Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Thursday. CR North/Abington photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson, and UD/PW photos courtesy of Kim Supko. Check back for a gallery of both games…CLICK HERE to go directly to the GIRLS' SOCCER gallery.
SOL National
Pennsbury 1, Neshaminy 0
It's no surprise the first meeting of the season between the perennial National conference contenders ended with the narrowest of margins.
What is surprising is just when that deciding goal came. Pennsbury's Kelsey Butler scored in the first 40 seconds of play. Then it was up to keeper Kerry Phillips and her defense to quiet one of the hottest offenses around.
The Falcons did just that.
"I think our girls came out with a purpose this afternoon," Pennsbury coach Kaitlyn Battiste said. "They put the pressure on in the first minute and we were able to come up with a goal. It wasn't pretty, but they were behind each other all afternoon."
It took the entire team to contain Neshaminy, and if a midfielder got beat, the defense stepped up. If the backline faltered, Phillips had them covered.
"They knew what it took today and gutted this one out," Battiste said.
Pennsbury's defense has been fantastic so far, pitching five shutouts in six games and giving up just a single goal. With two seniors and two juniors in the back four, it's a group that's been able to make adjustments as each match has asked them to.
"Riley Young has been an unsung hero for us. She's just been a workhorse keeping attackers out of our final third," Battiste said. "Hope Drewes continues to play smart defensively but sparks a lot of our offense. Kerry has had a big save for us in each game to keep a clean sheet.
"Their leadership has allowed two juniors – Taylor Mueller and Ella Palmieri – to step in and play with confidence on our back line."
It's not easy to shut down any offense, much less one with the firepower of Neshaminy's.
"They take pride in the shutouts and are relentless on the ball," Battiste said.
Neshaminy is just as good defensively as it is on the attack, so the Falcons knew they were going to have limited opportunities.
"To be able to get a dirty goal or a scrappy goal off a rebound is a huge confidence booster," Battiste said. "We hit two more posts in this game, but it wasn't as discouraging or frustrating knowing that we had one on the board already. We knew Neshaminy would have its chances, so to be able to get that jump on them in the first minute gave us an extra bit of confidence over the remainder of the 80 minutes."
Pennsbury (5-0-1, 3-0 SOL) hosts Downingtown West on Saturday morning, while Neshaminy (3-2, 2-1) heads out to Cumberland Valley for a nonleague test.
PENNSBURY 1 0 – 1
NESHAMINY 0 0 – 0
Goals: P – Kelsey Butler
Abington 3, Council Rock North 2
Council Rock North twice rallied after Abington goals to tie the game.
The Indians couldn't do it a third time and that was the difference as the Ghosts won for the first time since their season opener. Freshman Casey Touey had a brace to lead Abington, while Michaela Coyle scored the other after Kailey Horton's cross found Grace Quinn for the assist.
Touey, who scored the winner on a late breakaway, was assisted on her goals by Cam Lexow and Arianna Mancini.
"The girls fought back as a team and gutted out a tough win on the road," Ghosts coach Rick Thompkins said.
Brooke Strobel scored on a PK just after halftime to tie things 1-1, Chloe Hill's free kick found the forehead of Caroline Erlandsen to make it 2-2.
Abington (2-4, 1-3 SOL) will be on the road at Upper Dublin on Monday, and Council Rock North (5-2, 3-2) will travel to Neshaminy on Tuesday.
ABINGTON 1 2 – 3
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0 2 – 2
Goals: A – Casey Touey 2, Michaela Coyle; CRN – Brooke Strobel, Caroline Erlandsen
Bensalem 2, Harry S Truman 0
Julia Murray and Amanda Credidio scored as the Owls rebounded from Tuesday's overtime loss to CR North to top the Tigers. Ashley Rivera made three saves to pick up the shutout.
Bensalem (2-4, 1-4 SOL) will travel to Archbishop Ryan on Saturday, and Harry S Truman (0-4, 0-3) will host New Hope-Solebury in a non-league game on Monday.
SOL Continental
Pennridge 1, Souderton 0 OT
The Rams may not have a wealth of experience in their starting lineup this year, but they are not short on players willing to work hard.
"My getting chances is due to hard work, so the hard work is there," said forward Abby Groff, who scored the winner. "We're doing the hard work we have to get those chances, that's good, the final part is just finishing it."
Groff finished it about two minutes into overtime when she took a through ball and tucked it away, handing the Rams a hard-earned win over a very resolute Souderton side.
"In the huddle, we talked about this game preparing us for every game after and what are willing to put into it," Pennridge coach Audrey Anderson said. "With such a young group, this was good for them to see that putting in that hard work and effort pays off."
The Indians thought they had it won in the last minute of regulation. Allie Trick, a reliable finisher, had gotten behind the Rams defense and was charging toward the goal. Pennridge keeper Mary Kate Levush went out to challenge Trick and threw herself into the shot, getting enough to stop it.
"She's just confident in what she can do, she's confident in what her players can do," Anderson said. "I think there's a lot of trust from the players in front of her and that speaks volumes. She's come a long, long way."
Souderton was very, very good on Thursday but felt a little robbed. Indians coach Chris Felber thought an earlier shot off the left wing by Campbell Power had gone in before Levush was able to get a hand to the ball and clear it, but otherwise praised his team's effort.
"Our conference is incredibly hard, but it's one of the reasons I took the job because I knew it was a high-level conference," Felber said. "All the games are tough. Last time we came here, I said the same thing and it was that this is what a high school game should be. Under the lights, the crowd's intense, both teams playing really good soccer, both teams really committed. I love playing Pennridge, I wish I could play them eight times a season just for the quality of the games."
Pennridge started Continental play with games against CB South, CB East and Souderton, going 2-0-1 in those matches. Overall, the Rams are 3-0-1 and have given up just one goal.
"I'll take it, to come out of the last two weeks without a loss is huge for us," Anderson said. "We're surpassing everybody's expectations of what we can do but the one thing that I know about Pennridge players is how hard they're willing to work. The legacy every senior leaves behind for these girls is to play hard and dig deep."
Pennridge (3-0-1, 2-0-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday, and Souderton (2-2, 1-2) will be on the road at Methacton for a non-league contest on Saturday.
PENNRIDGE 0 0 1 – 1
SOUDERTON 0 0 0 – 0
Goals: P – Abby Groff (Megan Kriney)
Central Bucks East 2, Central Bucks West 0
Delaney Kennedy didn't score, but she sure did plenty to influence the Patriots' win.
The veteran midfielder assisted both goals and gave East plenty of what she always does as the Patriots used an early goal and a stellar finish from deep to topple their sister school. It started with Kennedy.
"She provides leadership and is a ball-winner. She's the smallest player on the field but plays like the biggest player on the field," East coach Paul Eisold said. "Her technical ability allows her to control the pace of the game. She has high self-standards and is very demanding of herself. She brings her 'A' game every game and is relentless and resilient."
Eisold also noted the stellar defensive play of Katie Bloom that allowed the Patriots to put constant pressure on the Bucks.
Riley Kane put East on the board in the sixth minute. Later in the half, Kate Schlotter hit a blast from about 30 yards out that pinged the crossbar and went in, a goal that Eisold called a "brilliant strike."
"We were able to get an early goal and that allowed our middies to take chances," Eisold said. "We were able to constantly battle them and continued to be relentless and met them play for play.
"West is a very good opponent and continues to make strides in their program."
Central Bucks East (3-1-2, 2-1-1 SOL) will travel to Villa Joseph Marie for a non-league game on Monday, and Central Bucks West (3-3, 1-3) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham on Monday.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2 0 – 2
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0 0 – 0
Goals: CBE – Riley Kane (Delaney Kennedy), Kate Schlotter (Kennedy)
Central Bucks South 2, William Tennent 1
The Titans shook off a 1-0 halftime deficit to rally past the Panthers.
Brianna Broccardi struck Tennent to a lead in the 38th minute with a goal on a free kick.
South equalized when Brooke Steigerwalt threaded a through ball to Mackenzie Edwards for the finish in the 51st minute. Morgan Hilton was in the right place in the 69th minute to put the ball in the back of the net following a scramble in front of goal.
Tennent continued to test South, but the Titans back line and keeper Maddie McShane were the difference.
"The defense played really well as a unit, particularly defending the long throw-ins from Tennent in the defensive third," Titans coach Betsy Bullock said. "Maddie did come up big toward the end of the game when she had to make a diving save and she finished with six saves."
Central Bucks South (2-1-1 SOL) will host Archbishop Wood in a non-league game Tuesday, and William Tennent (4-2, 1-2) will host Central Bucks East on Tuesday.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0 2 – 2
WILLIAM TENNENT 1 0 – 1
Goals: CBS – Mackenzie Edwards, Morgan Hilton; WT – Brianna Broccardi
SOL American
Quakertown 4, Cheltenham 0
Mike Koch has seen a lot of great games from Haley Pursel, but never one where she dominated the scoresheet quite like she did on Thursday.
The junior assisted the Panthers' first goal, then scored a natural hat trick in the second half as Quakertown fended off the American's other pack of Panthers. With Quakertown up just 1-0 at half, Koch needed his most composed player to take over up top.
"Mark (Woodcock) has done a great job with Cheltenham, those kids play really hard and their goalkeeper, Eliana Weiler, is outstanding," Koch said. "The first half, we carried play and we were getting in, but she's just such a good keeper we weren't finishing. Haley is such a composed player even as a junior and I felt we needed composure so I put her at forward."
Pursel netted her hat trick in just 14 minutes, then was done for the night. Normally a center midfielder, Pursel is called her team's "engine" by Koch.
"Her composure was a big part of this result," Koch said. "She knew and I told her, we just need some composure. She had a little bit of space on her first goal and where most players get excited to pull the trigger, she just slotted it away."
Koch said Pursel's second goal was the highlight, a laser of a shot from about 30 yards out that no keeper could save while her third echoed the first, a calm, composed slotted ball into the net.
The Panthers of Cheltenham have won just one of their last 22 matches, but Koch wasn't taking them lightly. He lauded the play of center back Cassie Malec along with Weiler.
"Being up 1-0 at half against that keeper and with their energy, it just doesn't feel comfortable," Koch said. "Mark has such a good, spirited core with that group. They're outmatched a lot but it doesn't matter, and what I really admire is that they play. They play soccer, they don't just bunker and kick."
Haley Hangey scored Quakertown's other goal, her second straight game with a tally and assisted the final goal. Koch also noted the play of Kyra Handel, who may not always show up in the book, but provided so much of the energy that often leads to chances being created.
Thursday though, it was all about Pursel.
"She's such a good player," Koch said. "She's a great ball-winner and she's so invaluable in the midfield. She wins almost every ball and she just makes great decisions. She has the tactical ability to make good decisions and the physical ability to put the ball on people's feet in great spots."
Quakertown (3-2, 3-1 SOL) will be on the road at Saucon Valley for a non-league game Monday, and Cheltenham (1-3) will travel to Wissahicon on Tuesday.
QUAKERTOWN 1 3 – 4
CHELTENHAM 0 0 – 0
Goals: Q – Haley Hangey (Haley Pursel), Haley Pursel (Brenna Foster), Pursel (Ashley Gluck), Pursel (Hangey)
Upper Dublin 5, Plymouth Whitemarsh 0
The meeting between the top two teams in the American turned into a one-sided Cardinals win, thanks to a Tina Haig hat-trick and some stout defense.
"I think some of the things we've been working on and maybe haven't been so sharp in really came together," UD coach John Topper said. "Just like in the Wissahickon game, I think we moved the ball well, we generated chances and today, I think our girls were a little more ruthless in front of goal."
UD only led 1-0 at the half on a 20th minute goal by Haig, who hasn't slowed down and netted her second hat-trick of the young season on Thursday.
"She's really stepping up not only to be a leader on the field, but someone who can give us the goals when we need them and that's proven vital in just about every game so far," Topper said. "She showed her versatility today. Her first goal broke the deadlock, it was from a set-piece from about 25 yards out, it just nicked the inside of the far post in the upper corner. She hit about as well as you could have."
Haig scored in the 45th minute and in the 71st minute. For good measure, she assisted the team's final goal by Molly Pappalardo in the 74th minute.
Topper said his players have started to be more aggressive attacking the goal after leaving some chances go in games against Quakertown and Wissahickon. UD has received an early boost from a handful of players stepping into new roles, primarily up top.
"Emily Booth is one worth mentioning," Topper said. "We lost Talia Nysch, a senior, to a pretty long-term injury, and Emily is a junior who's stepped into the striker position and done a great job. She's scored some goals, including one today and she's creating chances and opening the field up."
The Cardinals also did a solid job in keeping PW striker Alyse Caffrey off the scoresheet after a couple of big games.
"The defenders work well together but I would point out Sascha Keitz today," Topper said. "She was wonderful. They ran a lot of their attacks through Caffery but Sascha has the speed and timing to negate a lot of that. She, along with Laura Pendleton and Kaitlyn Brown did a nice job."
Upper Dublin (4-0-1, 4-0 SOL) will host Abington in a non-league game Monday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (3-2, 3-1) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday.
UPPER DUBLIN 1 4 – 5
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 0 0 – 0
Goals: UD – Tina Haig 3, Molly Pappalardo, Emily Booth
Hatboro-Horsham 4, Wissahickon 2
There's nothing like a good set piece to change a game.
Wissahickon came out swinging with Anna Schools netting a pair to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead under the lights. Kerryn MacBride scored late in the first half, assisted by Ally Eutermoser, to help stabilize the Hatters.
"Getting that goal I think helped," Hatters coach Ike Onyeador said. "We felt like we moved the ball well all game and especially in the first half, but we made mistakes in the first half and they were clinical in punishing us. Once we got that goal, the girls were confident they could turn the game around."
Then it was time for the set pieces to take over. Erica Paluszek set up the equalizer off a set piece with Cam Ryan knocking it in.
Paluszek, who's known for her services, then put her team up with a brilliantly taken free kick.
"It comes from Erica Paluszek being a set-piece specialist," Onyeador said. "She has always gotten assists from corners and free kicks. Tonight she took the next step by scoring on one as well."
As to where Paluszek's set-piece wizardry comes from, it's a mystery.
"I asked her and she said she has no clue, she doesn't even do it for club," Onyeador said. "She literally just walks up and strikes the ball. She doesn't even practice."
Wissahickon coach Shannon Creamer-Franke noted the play of her defenders – Brooke Berry, Victoria Selverian, Kelly Dickson and Grace Mullen – and the effect of the set pieces.
" We lost this game on set pieces not because we didn't execute, keep a high work rate, or failed to communicate ," Creamer-Franke said. " We will circle back and clean up our strategy on these type of plays. We will continue to come out swinging but next time will be armed with a better understanding of defending from a set piece. "
Freshman Maggie O'Neill capped the scoring with a stellar individual effort.
"On the soccer side, we can knock the ball around. I think we've given the girls enough confidence and knowledge to not panic with the ball under pressure," Onyeador said. "This is our first comeback win. The big thing we need to learn is, one, do we have the mentality to do it again if/when needed, and two, can we be mature about how we play the game and not put ourselves in disadvantageous positions to begin with."
Hatboro-Horsham (3-2, 3-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Monday in a non-league game, and Wissahickon (0-5, 0-4) will host Cheltenham on Tuesday.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 1 3 – 4
WISSAHICKON 2 0 – 2
Upper Moreland 2, Springfield Township 0
The Golden Bears opened up their new turf field with a shutout win.
"The Bears came out strong, and scored off of a great diagonal through ball that built out of the defensive third," Upper Moreland coach Lisa Benvenuto. "Maddy Gerlach was able to find Kathryn Morrow on a diagonal run. She possessed the ball, picked up the keeper and finished."
Morrow scored the Bears' second goal in the second half when Chloe Leiter picked her out making a run through the box.
"It was a great team win for the Bears. Goalie Jen Storbrauck had 13 saves and recorded her third shutout," Benvenuto said. "Chloe Leiter, Carly Wasson, Shannon Moore, Alexis Lamb and Kathryn Morrow stood out today."
Upper Moreland (3-4, 1-3 SOL) will host Quakertown on Tuesday, and Springfield Township (1-4, 1-3) will travel to Interboro on Monday for a non-league contest.
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