Neshaminy defeated Boyertown 1-0 to earn a spot in Saturday’s District One AAA title game. To view photos of the game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By: Ben Winderman
Outside backs often go uncelebrated, especially on a team with star power the likes of Gabby Farrell and Megan Schafer, but in Wednesday night’s District One AAA semifinal contest against Boyertown, Neshaminy juniors Nicole Nisivoccia and Katie McCoy earned the first line of credit. McCoy routinely cut the angles of Boyertown striker Emily Diehl, and Nisivoccia was exactly what legendary Skins coach/soccer administrator Hal Heffelfinger described her as - “A bulldog!”
The Bears threatened Neshaminy’s net from their 4-2-3-1 formation, but time and again, Neshaminy’s backs growled, barked, and bit their way to out of trouble. Anchored by the smooth and consistent play of center backs Amy Heller and Maggie Daeche, and the timely fists of keeper McKenna Mullin, the Lady Skins disposed of Boyertown on route to a 1-0 semifinal victory. The top-seeded Skins earned a championship date with Downingtown East (3-0 winners over CB East) in Saturday night’s district title game.
Mullin, who made two big punches on crosses in the final minutes, admitted to feeling “nervous” down the stretch but more so confident and excited.
“We knew they were going to be a good team,” smiled the senior keeper, “but that’s true for every team we face from here on out.”
Neshaminy coach Rachel Clemens praised her keeper and attributed Mullin’s timing to her commitment in on the practice field.
“We work on balls in the air (in practice) all the time,” explained Clemens. “McKenna, like all of our players, gives 110 percent all of the time. They’re all so hungry, which gives us that spark, that motivation to push us to the next round.”
That next round will determine the 2013 District One Class AAAA champ and will feature a match-up of the top two seeded squads.
First-seeded and undefeated Neshaminy tallied its only goal early in the seventh minute, and it held up for the next 73 minutes. Sophomore Gabby Farrell made a run down the left flank and drove a ball to a crashing Maggie Daeche. Daeche, a freshman who had been moved into the midfield moments before by Clemens, one-touched the service over the left shoulder of Boyertown keeper Sarafina Valenti and the celebration erupted.
“We like to move her back and forth,” said Clemens of Daeche. “They were playing so defensively that we felt we could go three back there.”
The adjustment paid off as Boyertown never found an equalizer. Their best chances actually came just following Neshaminy’s goal when the Lady Bears won two successive corner kicks, but Neshaminy midfielder Jessica Kelly cleared Olivia Frazier’s head ball off the line, and McKenna Mullin caught Maria Garafalo’s half-volley on the second.
The remaining minutes saw Neshaminy’s Penn State bound attacker Megan Schafer create several chances, but Boyertown defenders were heroic all night. Ashley Becker in particular, Boyertown’s center back, sacrificed her body to block Schafer’s strikes.
To their credit, the Lady Skins never lost focus or responsibility and deflated the game with maturity. Shutting out Downingtown East will be a tough task on Saturday night, but this squad of Lady Skins is confident and capable. If stylish and dynamic soccer is your idea of a fun Saturday night, then Souderton should be your weekend destination.
The Neshaminy-Downingtown East district title battle will be held at Souderton on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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