assist, the Cardinals ended the day on the right side of the bubble.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
UD – Emerson Smith (Rosie Sitman) 7th
2nd Half
UD – Bridget DiMartile (Ava Shohen) 50th
UD – Rosie Sitman 60th
UD coach Darius Gbunblee: “With the playoffs looming, this was a great win for us. We came into today knowing we needed a win and that Quakertown was going to be tough. I’ve been preaching execution over the past few weeks, and I feel like they did just that today converting three of their eight chances. I want to spotlight our defense for putting up a shutout, led by our sophomore centerback Brooke Ellner.”
Up next: Upper Dublin will host Hatboro-Horsham for its Senior Night Monday (7pm), and Quakertown will travel to Wissahickon Monday (7pm).
UPPER DUBLIN 1 2 – 3
QUAKERTOWN 0 0 – 0
Abington 1, Wissahickon 0 (2 OT)
Abington’s win streak was a few seconds away from ending.
Deep in the second overtime Thursday afternoon, the visiting Ghosts found themselves locked in a 0-0 tie with a young Wissahickon group that’s playing its best soccer at the end of the year. Abington’s got some difference makers, especially in its senior class, and two of them combined to make sure that streak got to four.
Senior Alexis Whaley, off to play next year at Ursinus, put away a cross from senior Nya Riggs, heading to Stony Brook next fall, for the walk-off winner.
The win keeps Abington, which has played its way off the district bubble, two games back of division leader Plymouth Whitemarsh ahead of Monday’s home clash with the Colonials.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
No Scoring
2nd Half
No Scoring
OT
No Scoring
OT2
A – Alexis Whaley (Nya Riggs)
Up next: Abington will travel to Mount St. Joseph Academy for a non-league game Friday, and Wissahickon will host Quakertown Monday (7pm) for Senior Night.
ABINGTON 0 0 0 1 – 1
WISSAHICKON 0 0 0 0 – 0
SOL Patriot
Council Rock South 0, Council Rock North 0 (2 OT)
The second Council Rock South and North match every season tends to have a familiar feel to it.
The connections between the teams go deep and while it’s usually cordial before and after, everything between the touchlines is always heavily contested. Thursday, while neither team could put away a goal, it certainly wasn’t for lack of effort.
There were plenty of standouts on both sides, highlighted by some tenacious defensive efforts fueled by a pretty good understanding of what the other side does well and how to try and combat it.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
No scoring
2nd Half
No scoring
OT
No scoring
OT2
No scoring
CR South coach Nick Heim: “Sounds cliche, but it was a typical slugfest between North and South. We felt like we didn’t put together a full 80 against them last time and had a bit of a chip on our shoulder. Our lineups know each other so well both on the field and off the field that it always makes a tense game where any bounce of the ball could be the difference. I thought we had our fair share of chances and just weren’t clinical enough inside the box but was really pleased with the aggression we attacked with.”
–CR South standouts: “I thought Brianna Howard, Kate Deal, and Anna Horn were fantastic for us in the midfield handling some very difficult defensive assignments and helping us create chances. North has some dangerous players, especially in Rogan, Diaz, and Igval. We had specific matchups we wanted in those situations, and I felt Howard, Krissy Philip, and Lianna Shikhvarger were excellent at handling those matchups, and Brooke Pavlow and Madison Mohr handled Keegan Terry, another tough match up, really well. Lylah Day and Riley O’Halloran, with her first serious minutes back after an injury sustained in the first North game were dynamic offensively. Ella Mayberry came up with some timely saves, especially on tough aerial balls on corner kicks limiting a real threat of North’s.”
CR North coach Gavin Flannigan: “A really competitive game tonight against South. I feel like we could’ve won and we could’ve lost so the draw was probably a fair result. In our league, the second time through the schedule is always much tougher, everyone is better prepared, and with the playoffs looming every game seems to be heightened in expectation and importance. Tonight was no different, I think both teams left everything out there and 100 mins couldn’t separate us.”
–Flow of the match: “I felt like we had the better of the first half, a little more possession and some good opportunities but I don’t think we really tested their keeper, in the second half we struggled to get out of our own end at times but later in the half I thought we were dangerous. The OT saw both teams create opportunities, and Reese Ludwig came up with a really good save in the 1st OT to keep us in the game. We had some good moments but we couldn’t find the last pass or finish.”
–CR North standouts: “For us, I thought Reese, Kinsley Smith and Cierra Frank had really good games, Addison Martin, Alexa Pikul and Audrey Rogan covered a lot of ground in the middle trying to defend and create and overall our effort and intensity were excellent.”
Up next: Council Rock North will be on the road at Pennsbury Monday (7pm), and Council Rock South will host Archbishop Wood for a non-league game Friday (7pm).
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0 0 0 0 – 0
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0 0 0 0 – 0
Bensalem 4, Harry S Truman 1
Adrianna Posten had a big second half for the Owls as they broke open a halftime tie.
Posten assisted the game-winning goal, assisted on another then finally buried a chance of her own to cap the scoring.
Harry S Truman had plenty to celebrate on Thursday, starting with Senior Night for its five seniors: Aubrey Thompson, Liz Delaney, Grace Darpino, Jada Akins and Laila Lorenti. The Tigers also scored their first goal in SOL play this season, with senior Laila Lorenti driving a free kick home for a late tally that made it a tie game at halftime.
While the Tigers have battled numerous injuries of late, they continue to give a strong effort every time out and their progress has been well-noted around the league.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
B – Paige Wheaton (Deborah Neves) 12′
HST – Laila Lorenti 39’
2nd Half
B – Jordyn Bell (Adrianna Posten) 45′
B – Paige Wheaton (Adrianna Posten) 50′
B – Adrianna Posten (Grace McShane) 67’
Bensalem assistant coach Kat Rivera on the win: “The last couple weeks we’ve battled injuries and this game tested us. We didn’t start out the best but found ourselves in the second half. Truman made it hard for us. I’m very impressed with how Truman played this season.”
–Props: “Our back line held them, limiting their only goal scoring opportunity to a free kick. Captains Mary Beck and Sarah O’Neil kept our back line connected. Jordyn Bell, captain Paige Wheaton and Kylie O’Neil kept control of the midfield and created opportunities for our forwards.”
Harry S Truman coach Brian Gilbert on the match: “Bensalem got out to an early lead, but the Tigers kept grinding. Most of the offensive chances were created by the hard work of Gwen Marston, drawing multiple fouls. In the closing seconds of the half, Marston was taken down and the Tigers were awarded a direct kick at the Bensalem 25-yard line. Captain Laila Lorenti took the kick and blasted a shot that had too much movement for the Bensalem keeper to stop and Truman tied the score at 1-1. It was the Tigers first goal in league play this year.”
–Gutty effort: “Still missing multiple players with injury, Natalie Klimowicz and Grace Darpino played complete games on defense. Aubrey Thompson, our senior goalkeeper, topped 20 saves for the second consecutive game, however Bensalem was able to capitalize on a free kick and added two more late goals to pull away with a 4-1 win.”
–Senior contributions: “Our seniors have given their all to this program and the underclassmen really worked hard to make tonight special for them. Tonight, the atmosphere was electric. It is a cohesive group and I’m proud of how they’ve supported one another all year. I’ve received multiple compliments on the progression of play from our girls, but coaches Mike Morris, Jim Rizzo and myself constantly highlight the personal growth that we see. That was displayed during the half when the captains huddled the girls together and senior captain Liz Delaney gave a motivating speech, firing the girls up. Our record may not be impressive, but I’d argue that we have the best vibe in the league.”
Up next: Bensalem will host Council Rock South on Monday (7pm), and Harry S Truman will host Neshaminy on Monday.
BENSALEM 1 3 – 4
HARRY S TRUMAN 1 0 – 1
SOL Colonial
Central Bucks East 2, Souderton 0
The Patriots got a pair of first half goals from some usual suspects, but it was the team’s defensive effort that really stood out.
Juniors Mia Forney and Kiera Sleicher each scored before halftime despite some determined defending from host Souderton. Those goals were enough thanks to an equally determined effort from CB East’s defensive group led by its center backs Cece Hayes and Paige Dougherty.
Scoring Summary
1st half
CBE – Mia Forney
CBE – Kiera Sleicher
2nd Half
No Scoring
CB East coach Jake Nesteruk on the win: “Good result tonight against a well-coached Souderton team. As a staff, we were pretty happy with what we did on the ball today especially in the build-up, but in moments, we were just a bit too slow in our attacking half to really break the game open, and credit goes to Souderton for how they defended this one, especially in the second half. We got two great performances out of Kiera Sleicher and Mattie Williams today and up top, the work of Mia, Taylor and Ella Roumy, and Mackenzie Peters created a few really good chances throughout this one.”
–Defenders carry the day: “But for me, the night was built on what Cece Hayes and Paige Dougherty did from their center back spots. I thought they defended this game really well, their patience and decision-making in possession made the game easier, and with those two and Aralynn Patterson’s leadership in goal, they earned us a clean sheet that we desperately wanted.”
Souderton coach Melissa Lollar on the match: “Souderton had found themselves in a bit of a slump in recent games. However, going into Thursday’s game against the No. 1 team in the district, they were focused on working together to get back to their style of play. East is always a tough competitor. They are organized, disciplined, and technically sound all around. They always seem to get better as the season goes on which makes it challenging to face them when trying to get out of a tough few games. East started off scoring with a free kick. Mia Forney was a challenge to defend throughout the entire game and was able to capitalize on a goal before halftime.”
Up next: Central Bucks East will host Central Bucks West on Monday (7pm), and Souderton will host North Penn for its Senior Night game Monday (7:30pm).
Central Bucks South 3, Central Bucks West 0
A physical match between the rival Central Bucks schools went South’s way thanks to a late first half goal and an early tally in the second half that added some insurance.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
CBS – Alana Peev (Tessa Hughes)
2nd Half
CBS – Maddie Roe
CBS – Kelly Donnelly (Riley Karpinski)
CB South coach Dana Cole on the win: “It was a very physical game but we held our own. We led 1-0 at halftime, the goal was scored on a Tessa Hughes cross to Alana Peev header that hit the crossbar and dropped down into the net. In the second half, Maddie Roe and Kelly Donnelly scored to seal the deal, Riley Karpinski assisted Kelly Donnelly’s goal with a beautiful cross.”
CB West coach Bree Benedict on the match: “Team played tough today. I felt like we really had some momentum in the first half. We were unfortunate to give up a goal as we had been playing so well until that point. Allie Pisch had a particularly good game, put pressure on them and took good shots. I felt like Anna McGrath, Emily Van Why, and Sophie Borgmann were disciplined defending on the outside and prevented a lot of crosses. Maura was dominant in midfield winning head balls. Unfortunately, we gave up an early goal in the second. We are already struggling through some injuries in some key spots, but we were happy to see everyone in the program contribute tonight on the field and play West soccer. Despite the loss, we are proud of the group and their continued response to adversity.”
Up next: Central Bucks South will travel to Pennridge on Monday (7pm), and Central Bucks West will travel to Pennridge on Saturday (7pm).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1 2 – 3
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0 0 – 0
SOL Freedom
Springfield Twp 3, William Tennent 1
A pivotal week for the Spartans ended with another massive result as they pursue an SOL Freedom title.
After downing Lower Moreland on Tuesday, Springfield Twp hosted William Tennent in a second straight battle of teams that had closed the first half of divisional play tied at the top of the table. A pair of goals by scoring dynamo Karter Brady, plus a finish from Karly Hartman, gave the Spartans enough offense to end the day as the lone team holding a share of the division lead.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
ST – Karter Brady
2nd Half
ST – Karly Hartman
ST – Karter Brady
WT – Bailey Kasner (PK)
Springfield Twp coach Chris Tomarelli: “Springfield girls soccer secured a big league victory over William Tennent with a strong team performance. Karter Brady opened the scoring for the Spartans, followed by a goal from Karly Hartman to double the lead. Brady struck again for her second goal of the game, giving Springfield a 3-0 advantage. William Tennent added a late goal and fought hard until the final whistle.
“The Spartans look to keep the momentum going as they travel to face Upper Moreland on Monday in another important league matchup.”
Up next: Springfield Twp will be on the road at Upper Moreland on Monday, and William Tennent will host Lower Moreland Monday (7pm).
SPRINGFIELD TWP 1 2 – 3
WILLIAM TENNENT 0 1 – 1
Lower Moreland 5, New Hope-Solebury 0
Sophomore Emma Leibert made sure her seniors had a really, really good night.
The standout forward scored four goals, continuing a breakout season as LM celebrated its Senior Night. After a stifled performance on Tuesday, the Lions got back to their game and the senior class got to play a strong part in doing so.
LM coach Todd Hill on the win: “After not playing up to our potential on Tuesday, our girls put together a really strong performance tonight against New Hope. I loved the way the girls moved the ball, spreading out the field in really creative ways. This provided some really great scoring opportunities.”
–Leibert delivers an electric outing: “Sophomore Emma Leibert had a night. She scored four of our five goals, overpowering the defenders when trying to contain her attack. The amazing thing about Emma’s performance tonight is that she was equally unselfish and creative in her passing as she was in her shooting. Consistently she was finding teammates and providing opportunities for others.”
–Huber gets a senior goal: “Senior Haylee Huber scored a great goal late in the second half. Quinn Rozanski slid a ball through the box and Haylee simply willed her way past a defender, putting so much pressure on the keeper that it led to a really strong finish in the back of the net.”
–Senior standouts: Senior defender Violet Levin had a really strong game as well. She played really solid defense and was very creative in the counterattack. Senior Giuls Fogarty played a strong game, particularly while playing center back for us. She was really smart in stepping to the ball and spreading out the attack with really good play out of the back.”
–Special debut: “Senior Lucy Mavroudis played her first Varsity game tonight. It has been fun to watch Lucy improve throughout the season and find significant ways to contribute to the team.”
Up next: Lower Moreland will host Gwynedd Mercy in a non-league game Friday, and New Hope-Solebury will travel to Delaware County Christian for a non-league game Saturday (12 noon).
LOWER MORELAND – 5
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY – 0
Upper Moreland 2, Cheltenham 0
The Golden Bears honored their six seniors by getting them plenty of opportunity to impact an all-around strong win.
Scoring Summary
First Half
UM – Brooklyn Kavangh (Eva Gorrell)
Second Half
UM – Hailey Kramer (Emma Kramer)
UM coach Lisa Benvenuto on the win: “The team delivered an impressive performance on Senior Night, honoring six players who have been part of the program since their freshman year. Each senior made an impact in the match as the team controlled the tempo and executed effectively on both sides of the ball. It was a complete team effort and a fitting tribute to the team’s seniors: Ava Warga, Evie Hogan, Helen Hernandez, Maggie Brophy, Hailey Kramer, and Emma Kramer.”
–First half goal: “The offense generated several strong scoring opportunities early before breaking through in the 34th minute. Brooklyn Kavanagh skillfully controlled a throw-in from Eva Gorrell with her back to goal and finished to give the team a 1–0 lead.”
–Twins link up for a score: “In the second half, the momentum continued as the Kramer twins connected for the second goal. Emma Kramer found her sister Hailey making a run down the left side, and Hailey calmly placed the ball into the net.”
–Props: “The defensive unit and midfield play were anchored by strong performances from Jayda Rivera and Leah King, helping to preserve the shutout and secure the victory.”
Up next: Upper Moreland will host Springfield Twp Monday, and Cheltenham will host New Hope-Solebury Monday (7pm) for its Senior Night game.
UPPER MORELAND 1 1 – 2
CHELTENHAM 0 0 – 0
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