The Pennsbury Falcons took to the road to face Central Bucks East for a match up that has been historically a tight battle. The Falcons and Patriots have gone back and forth since 2021 swapping wins every other year and this year it was their turn to come out on top. The Patriots took control right away, possessing the ball from the start and attempting to put PHS on their heels. "It was another Monday game, which worries our staff a bit regarding mental preparedness and our girls' ability to lock in after the weekend," said coach, Traci Curtis. "The beginning was making me a little nervous when we couldn't seem to hold onto possession, but they were ready today and did a great job of focusing on the task at hand," said Curtis. East seemed to be in control of the game for most of the first fifteen minutes, but with 3 minutes left in the first quarter, the orange and black found their groove. A beautiful passing sequence started the ball upfield and after a feed from fellow sophomore, Ava Pinto, Abby Iacona found herself entering the circle alone with a 1v1 against the goalie. "Iacona handled the breakaway with patience and skill. She finished beautifully by taking the ball right, moving the keeper, and shooting opposite post to the left side and just placed it right on the money," explained Curtis. "That whole play from start to finish was so well done. So many players touched the ball and really put it all together as a unit. It was definitely a spark that rippled through our team and set us afire at just the right time." The Pennsbury flame flickered a little when 2 minutes later with 47 seconds left in the first quarter, East decided they weren't going to go out without a huge fight and tallied their first goal to tie it 1-1 going into the second. "It is something we need to work on - those big moments when the clock is ticking down and we just have to hold for a little bit longer," Curtis admitted. Curtis' team made sure that didn't happen again for the rest of the game. The second quarter was scoreless as the Patriots and Falcons fought back and forth with possession, penalty corners, and shots. At halftime the score remained locked at 1-1. Halfway through the third quarter PHS seemed to be knocking on East's door pretty frequently but just not finishing...until sophomore, Regan Rodriguez, did great work in front of the goalie with stick down and hunger for the cage. Rodriguez collected a rebound and shot it past the keeper to put the Falcons on top 2-1. "Regan is working hard and finding her place in the mix. We are so happy with her connection and ability to make good decisions on and off the ball," said Curtis. The fourth quarter was more of the fast paced back and forth, but neither team found the back of the cage again. The Falcons fought to the end to hold East at bay. "We managed the clock better, dug deeper than ever, used our time out to gather ourselves, and were better strategically today," explained Curtis. "Everyone worked well together. Liv Coen, Abby Anderer, Abby Iacona, Ava Pinto, Ryan Burdette, Ava Jordan, Angelina Kenney, and Regan Rodriguez took responsibility for their jobs on offense (forwards and mids). Defensively, Cailyn Reilly led the backfield along with strong contributions from Avalee Shumski, Payton Worth, Ayla Alon, and Jacqueline Sullivan," said Curtis. The goalies at both ends had great games - Pennsbury's Abby McCole had more shots to deny as the Patriots hit on target 13 times as compared to Pennsbury's 5, proving that it is quality over quantity. "This was a much needed victory for us mentally and a great way to set the tone for another 3 game week," added Curtis. The Falcons travel to Upper Dublin on Wednesday and then continue their away stint at Springfield Township on Friday.