Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Friday. CR South/Hatboro-Horsham photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check the photo gallery for a complete gallery of game photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f405978483
Cheltenham 5, Calvary Christian 4
Even in a season where the Panthers didn’t win a game, dealt with a staggering number of injuries and just couldn’t seem to get a lucky or fortunate break go their way, they stayed positive and always kept working.
That steadfast attitude eventually gets rewarded and Cheltenham got to celebrate on Friday, although it certainly took a worthwhile effort to get there. A back-and-forth thriller saw the Panthers dig deep for one more play in overtime to bring in a much-awaited win.
“I am really proud of the way our team played today,” Cheltenham coach Leah Matusow said. “We started out strong and came out connecting passes, working together and talking a lot, which is something we have stressed in practice.”
Calvary Christian took an early lead but a combination between senior Ciara Rodriguez playing a ball to junior Mikki Carrera allowed Cheltenham to level the score 1-1. Cheltenham played well enough to get another before halftime, but Matusow credited Calvary Christian’s keeper for making some good saves prior to the whistle.
That just sparked a discussion about intensity and the Panthers answered it with two scores out of the break to take a lead. Carerra took the ball herself to score her second, and then a handball in the box afforded the Panthers a penalty kick, which senior Maya Schwartz put away.
“Up 3-1, we continued to work hard in the heat, but they came back and scored,” Matusow noted. “We didn’t wait long to get one back. Freshman Maleah Kaplan scored on a really nice corner run, had a good touch and found the back of the net.”
To its credit, Calvary Christian continued to battle, and their persistence was rewarded with two goals later, including an equalizer in the final minutes to force overtime. The Panthers had played 80 strong minutes but they’d have to find a little bit more.
“Going into the first OT period, the message was to dig deep and push through, which we did,” Matusow said.
It didn’t take long for it to pay off with a well-worked and well-deserved winner.
“In the first minute senior goalkeeper Amaya Washington, who was the voice on the field all game, got a ball and made a quick punt over the middle of the field to Maya Schwartz,” Matusow said. “She took a few touches to beat the defender and put the ball in the net.”
The win was Cheltenham’s first since Oct. 21 2021.
“This game was a full team effort,” Matusow said. “We persevered through some injuries and our bench energy was great. We are going to look to build off and learn from this win.”
Cheltenham will host New Hope-Solebury in Tuesday’s SOL opener.
CHELTENHAM 1 3 1 – 5
CALVARY CHRISTIAN 1 3 0 – 4
Goals: Chel – Maya Schwartz 2, Mikki Carrera 2, Maleah Kaplan
Central Bucks East 3, Abington 0
Last year, the Patriots and Ghosts met on opening day at East, then had a rematch in the District I playoffs at Abington
Friday, they met at Abington to start the season. While a number of prominent figures on both sides from last year’s second meeting in the District I 4A playoffs weren’t present, there’s still enough talent left that both Abington and East could well meet again in a few months.
“I thought this was a very good test for us to start our season. Abington is well coached, super organized, and made this game difficult from the jump,” Patriots coach Jake Nesteruk said. “It wasn’t our best, but we did enough of the things we aimed to do that we got a result we deserved.”
After a fairly even opening 20 minutes, East broke through when freshman Mia Forney served a short cross that Julia Santanello buried with a quick one-time finish.
With last season’s three top scorers now in college, the Patriots will need some new goal scorers to step up. Santanello was up to it on Friday, the forward netting a pair of goals to open her account.
A complimentary player with last year’s team, Santanello looks ready for a larger role this fall.
“I’m delighted to see Julia score two in this one,” Nesteruk said. “She does so many things right quietly, so to see her finish two really good opportunities is great. It’s early, but this is a good start for our group.”
East doubled its advantage heading into the break thanks to a well-placed hit from Stella Genin.
“We didn’t fully play the way we wanted to, and I thought our game was choppy for large spells, but I was really happy how we settled in after our second goal and much more in the second half,” Nesteruk said. “Early wins are total team efforts and it came from everywhere today.”
Santanello netted her second with about 15 minutes to play.
While Abington didn’t get on the scoreboard, the Ghosts had opportunities.
“I thought Sophie Schorn and Savannah Hayes stepped up massively today. Mae Leedy saved us big time on a PK stop when we were up two,” Nesteruk said. “I thought Sofia Mignon did what she’s done for the past three years for us – she was great defensively, good on the ball, commanding.”
East faces archrival CB West to begin SOL play on Tuesday. Abington visits Plymouth Whitemarsh to start SOL play, also another playoff rematch for the Ghosts.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2 1 – 3
ABINGTON 0 0 – 0
Goals; Julia Santanello 2, Stella Genin
Council Rock South 1, Hatboro-Horsham 0
Between playoff meetings and season-openers, the Golden Hawks and Hatters have built up a healthy respect for each other in recent years.
Not surprisingly, they both share plenty of strengths in the same areas of the field, so it wasn’t shocking to see their meeting Friday decided by the slimmest of margins. 
“It was a good one to open up with. They’re a tough team and have some really talented players in the likes of (Emma) Levin and (Sarah) Roesing,” CR South coach Nick Heim said. “We knew their midfield is quality and (Kitty) Randa up top is a big target.”
With the early start, the match kicked off at 10 a.m., it also pushed the Hawks to turn around quickly coming out of preseason.
“We’re still not at 100 percent but trying to figure out the best partnership in certain areas, we honestly didn’t sure up the starting lineup until about 10 minutes to kick off,” Heim said. “It was a good win, and ugly at times, but a win is a win. When we executed what we wanted to do, we looked dangerous.
“Good news is we can get another session in before league play starts because we know that’s a brutal stretch from here on out.”
CR South does have a nice allotment of players back, many of whom played big minutes last year. Among them is junior midfielder Kathryn O’Kane, also the basketball team’s point guard, who showed a bit of her playmaking on the match winner.
“Kathryn won a loose ball in the middle and saw some space going forward that our attackers opened up,” Heim said. “She carried it a few times and hit a bit of a dipping ball that the goalie got a piece of, but not enough to keep out.”
Fittingly, one of the team’s newer faces also had a key play in deciding the outcome.
“Both teams exchanged dangerous corners and set pieces and sophomore goalie Ella Mayberry came up massive in her first varsity start with a breakaway save to keep us up,” Heim said. “I thought we got a lot of contributions from a lot of areas and our defenders, for having to slide pieces around a bit, gave us really good minutes with six seeing action in the back today.”
Like Heim, Hatters’ coach Kelsey Daley is trying to figure things out with a new lineup.
“It was a great match between the two teams and as always was a battle,” the Hatters’ coach said. “We have a lot of new faces to our starting line up so I knew it was going to be an adjustment, but I felt we had a good showing and I hope to continue to become stronger day by day.
“The team was led today by Jordyn Harris who had an outstanding game at defense.”
The Hatters host Wissahickon on Tuesday in their SOL opener. CR South hosts Bensalem in the first leg of SOL Patriot play.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0 1 – 1
HATBORO-HORSHAM 0 0 – 0
Goals; CRS – Kathryn O’Kane
Upper Moreland 4, Upper Merion 1
The Golden Bears fell behind 1-0 midway through the first half of Friday’s season opener.
Once they got on the board, however, there was no looking back. Upper Moreland scored four unanswered goals to pick up a solid road win to bring in the 2023 campaign.
“You never know what the first game of the season is going to bring; lots of nerves and excitement leading up to that first whistle,” Upper Moreland coach Lisa Benvenuto said. “We settled in quickly and did a good job of playing our system and controlling the ball.”
Upper Merion was able to get the ball outside and took advantage 18 minutes in, but the Bears weren’t deterred.
“The response of our girls was exactly what we hoped for, they kept their composure and capitalized,” Benvenuto said. “Within five minutes, we had tied it up, and four minutes later took the lead.”
Kyra Favors struck quickly for the equalizing goal, and soon after, Brooke Lobban bagged the first of her two goals to give Upper Moreland the lead. Lizzie Walker provided the assist on both scores.
An own goal by the Vikings increased Upper Moreland’s lead in the second half before Mickie Soroka set up Lobban to finish off her brace.
“It was a solid first showing for our squad. We have a balance of older and younger players on the field. It was good to see the cohesiveness in this first match,” Benvenuto said. “Kyra Favors and Brooke Lobban played solidly on the front line, Maggie Brophy and Devin Bush were crisp in the middle of the field, and Annalise Messina, Molly Meakim and Johna Pryzchowicz were quick with their play in the back.
“Lizzie Walker did a great job of seeing the field and distributing. In her debut, Gracie Costello had seven saves in net.”
UM hosts Lower Moreland on Tuesday to open SOL play.
UPPER MORELAND 2 2 – 4
UPPER MERION 1 0 – 1
Goals; Up More – Brooke Lobban 2, Kyra Favors
William Tennent 2, Conwell Egan Catholic 0
A sterling debut from a freshman helped the Panthers open up with a win Friday afternoon.
Bailey Kasner scored her first goal, the match-winner, and assisted on another in her first varsity match. Kasner’s tally in the first half, assisted by another freshman in Lia Jablonski, was all the offense Tennent would need.
But for good measure, Kasner helped out in the second half, teeing up a ball that junior Paige Marek ripped from 30 yards out for her first goal of the new season.
“Strong game from senior keeper Emily Ehresmann who didn’t hesitate to come off her line and challenge Conwell Egan’s speedy forwards. She had 10 saves to preserve the shutout,” Tennent coach Elise Jara said. “Theresa Ditri controlled the back line and was key in our transition.”
William Tennent will host Springfield Township in Tuesday’s SOL opener.
WILLIAM TENNENT 1 1 – 2
CONWELL-EGAN 0 0 – 0
Goals; WT – Bailey Kasner, Paige Marek
Avon Grove 1, Pennsbury 0
Not too long ago, Jenna Peters wore the orange and black as a fierce competitor for the Falcons.
After a decorated high school career and a strong showing in college at West Chester, Peters is back home as the first-year head coach of her alma mater. Friday, she led her team in a varsity game for the first time, and while the Falcons came up a goal short, the effort met her expectations.
“I am really happy with how the girls played and the connections they were making on the field,” Peters said. “Definitely not the outcome we wanted, but excited for the season.”
Avon Grove has been a top team in the District I standings in recent years, but the Devils got all they could handle from the Falcons. Pennsbury took the game to half tied 0-0 and counted itself unlucky to not have scored.
“We had several opportunities but couldn’t find the back of the net,” Peters said. “Avon Grove took the lead with a strong corner kick in the second half. The competition remained intense to the end.”
Pennsbury is right back to it Saturday with a game against host Unionville in the Longhorns’ season-opening tournament.
AVON GROVE 0 1 – 1
PENNSBURY 0 0 – 0
Strath Haven 1, Wissahickon 0
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