Chiara Robinson scored with four minutes left to give Sun Valley a 1-0 nonleague victory over Cardinal O’Hara.

Holly Damm turned back 14 shots to record the shutout for the Vanguards. Julia Mirachi had 12 saves in goal for the Lions.

Interboro 4, Kennett 3 >> Single goals from Morgan Reed, Alex Mullen, Becca Roberts and Peyton Glove helped the Bucs (3-3) get to the .500 mark with the victory.

Springfield 2, Archbishop Carroll 1 >> Caroline Walters scored the winner in overtime for the Cougars. Keri Barnett had the lone goal for the Patriots, while goalie Nicollette Cashin made 12 saves.

Agnes Irwin 4, George School 0 >> Natalie Pansini tallied twice and dished out a pair of assists for the Owls. Alyssa Hardin pitched in with two goals and one assist.

McDonogh (Md.) 3, Episcopal Academy 2 >> Lauren Cunningham posted one goal and one assist for the Churchwomen. Bella Piselli also had a goal.

McDonogh scored three times in a 10:29 span in the second half to erase a 1-0 deficit.

The Pottsgrove and Strath Haven girls soccer teams came into Saturday’s game ranked in the top five of the District 1-3A power rankings.

The Falcons, who came into the game ranked No. 5, knocked off No. 1 Strath Haven for an impressive 2-1 non-league win.

After assisting Emily Vishio on Pottsgrove’s first goal of the day, Skylar Glass scored one of her own off a pass from Lana Sorg with four minutes left to win the game for the Falcons. Allison Dixon made six saves in goal.

New Hope 1, Phoenixville 0 >> A first-half goal was all the scoring New Hope needed to prevail over the Phantoms in Friday’s non-league pairing.

Rebecca Wilson scored on a free kick from 19 yards out for New Hope, which got 14-save goaltending from Margaret Tresler. Ella Stout gave Phoenixville four-save goaltending.

Downingtown East 2, Perkiomen Valley 0 >> The Cougars rode a pair of second-half goals to a non-league victory over the Vikings Saturday.

Emily Buckner and Ella Marrollo did the scoring for East. Riley Hill had 10 saves in goal for PV.

Owen J. Roberts 3, Avon Grove 0 >> Alexa Vogelman scored two goals and Veronica Roach added another in the Wildcats’ non-league win. Vogelman finished her week with seven goals, scoring two or more goals in all three of OJR’s games this week.

Upper Perkiomen 5, Brandywine Heights 0  >> Bryanna Marinari,  Mary Kate Sitko and Kate Cairns each figured on pairs of goals Saturday, keying the Indians’ non-league romp over the Bullets.

Marinari, Sitko and Cairns each scored goals and were credited with assists. UP’s other tallies came from  Hannah Keeney and Avery Diehl, with assists going to Sam Kozminskiand Sara Edwards.

Boyertown 6, Daniel Boone 1 >> Samantha Goffice scored twice and added an assist in the Bears’ non-league win. Camilla Hoover registered a goal and an assist for Boyertown as well. Sam Devlin, Emma Elwell and Karly Sheehan rounded out the team’s goal scorers.

Ardmore >> The Lower Merion girls soccer team is off to a 6-1 record as of Monday Sept. 16, coming off wins against Penncrest at Plymouth Whitemarsh.
The Aces bounced back from their first loss of the season against Strath Haven to defeat Penncrest, 3-2, Sept. 12.
Against the Lions, Lower Merion took a 1-0 lead when Hannah Shalaby took a shot that hit the cross bar and was immediately directed back to the ground, with Aviva Kosto finishing the ball into the back of the net. In the second half, the Aces took a 2-0 lead on a goal from Maya Masotti, finishing a cross from freshman forward Grace Downey.
After Penncrest tied the score 2-2, Shalaby took a shot that went off the Penncrest keeper’s hands for the game-winning goal.
Two days later, the Aces defeated Plymouth Whitemarsh, 5-1. After Lower Merion fell behind 1-0 in the first 20 minutes, Kosto finished a ball into the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1. The Colonials continued pressuring and almost scored from a long ball in the frame of the goal but for the push on the the crossbar by goalkeeper, Audrey Brown. That ended the first half at 1-1.
Early in the second half, Lower Merion’s Maya Masotti took it solo to the box to give the Aces a 2-1 lead. Lower Merion featured practically flawless play by the back line, consisting of Ellie Ward, Teresa Cato, Roberta Moger, Lily Garton and substitute Abby Braslow.
Maya Masotti then won a ball at the 30 and launched it, putting the Aces ahead 3-1. She then completed practically the same goal for a hat trick and a 4-1 Lower Merion lead.
In the final minutes, Lower Merion’s Nicole Balduccini played the ball into Laura Getselman, who hit a shot from far out for the final goal of the game. The LM midfield was anchored by freshmen Ely Slensky, Emma Burke and junior Ella Braunfeld.
Earlier in the week, the Aces suffered their first loss of the season, a 3-1 defeat to Strath Haven. Lower Merion put the first tally on the board, in the 10th minute of the game, as the goal came from a perfectly-executed corner play by Roberta Moger and Aviva Kosto’s foot.

Putting goals in the back of the net has been hard to come by for the Pope John Paul II girls soccer team this season.

While the Golden Panthers’ defense has held opponents in check, PJP came into Monday’s game at Pottstown with just one goal in its last five games.

An early score by Lauryn Rezza and a late one by Delanie Didier gave PJP its second multi-goal game for a 2-0 victory over improved Pottstown, the Golden Panthers’ first Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division win of the season.

“It’s big,” Rezza said of the win. “We were struggling a lot with winning. I feel like this is a big confidence booster win for us going into the rest of the season.”

Pope John Paul II goalkeeper Stacy Kormos jumps up to stop a free kick Monday against Pottstown. (Owen McCue – MediaNews Group)

Pope John Paul II’s defense has been its calling card this season, allowing an average of 1.25 goals per game and giving up two goals just twice through eight games. Senior defender Delaney Cordrey said communication has been key in the backline’s success.

The Golden Panthers’ inconsistency on the other side of the field has led to four one-goal losses, which is why an early goal Monday was a welcome sight.

Rezza got the offense going a few minutes before the midpoint of the first half off a PJP corner kick, heading the ball into the back of the net.

“It was a corner, so I just tried to make a near post run and I just got my head on it, and I scored,” Rezza said.

“I’m just trying to stay aggressive, stay pushing, try to keep my teammates up and just try to make as many runs as possible,” she added.

Pope John Paul II’s Delanie Didier (1) and Lainey Owens (3) celebrate Didier’s goal against Pottstown. (Owen McCue – MediaNews Group)

Pope John Paul II’s Lainey Owens put a shot off the post later in the first half. Pottstown’s best chance came when Calista Daye found Aniya Hopkins in front of the net on a breakaway. The shot was turned aside by PJP goalkeeper Stacy Kormos, who made five saves in the first half.

After heading into halftime with a 1-0 lead, Pope John Paul II turned on its offensive pressure in the second half.
PJP peppered Pottstown goalkeeper Emme Wolfel with 15 shots on goal in the game, including 11 in the second half.

Wolfel, a Kutztown commit, turned away shot after shot in the second half, trying to give Pottstown a chance to equalize.

The Golden Panthers finally got through in the final minutes of the game when Didier snuck a low ball past Wolfel’s fingertips to seal the win for PJP.

“She’s the best goalie in the league, hands down,” Pottstown coach Gary Mock said of Wolfel. “She does so much for this team that goes unnoticed, and it’s kind of unfair because she’s just that darn good.”

Pope John Paul II was a Final Four team in the league last season. While the results have not gone the Golden Panthers’ way early in 2019, PJP is not far from competing for a playoff spot once again.

PJP has 2-0 losses to reigning division champ Pottsgrove and Upper Perkiomen as well as a 1-0 loss to Phoenixville last Thursday. The Golden Panthers will face Upper Merion next Monday before going through the division slate once again.

“It’s not like we were losing by a lot,” Rezza said. “It’s close games every time. We gotta keep pushing, and I know we can do really well this season.”

Last year was a banner season for Pottstown, winning two Pioneer Athletic Conference games for the first time in program history. Mock said before the season he felt his team would be competitive in the Frontier division this year.

Pottstown dug itself a hole in the Frontier standings with a 6-3 loss to Pottsgrove and 2-1 defeat to Phoenixville to start league play before topping Upper Merion last Friday.

With six division games still remaining, Mock said the team’s goals haven’t changed.

“If we get a little bit more physical and mark a little harder and tighter and don’t let those easy balls in, I think that will be the difference of turning the corner on these 1-0, 2-0 games,” Mock said.

“We’re still going to compete for a division title,” he added. “I’m not saying we’re going to win it, but we’re good enough to compete for it, and that’s still the goal. We’re right there in the division.”

Pottstown’s Melissa Coleman (5) clears a ball against Pope John Paul II on Monday. (Owen McCue – MediaNews Group)

LANSDALE >> Danielle Mehlmann and the rest of the Lansdale Catholic girls soccer team defense don’t like to get beaten.

The Crusaders’ back line has held its own so far, but got a pretty important boost Monday with the return of center back Julia Boccella from injury. Even with a switch in keeper behind them, LC’s back three didn’t plan on getting beat with the crew back together.

Archbishop Carroll tested them, but LC’s defense was up to the task as the Crusaders notched a 2-0 win over the Patriots.

“I definitely think having (Julia) back from injury was really important and we could start to build our new formation,” Mehlmann said. “From now, we just have to work on getting used to three in the back and go from there.”

With Mehlmann at right back, Boccella in the middle and Delaney Molettiere on the left, the Crusaders put a determined wall in front of freshman Emily Simpson, who was called up from JV to make the emergency start. LC finished the afternoon with a large advantage in stats, but that doesn’t consider the fruits of a game’s worth of good movement and service by Carroll.

“She wanted to get the ball, she was excited for her first varsity game but we didn’t want her to be under pressure all game,” Mehlmann said. “Running through the ball and getting it out wide to our outside mids was part of the plan today.”

For much of the first half, the Crusaders were a bit off the mark going forward due to a lack of communication. That was not the case on the back end, where Simpson took command right away and directed her defenders to cut off threats and ensure all that work the Patriots were doing didn’t end in a shot on target.

“We were really excited that (Julia) came back and gave us an 80-minute game and Emily, who was playing in goal for the first time, did a great job coming off her line and scooping up some balls,” LC coach Bree Benedict said. “Danielle’s been so solid in the back, she blocks everything and if somebody is about to cross it, she throws her body at everything. She really gives her heart and soul back there.”

Kellie Gillen created an early chance for LC but she and her teammates would be frustrated by a mix of the woodwork, Carroll’s defenders and Patriots keeper Nicolette Cashin. Ava Mercier rang the cross bar late in the half while another shot by Gillen caught a mix of Cashin’s hands and the bar to stay out as the sides took to the half scoreless.

While Carroll didn’t get many chances on goal, the effort was there. The back line of Maria Organ, Mary Matey, Kayla DeMola and Bella Grube were able to slow down LC’s attack and won plenty of individual challenges.

“Our back line has been good all year long,” Carroll coach Tom Quintois said. “We’re going to continue to get better, that’s been our goal all year long. We have one senior, so it’s a young team but we’re a team I think is on the rise.”

Quintois credited LC senior midfielder Taylor Connelly as well as the Crusaders’ defense for creating an additional barrier in front of the back line but also creating some good chances forward. The team’s attackers like Keri Barnett, Reagan Duzy and Emma Talago battled but just couldn’t find that last connection in front of goal.

“We just didn’t do enough and they’re stingy defensively, they’re a good team with a lot of pedigree, won the Catholic League, well coached and their kids play hard,” Quintois said. “We’re playing a lot better this year. Last year, they won 2-1 but I felt like they dominated the game but today we played well at times, we were just a little inconsistent.”

Gillen scored two minutes into the second half when she pounced on a ball in the back, touched around a defender and buried it. Benedict said that was a big moment for her team and fit into LC’s approach to score first and try to shut down opposing teams from there.

Lauren Delpo doubled the lead later in the half and from there, the back line was able to lock down the clean sheet to improve to 3-0 in the PCL. With just three in the back, the LC defenders have more ground to cover and working together is vital. Luckily, that’s not an issue for the Crusaders’ top three on the back line.

“Communication is definitely key in our back line, but all of us are very vocal,” Mehlmann said. “Talking to our outside mids and telling them when to drop back is really important. We’re all definitely one to never get beat.

“Getting beat is a sign of weakness and we aren’t weak.”

LANSDALE CATHOLIC 0 2 – 2

ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 0 0 – 0

Goals: LC – Kellie Gillen, Lauren Delpo (Gillen)

Julia Mirarchi made two saves in keeping a scoreless first half, then scored a goal while playing as a forward in the second stanza of a 6-0 Cardinal O’Hara win over Bonner & Prendergast.

Ally Smith, Makalia Ley, Julia Stellabotte, Sheila Bennetta and Alissa Crognale also scored for O’Hara, while Rachel Bonfini wrapped up the clean sheet in goal.

In the Central League:

Springfield 5, Upper Darby 0 >> Goals by Alyssa Long, Erin Gormley, Molly Henry, Caroline Walters and Lizzie Ea led the Cougars to the victory.

Spring-Ford 4, Owen J. Roberts 3 (OT) >> In a rematch of last year’s PAC championship game, Hope Flanegin’s overtime goal secured a PAC Liberty win for the Rams after coming back from two goals down in the final six minutes of regulation.

Spring-Ford’s Kaitlyn Mulle, facing, is congratulated by Grace Sharkey after scoring on a free kick in the second half against Owen J. Roberts Monday. (Austin Hertzog – MNG)

Molly Thomas hit Raven Wellington with a long ball, and Wellington, who had two assists in the game, found Flanegin for the game winner with 3:06 left in the first overtime. A Kaitlyn Mulle free kick with 4:48 to play started the comeback and Katie Sites, on a Wellington centering pass, tied the game with 2:43 left to force overtime.

OJR led 2-0 with 32:42 to play after Avery White doubled the Wildcats’ lead that was started in the first half by Hannah Delahaye, who was assisted by Alexa Vogelman. Delahaye’s header from the rebound of a Vogelman shot gave OJR a 3-1 lead with 6:58 remaining.

Spring-Ford remained unbeaten in PAC play (4-0, 8-1 overall).

Owen J. Roberts’ Alexa Vogelman is fouled from behind by Spring-Ford’s Ella Curry during the second half Monday. (Austin Hertzog – MNG)

Boyertown 1, Perkiomen Valley 0 >> Samantha Goffice’s goal off a rebound in the 19th minute was the difference in the Bears’ PAC Liberty win over the Vikings Monday afternoon.
Goffice’s score came off an Emma Elwell shot, while Boyertown goalie Madison Gallagher needed just one save for the shutout. Riley Hill made seven saves for PV.

Upper Perkiomen 3, Phoenixville 0 >> Avery Diehl, Kate Cairns and Bryanna Marinari scored goals for the Indians, while Hannah Landis made three saves for the shutout in the PAC Frontier win.

Cairns and Marinari also had assists for Upper Perk. Phoenixville goalie Ella Stout made five saves.

Methacton 10, Norristown 0 >> Julia McCann, Molly Rowland, Kirsten O’Brien, Aly Samtmann all had 2 goals each to lead Methacton. Mackenzie Coupe and Michaela Tommarello rounded out the goals for Methacton (2-2, 3-3). Sarah Kenwood had three assists.

Norristown goalkeeper Aaliyah Walk-Benitez had 6 saves.

Perkiomen School 5, AIM Academy 0 >> Rianne Moll, Cece Vassallo, Cheyenne McCloud, Brittany Pilcher and Bella Baringer carried the Panthers to an away win Monday. Perkiomen goalkeeper Abbey Glavin recorded a shutout with 3 saves.

Pottsgrove 5, Upper Merion 0 >> With balanced scoring Tuesday, the Falcons rolled over the Vikings in their PAC Frontier Division contest.

Emily Vishio and Skylar Glass (one assist) scored in the first half for Pottsgrove, whose offense was completed in the second by Lexi Zook, Keleigh Nihart and Eiiana Paez. Summer Walker needed to make just three saves in goal to get the Falcons the clean sheet.

Perkiomen School 6, New Foundations 3 >> Rianne Moll netted a hat trick to spark the Panthers in Tuesday’s non-league victory over New Foundations.

The remainder of Perkiomen’s scoring came from a pair of Candace McCloud tallies, and Sasha Vasallo’s game-capper.

Upper Perkiomen 1, Palisades 0 >> Sarah Edwards accounted for all the game’s scoring Tuesday as she lifted the Indians over Palisades in their non-league game.

Edwards converted a penalty kick in the 22nd minute of the first half. Hannah Landis made the tally hold up with six-save goaltending for UP.

HAVERFORD — It wasn’t long ago that Julia Mullaney was the freshman among veterans.

A hallmark of the Penncrest girls soccer team’s path to three straight states berths has been the integration of freshmen to the fray early, learning the ropes and becoming part of the system. Mullaney was one of those, thrust into the blender of midfield from her earliest days in high school.

“I was always scared because I didn’t want to mess up for the seniors because I knew it was their last year,” the senior said Tuesday. “And now I’m in that position, so it’s kind of crazy. I just want to stay positive for all of them and I try to encourage them and I want them to do their best without feeling scared at all.”

The conveyer belt keeps turning over for Penncrest, with veterans like Mullaney bringing along the next generations. Performances like Tuesday, when Mullaney set up the game-winning goal by Alexis Ranieri to get Penncrest a 2-1 Central League victory over Haverford, show how well it’s working.

Penncrest midfielder Julia Mullaney carries the ball in the second half as Haverford’s Nora Burns defends. Mullaney set up the game-winning goal in a 2-1 Penncrest victory Tuesday. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

As things change around it, the central midfield pairing of Mullaney and Shayna Polsky is ever more vital – particularly on a team starting two freshmen in central defense and one in goal. Polsky had deputized at center back as a freshman due to injuries and was there again last season. She was slated to reprise that role as a junior, but she was slid into midfield by first-year coach Joe Ross to provide attacking punch.

Days like Tuesday showed why: Polsky scored in the third minute, a forceful volley of a bouncing throw-in from Gina Facciolo, Polsky attacking the bounding ball in the box and making no mistake on the finish. She nearly had a second 12 minutes later, but her toe-poked effort after a 1-2 with Kara Mullaney rattled the post.

With the Lions up 2-1 after Ranieri’s goal – a tight control in the box off a Julia Mullaney lofted cross that was volleyed home – Polsky dropped into central defense, augmenting the freshman pairing of Maggie Allison and Taryn Tagtmeir.

Polsky has grown accustomed to being the focal point on both ends for Penncrest (4-2-1, 1-2-1 Central).

“It’s difficult because a lot of pressure is on me to score in the beginning of the game because that’s what our coaches are looking for,” Polsky said. “So when I got that goal, I knew that we needed to keep going and keep attacking as much as I could. And once we do get up in the game, that’s when I know I need to drop back and know that there’s a lot of pressure on me now to keep that lead. And I’m good under pressure and I feel like that suits me well.”

In a game featuring teams rebuilding after postseason runs last year – Penncrest to 4A states, Haverford to district playbacks – the poise of Julia Mullaney and Polsky in central midfield stood apart. Everything ran through them for Penncrest, from little 1-2s that sent Fords’ midfielders scurrying to minute pauses on the ball to pick up their heads and survey the field, injecting much needed calm.

“I have really good composure and control on the ball,” Polsky said. “So when I’m on the field, I know what I want to do with the ball and I know my surroundings so I can play. And the first thing I’m looking for is to go forward and find Julia, because combining through the field, we can go up the field and get shooting opportunities.”

While Haverford (3-4, 2-2) lacked any direct analogue in midfield, it made up for it by being sturdy at the back and energetic in attack. The Fords’ goal came off a free kick from 40 yards out that Devin Snell ambitiously aimed for the top corner. It paid off, as the left back delivered a ball that floated over a flapping Ava Simpson and glided into the net.

“I just kind of went for it,” said Snell, one of three Haverford senior starters. “I thought at first that it was going to have to get tapped in, but when I saw it go in, it was really exciting. … I guess I was kind of in between. I was going for the goal and hopefully if it didn’t go in, it would get tapped in by one of our forwards.”

The Fords dominated large stretches, but the final touch was lacking. Simpson made six saves, the most difficult a body block on Alyssa Hayes while charging off her line. Julia Mullaney was called on in the second half to clear off the line on a corner.

Haverford didn’t concede many chances; when it did, sophomore goalie Madison Kantawala was there with five saves. She got a glove to a great effort by Kara Mullaney in the 25th minute, off a 1-2 with Amelie Lebourgeois.

But Polsky and Julia Mullaney held forth in the middle of the field, and it made all the difference for Penncrest.

“Julia and I, we’re like best friends on and off the field,” Polsky said. “She’s someone that I can always go to, and on the field we have such great chemistry together. And both of us are the veterans on the team, so we’re in that leadership role and we try to control the center of the field and that can help us play forward.”

In the Inter-Ac League:

Episcopal Academy 3, Germantown Academy 1 >> Bella Piselli scored what proved to be the game-winner midway through the second half, and Maya Naimoli sealed the win by completing her brace.

Lauren Cunningham and Ali McHugh added assists, and Allie Bush stopped two shots for EA (2-2, 1-0).

In the Del Val League:

Interboro 7, Academy Park 0 >> Morgan Reed scored four times as the Bucs tallied six first-half markers in the win. Alex Mullen, Abbie Bulovas and Becca Roberts also scored for Interboro.

TOWAMENCIN >> The North Penn girls soccer team isn’t a fan of overtime, so Tia Sheehy made sure the Knights never got there.

Sheehy got free, used her speed to create space and then converted a well-taken shot to the low corner with 20 seconds left to give the Knights a much-needed result against Central Bucks West. Their home field hadn’t been too friendly in the early season, but the Knights not only found a way to break that hex, they did it without extra time.

Sheehy’s goal capped a tough effort as North Penn edged the Bucks 2-1 Tuesday afternoon.

“I played the ball forward and all I was thinking was ‘I can end the game right here,’” Sheehy said. “There was less than a minute left, so all I had to do was get a good touch and finish it and that’s what I did.”

The Knights (4-3-1, 2-1-1 SOL Continental) showed early they weren’t going to let the Bucks’ dynamic attackers break them down easily. Even with senior co-captain and center back Emily Schurr sidelined with an illness, the rest of the back line played determined.

At the middle of the effort was center back Casey Cavanaugh, who routinely came up on the winning end of a challenge or 50/50 to frustrate West’s attackers. CB West (4-3-0, 2-2-0) never really got into a rhythm offensively, and plenty of passes were intervened upon by blue-clad defenders.

“We did a good job of staying with the runners to make sure they didn’t get the through ball,” Cavanaugh said. “In past games that used to be one of our weaknesses but today we did on those.”

Neither team was able to find a goal at the half, but the Bucks certainly had more opportunities to do so. Knights keeper Anna Fiore was solid all game, making 11 stops and she was up to task in the first half with a couple clutch stops.

The backs – Marissa Dacosta, Rebecca Richardson, Cavanaugh and Landry Holt did their part as well, trying to limit CB West to shots from tough angles or outside the penalty box. Cavanaugh noted the potential of West’s attackers like Ryan Fitzsimmons, Shea Lubin and Taylor Moyer so the defense certainly had to be on task.

“They have fast people on the outside so we had to stay with them to make sure they didn’t get the ball,” Cavanaugh said. “

Knights co-head coach Mike Rio added the staff stressed playing the Bucks attackers tight to limit their chances. Rio cited the Bucks good run of form, which included a win over PAC power Spring-Ford last Saturday and said holding a team like that in check was a huge step for his group.

North Penn wasn’t trailing at half but it did take a significant loss when co-captain Grace Sacchetti was injured in a challenge right before the whistle. The team’s midfield engine, Sacchetti didn’t return but the Knights reserves picked up the slack.

“The way they played in the middle, they fought hard, they played hard,” Rio said. “Losing your captain with seconds left could really bring down or demoralize a team but I was really proud of the way the girls fought in that second half to get the first goal and for the rest of the game.”

Sheehy nearly had the game’s first goal, but her rocket of a shot was palmed over the bar well by West keeper Jenna Abaza. The ensuing corner however, would prove most fortunate for North Penn.

The service by sophomore Riley Saxman sailed right into the middle of the six-yard box, where Cavanaugh got enough of the ball to direct it home in the 54^th minute. North Penn didn’t hold the lead long, but scoring the first goal was still vital.

“The first goal always gets you the momentum,” Cavanaugh said. “It was crucial to get the first goal.”

“West is a very good team, so you can’t start down,” Sheehy said. “You need the momentum so you have to go after that first goal.”

West equalized just three minutes later when Erin Fitzsimmons finally connected a through ball with forward Alexa Vail, who had a strong game off the bench with five shots on target. Vail was able to turn on the ball, created space and sunk her effort well to draw level at 1-1.

North Penn had some of its best attacking pressure in the last 10 or so minutes of the game, with striker Emily Varilla working hard to get loose and the rest of the Knights working for a connection.

Sheehy said she hadn’t as effective as she’d hoped scoring this season, joking chiding Rio when he noted she had a PK goal, but knew her chance late was one she had to put away. Their home field hadn’t been too kind, but all it took was that one chance.

“It was just the way the ball fell,” Sheehy said. “I had a big first touch, so I knew I had to get something into the corner. The shot was just a matter of seeing something and taking it.”

NORTH PENN 2, CB WEST 1
CB WEST 0 1 – 1
NORTH PENN 0 2 – 2
Goals: NP – Casey Cavanaugh (Riley Saxman), Tia Sheehy; CBW  – Alexa Vail (Erin Fitzsimmons)

EAST ROCKHILL >> Put the girls soccer teams of Souderton and Pennridge on a pitch anywhere and it’s a pretty safe bet they’ll play a superb match.

The latest chapter of the intense, but respect-filled, rivalry took place Tuesday night at Pennridge, with the Rams hosting their Community Night as the teams met for the first time since they played for the PIAA 4A title last November. While the rosters have changed greatly from that frigid night, the effort on the field did not.

At the end, thanks to a determined goal by Emily Kriney, Pennridge kept its unbeaten start intact with a 1-0 win over the Indians in another classic.

“Going into it, we were all kind of thinking about last year but once game day got here we realized we couldn’t think like that anymore,” Pennridge senior defender and co-captain Lauren McIntyre said. “It’s all new players on both teams, it’s a new season, so we had to put that behind us.”

McIntyre was busy on Tuesday as she and the rest of the Rams defenders focused on quieting a Souderton attack that’s shown a lot of potency so far this fall. The senior spent a lot of time keeping Souderton junior Averie Doughty, the state playoff hero last year, in check while fellow backs Ashley Gordon, Maddie Angelo and Zoe Sabol also had to keep the rest of the Indians’ front line under wraps.

Of course, the same rang true of Souderton’s back line against Pennridge’s quick-moving attack. Anchored by a sterling effort from goalkeeper Morgan Molyneaux, the Indians back line of center backs Darby Kramer and Payton Carroll and fullbacks Grace Kelley and Ella Kregel tried to keep the Rams from causing damage in the 18-yard box.

“They were fantastic today, they really worked hard,” Souderton coach Lindsy Jones said. “Essentially, it came down to making sure our marks were clear. They’re very good at moving around offensively to confuse defenders so we kept pressing to keep our marks to get the ball cleared. They looked organized, they were winning balls in the air and clearing it well.”

Early on, the Rams (6-0-0, 4-0-0 SOL Continental) saw they had plenty of room in the midfield, so the trio of Maddie Anderson, Chance Hendricks and Grace Myers took it. Hendricks turned in a terrific effort for Pennridge, never leaving the field and creating some of the Rams best scoring efforts outside of the actual goal.

In matchups like Tuesday’s where the teams know each other that well, success comes from taking what’s there. If it meant the midfielders were going to be a focal point, then the Rams could make that work.

“They’re always tough everywhere on the field but we found we had a lot of space in the midfield and it opened up shots for us,” Hendricks said. “We went into the second half saying if they changed their gameplan, it would open up outlets for our forwards. I think our intensity was even higher, which helped us push forward.”

It didn’t mean they were going to score a ton of goals. Molyneaux was outstanding in making 10 saves, her best coming about midway through the second half when she palmed a screamer by Hendricks off the crossbar and another in the dying seconds of the first half when she denied Abby Brown’s follow-up after Hendricks had hit the post on a shot.

No play better summed up Souderton’s effort than the daring recovery run Kramer made in the final few minutes. Anderson played a great ball to spring Leah Malone and as the forward went in along against Molyneaux, Kramer sprinted in to kick the ball out for a corner to break up the one-v-one.

Even losing so many pieces, the Indians (6-2-0, 3-2-0) have come out strong to start 2019.

“We had a strong group that did come back and we’re still working on some positions but we’ve scored more goals than we did last year,” Jones said. “We’ve been really happy with the start this season. It starts with our defense, I always think that’s the No. 1 thing and we have a strong crew in the back.”

Pennridge hasn’t lost yet this season, but they’ve been plenty tested every time out. The team’s veterans know every team lining up against them is going to give the Rams their best shot, but that only makes the Pennridge players up their level on a constant basis.

“We’re kind of used to it, it’s always everyone against Pennridge,” McIntyre said. “We come into every game like it’s ours and we have to come out with the win.”

Even with luck seemingly not on their side and an in-form goalkeeper denying them time and time again, the Rams’ confidence didn’t wane even as the match wound into its final act.

“We could definitely feel it,” Hendricks said. “We had so many opportunities, so many shots. It doesn’t matter who is scoring, as long as we’re putting it in the back of the net. That’s what we were really looking for and we even knew at halftime it was coming.”

Malone was able to get the endline and whipped a good cross back across the box, which somehow found its way to the far post. Making a hard-charging run, Emily Kriney was able to punch it home and although the Rams were denied a second, they were able to claim the three points at stake.

“We’re a really hard-working team, it’s how we’ve been as long as I can remember and even watching as a little kid,” Hendricks said. “That’s what we want to continue on and I think it’s even better we got a hard-working goal like that.”

PENNRIDGE 1, SOUDERTON 0
SOUDERTON 0 0 – 0
PENNRIDGE 0 1 – 1
Goals: P – Emily Kriney (Leah Malone)

The Friends’ Central girls’ soccer team (3-1-2) defeated Friends’ Select 6-0, Tuesday in its league opener in a match that featured multiple goals from Izzy MacFarlane, multiple assists from Jordyn Paszamant, and Julia Navek scoring her first career goal.

“Building off of last year where we lost only one senior – Phebe Guenther – and keeping that progression is key,” said FCS senior Brynne Mennen. “We only lost one senior [to graduation last spring] and I think the early season success we have had definitely gives the underclassmen confidence as the season goes on and it feels great we are playing together as a team and having success.”

Tuesday, the Phoenix got off to a 5-0 halftime lead.

“Our only senior from last year, Phebe [Guenther], taught me how to be positive and how to keep things fun when they needed to be fun and serious when it needed to be serious,” said MacFarlane. “She was a great role model for us.”

The victory capped a three-game win streak in which they have allowed only one goal.

“To see us continue to get better and be able to build on last season means a great deal,” said MacFarlane. ‘Our chemistry and trust on and off the field have played a big role in our success.”

“We are a close group,” added Mennen. “Every year we try to have team breakfasts and team dinners during the pre-season.”

KENNETT SQUARE – It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint the turning point of Wednesday’s Ches-Mont girls’ soccer clash pitting Great Valley against host Kennett.

Following a slow start, the Patriots eventually regrouped, and finally broke through with a game-tying goal in the final seconds of the first half. Clearly energized, Great Valley proceeded to score three goals in the opening nine minutes of the second half to secure a key American Division road win, 4-1, over the Blue Demons.

“It is amazing what a goal can do to make you believe that you can score,” said Patriots’ head coach Tom Doyle.

Great Valley was unable to put a shot on goal until the 22-minute mark, but had generated at least half a dozen scoring opportunities that either went over the cross bar or wide. With time running out, freshman Sydney Phillips corralled a rebounded shot by teammate Mary Deitch and found the back of the net with just five seconds on the clock.

“I had to look at the clock to make sure we got it in. I knew it had to be close,” Doyle said.

“We didn’t start with enough energy but we definitely picked it up,” added junior Libby Cogan. “By the end of the first half we were really starting to get into our groove and play like our team.”

Deadlocked at 1-1 at the half, the Patriots roared into the second half and scored three goals in a frenzied five-minute span to complete the comeback. Great Valley improves to 2-2 in the Ches-Mont (4-3 overall).

“That first goal really got us energized, and it helped us to play the rest of the match like that,” said senior Roni Yonce.

“At the end of 40 minutes, our girls got worn down and forgot to follow through on that last play,” added first-year Kennett head coach Ashley Ainsworth.

The Demons fall to 2-3 in the league (3-5 overall).

“We had plenty of opportunities to pick that back up but (Great Valley) came at us real strong at the beginning of the second half,” Ainsworth said. “They used their momentum and I felt that our girls could have stepped up a little harder. Our girls can learn that as soon as you put your heads down, all it takes is a few minutes for a counterattack.”

Cogan scored what wound up the winner less than four minutes into the second half off a corner kick by teammate Rose Bleahen. The Yonce followed with two straight goals only a few minutes apart. The first was from a tough angle, but Yonce found the top nearside corner.

“Then I dribbled inwards, cut it with my right foot and shot it with my left,” Yonce said, when asked about the match’s final goal.

Similarly, Kennett got off to a fast first half start. Katie LaCosta made it 1-0 off a free kick from teammate Sydney Heimann. And then a few minutes later, the Demons came close to making it 2-0 but Pats’ goaltender, Lauren Birchler, came up with a big save off a corner kick.

“Our keeper Lauren kept us in the game right there,” Doyle said. “To go far in districts and things like that you need a keeper that is going to make that game-saver for you.”

Kennett earned four corner kicks in the opening 20 minutes of action, but Great Valley wound up with a 5-4 edge through 80. And the Patriots out-shot the Demons 12-1 in the second half.

“That shows the importance of the mental part of the game,” Ainsworth explained. “We had the confidence in the first five minutes, but with (Great Valley’s) fast second half attack, we were unable to recover mentally as fast as they were able to attack.

“I think this game is 90 percent mental. You have to be there for each other, you have to stick it out through things and not take yourself out of the game. It’s hard when heads go down or you feel you’ve lost hope.

“You have to want it. It’s all about who wants it bad enough.”

Great Valley 4, Kennett 1

Great Valley             1 3 – 4

Kennett                     1 0 – 1

Great Valley goals: Phillips, Cogan, Yonce, 2.

Kennett goal: LaCosta.

Goalie saves: Birchler (GV) 4; Coffee (GV) 1; Rosser (K) 12.

Gabby Liberio won’t soon forget her soccer senior night.

Liberio scored all three Upper Darby goals, including the game-winning tally in the second half of the Royals’ 3-2 nonleague decision over Norristown Wednesday.

Liberio tied the score with 20 minutes to play and put the Royals ahead with four minutes to go. UD had trailed 2-1 at halftime. Her third goal gave her three hat tricks and 10 goals in eight games.

Sophomore Moira Penot made 10 saves in net for the Royals.

In other nonleague matches:

Agnes Irwin 5, Abington Friends 0 >> Alyssa Hardin netted a pair of goals for the Owls, who led 3-0 at halftime. Avery McMullin and Emma Twittmyer tallied once each, and Eve Frankel supplied two assists.

Archbishop Carroll 2, Methacton 0 >> Mary Matey and Keri Barnett provided the scoring with a goal apiece as the Patriots (4-4-0, 2-1-0) reached the .500 mark on the season. Nicollette Cashin turned aside seven shots in net.

Boyertown 3, Pope John Paul II 0 >> Madison Monka and Camilla Kuever had a goal and an assist each and Samantha Goffice also scored as the Bears blanked the Golden Panthers in a PAC crossover match Thursday.

Goalies Madison Gallagher and Ashlyn Crawford had a save each in the Bears’ shutout while PJP keeper Stacy Kormos stopped four.

Perkiomen School 5, Foundations 0 >> Rianne Moll’s two-goal showing sparked the Panthers to victory over Foundations Collegiate in Thursday’s non-league game.
Cece Vassallo, Naomi Knight and Cheyenne McCloud had Perkiomen’s other goals. Assists were credited to Marta Bloechle, Cece Vassallo, Sasha Vassallo and Moll.

Spring-Ford 3, Upper Merion 1 >> Hope Flanegin scored twice Thursday, sparking the Rams to victory over the VIkings in their PAC divisional crossover game.

Flanegin opened the spring-Ford scoring, then capped it by converting a corner assist by Molly Thomas. In-between, Emily HIggins connected on an 18-yard shot.

Upper Perkiomen 1, Methacton 0 >> Bryanna Marinari converted a pass from Kyra Lesko with 18 minutes remaining Thursdsay, giving the Indians victory over the Warriors in their PAC divisional crossover pairing.

Despite being outshot 9-4 and having far less possession, UP rode a strong defense and stellar goalkeeping from Hannah Landis (nine saves). It was the team’s fourth consecutive shutout and seventh on the season.

Perkiomen Valley 2, Phoenixville 0 >> A pair of second-half goals provided the Vikings their margin of victory over the Phantoms in Thursday’s PAC divisional crossover action.

Julia Quinn scored off a diagonal ball from Dorothy Chesshire to break the deadlock, and Mya Gelet added insurance, finishing off a cross from Nikki Foller-Moll. Riley Hill needed to make just two saves in goal to record the clean sheet while Ella Stout had eight stops for Phoenixville.

Pottstown 7, Norristown 0 >> Calista Daye scored five goals for Pottstown in a PAC crossover win over Norristown Thursday.

UPPER DUBLIN >> It was a win a couple matches in the making.

All season, the Wissahickon girls soccer team came close to a breakthrough win but just couldn’t quite find that last push to put it away. The potential was there and the Trojans knew it, but actually translating the effort into three points in the table seemed always just out of reach.

On the road at their biggest rival, Carly Amato felt like it was time to change that script.

The senior co-captain scored a terrific goal with six minutes left in the second overtime, lifting Wissahickon to a 2-1 win over Upper Dublin in a match that could have gone either way Thursday afternoon.

“Kylie (Friedman) was at the top of our formation, we did a quick give-and-go, I shot it and it went into the back corner,” Amato said. “We decided to shoot more outside the 18 because they were closing down and we couldn’t dribble through their defenders.”

Amato’s eighth goal of the campaign was a huge one for the morale of a Wissahickon team that wants to make a run at a District 1 playoff spot. Wiss came into Thursday’s match on the heels of a 3-0 loss to Abington, but not a result the Trojans felt they were far off of.

Likewise, an overtime loss to Hatboro-Horsham earlier in the conference cycle showed them how close they were, but there was still something holding them back. When Wiss coach Chris McDaniels took over last fall, he knew there was talent on the roster, but it needed some melding and organizing.

“That was the first time I think we came out of a really hard-fought battle back-and-forth,” McDaniels said. “To be honest, it would have been fair 2-1 the other way, the game was even back and forth. What stands out for me first off was we made no mistakes in the back today.”

For Upper Dublin, Thursday’s match was a familiar tale in a season where the Cardinals are asking a score of new players to fill crucial roles. The Cardinals created many chances, earning 10 corner kicks and putting seven shots on goal, but they only finished one.

There have been games where UD has clicked in the final third, but consistency in the attacking end is often the hardest thing to maintain, moreso with a younger side. Freshman Alex Devers went down with an injury in the second half, also taking away one of UD’s top pieces in front of goal.

“She’s only a freshman but she’s our most experienced forward at a high level of play so you ask other people to step up who haven’t been in that spot and they did a great job,” Cardinals coach Chuck Gesing said. “The only thing we didn’t do was score. We got the corners, we got it in deep, the defense was worlds better and I was happy with the midfield defensively. Offensively, we still have to work on our spacing, but it was there for the taking.”

UD’s defending was solid, but a bit of a breakdown led to Wiss punching home the first goal. A free kick by fullback Eliana Bailey bounced in the box, leading to a shot for Amato. Her effort was saved by Upper Dublin keeper Rachel Adelman, but Friedman was there to tap in the rebound as it skittered along the goal line.

“The younger players like Anna May and Kylie Friedman, I think I work well with them,” Amato said. “They’re not afraid and they’re a huge help on the field.

Even swamped by a high number of set pieces, the Wissahickon defense was strong all afternoon. Senior goalkeeper Quinn Klessel quarterbacked the effort, making six saves, coming off her line well and putting up a firm defense against the Upper Dublin corner kicks.

“Out of the corner kicks, I don’t think we really let up anything there,” Klessel said. “We headed everything out, which is something we’ve been working on a lot. Anna Schools and Margo Kasenchar really did well at getting the ball out quickly. There was a lot of communication between us and we’ve been working on that in practices.”

Klessel couldn’t do anything about UD’s equalizer. Senior Laura Pendleton worked a nice one-two combo with right winger Anna Desch in the corner, with the junior midfielder rifling a missile of a cross into the box where senior Mia Wright headed it home.

Desch, who brings blistering pace to the pitch, was a creator all afternoon. Gesing said the junior has been a big part of the attack but like the rest of the team, the Cardinals want her to go after more for herself.

“We look for her over and over again and she was really effective,” Gesing said. “We can’t always go toward her but she was so dangerous today. I keep trying to get her to turn the corner and go to goal herself but she’s done a fantastic job getting us in behind.”

Upper Dublin keeper Rachel Adelman was terrific, making eight stops including a fantastic denial on a rocket by Wiss’ Natalie Ryan in the first overtime.

Klessel said there’s been a lot of communication and positive energy this season, which helped the players build the belief they could win a difficult matchup on the road.

“After the Hatboro game and losing in this situation, it was something we had to have,” Klessel said. “This is how Hatboro beat us, so we wanted to come out strong and feel the way they did after that game.”

“This is just something we wanted,” Amato said. “We want to go to the playoffs, so we knew this would be a big result for us. We had a mentality to beat Upper Dublin at their place and we’re happy with the result.”

WISSAHICKON 2, UPPER DUBLIN 1 (2OT)
WISSAHICKON 1 0 0 1 – 2
UPPER DUBLIN 1 0 0 0 – 1
Goals: W – Kylie Friedman (Carly Amato), Amato (Friedman); UD – Mia Wright (Anna Desch, Laura Pendleton)

HORSHAM >> Tired, a little sore and wearing mix-matched cleats but not by choice, Maggie O’Neill didn’t feel any of it as her teammates mobbed around her on the far side of the field.

Somewhere in the growing amoeba of Hatboro-Horsham players, the forward was still trying to process the sequence of events that had capped a wild night. After getting blitzed out of the gate, the Hatters had not only recovered, but twice took the lead only to give up a late goal that would have broken many other teams.

O’Neill however, just believed and she turned into a game-winning goal with 3:18 left in the second overtime as Hatboro-Horsham edged Abington 5-4 in dramatic SOL American girls soccer contest Thursday night.

“This game, we’ve been so excited leading up to this game, it’s our home turf and I said ‘we’re not losing this game,’” O’Neill said. “They scored with 40 seconds left, we put our heads down for a second but then we just kept going, kept fighting and we knew it was coming.”

The tiny junior scored twice on the night and assisted a third goal as she continues to author a superb season and a growing clutch record against the Galloping Ghosts. O’Neill, who has scored a goal in every game this season, poured so much into Thursday’s effort she even broke one of her cleats in the second half.

Luckily, she keeps a spare set in her bag and the shoe was the right fit to keep the Hatters unbeaten as the top two sides in the American conference table met.

Early on however, it looked to be all Abington. Ghosts freshman Maura Day scored off a throw-in four minutes into the game, then added an assist when her free kick carried into the box and junior Casey Touey appeared from thin air to head it home for a 2-0 lead 10 minutes in.

“You’ve got to like the heart,” Abington coach Rick Tompkins said. “We came back and scored a goal with 40 seconds to go. They got the game-winner, they earned it, they’re a good team but we’ll get them again. I’m pleased with the effort, we have some things to clean up defensively.”

The Ghosts just switched up their defensive formation, so it’s far from a finished product and it was tested plenty by the Hatters. Ally Eutermoser took advantage of a breakdown in the back to punch home a goal with 17:21 left in the opening half but the Ghosts still carried the lead into halftime.

Then, barely 30 seconds into the second half, O’Neill made the first marks of her script for the rest of the evening. Using a sharp cut-back move, the winger shook a defender on the right side then launched a long strike to the far side of the net, burying it to level the score.

“It was a left-footed shot, I just kinda went for it, I just really wanted to score,” O’Neill said. “We had to challenge the keeper, we hadn’t done that enough in the first half

With 25 minutes to go, O’Neill helped give her team the lead when her corner kick service found defender Sophia Liott in the six-yard box for the 3-2 advantage. Liott drew the unenviable task of man-marking Touey and did an admirable job against the Ghosts’ outstanding striker.

The notion of a back line that gave up four goals playing well seems to not make much sense, but the Hatters defenders did in fact, have a strong outing on Thursday.

“We dropped back for each other, which really helped, Abington has a really fast front line so having that support and cushion really helped us,” Liott said. “It’s just communication, Izzy (de la Torre) did a great job stepping in with me and helping out and so did Cam Ryan. I didn’t let her get too far away from me.”

Still, Touey found a way and slipped free to knock in a header off Camille Mugnier’s corner kick with about 19 minutes to play. The speedster junior managed another shot a few minutes later, but Hatters keeper Martine Royds was able to make the stop.

Three different players scored a pair of goals on Thursday, with Eutermoser getting her second on a solo effort in the box with 15:41 to go. The forward, like O’Neill earlier in the half, shook loose from a defender and struck to put the host side up 4-3.

Abington committed to getting it back and pushed numbers up but it wasn’t until Touey earned a last-minute corner that the Ghosts found it. The initial service skipped through the box, but on the far side, Grace Quinn came through, settled the ball and ripped it back in to equalize with 40 seconds to play.

“We’re making incremental progress,” Tompkins said of his group, which is replacing most of last year’s starting lineup. “We have a long way to go, this is obviously a tough setback but they did a good job.”

Abington had golden chance to win it in the first overtime when Lesha Karaba played in Day on a through ball. Day touched into open space, but Royds closed the gap well, forced the freshman to shoot and parried the effort away with four to go in the frame.

“We wouldn’t have won without that great save by Martine,” Liott said. “That was an amazing save.”

Liott said she felt a different energy leading into the game Thursday and everyone on the team wanted to win for each other.

“We’re 7-0 right now, we want to keep that going and keep our winning streak alive,” Liott said. “We need to focus and when we get back to practice, work on a few things we weren’t good at in this game.”

Hatters assistant coach Marcello D’Agostino, who cheered on his players from the opening tip and got a celebratory drench afterward, couldn’t keep his thoughts quiet after the win.

“They had the heart and they showed it today,” D’Agostino said, placing an arm on O’Neill’s shoulders. “That’s why we came out on top tonight, they never quit. This girl right here, like the rest of the team, they played an unbelievable game.”

Gabby Liott started the final sequence by winning the ball just past midfield, slipping it up to Peighton Toale, who then played Emily Thomas up the right touchline. Thomas cut back and played the ball back, where O’Neill won it in a 50/50 challenge, took a couple touches and ripped the left-footed try to the far post.

“It’s just the hype, I don’t know, it’s crazy, it’s the pressure and you want to come out on top,” O’Neill said. “You just have to take some shots and hope it goes in.”

HATBORO-HORSHAM 5, ABINGTON 4 (2OT)
ABINGTON 2 2 0 0 – 4
HATBORO-HORSHAM 1 3 0 1 – 5
Goals: HH – Ally Eutermoser, Grace O’Neill, Sophia Liott (O’Neill), Eutermoser, O’Neill (Emily Thomas); A – Maura Day, Casey Touey (Day), Casey Touey (Camille Mugnier), Grace Quinn.

TOWAMENCIN >> Nicole Castor felt her scoring touch had hit a string of bad luck.

But the Lower Moreland senior’s fortunes flipped completely in her favor Thursday afternoon against Dock Mennonite. Castor struck for four goals in the Bicentennial Athletic League girls soccer contest as the Lions rolled to a 6-0 victory over the host Pioneers.

“It’s really satisfying,” Castor said. “The last couple weeks I really haven’t been playing that well and missing a lot of wide-open opportunities, just happy to just finish today.”

Castor collected a pair of goals in each half. She sent Lower Moreland out to a 2-0 lead, had a hat trick two minutes into the second half then capped her offensive output 10 minutes later by finishing a run into the box.

“She was quite a player and you know every team has that one, that one player and she was their player,” said Dock coach Stacey Vaitis of Castor. “And she did her job. She did what she was supposed to do and we have to try be prepared ahead of time to know who’s going to be the threat.”

Sara Matraku and Demmi Fox had the other goals for Lower Moreland (6-2-1, 4-1-0 BAL Independence), which pressured the Pioneers’ goal throughout and could have added a few more to its tally if not for a handful of shots just off-target and 15 saves from Dock keeper Laura Frederick.

“They kind of kept a high line most of the game,” Castor said. “So we would just have our center mids try and just chip the ball over and have our girls run onto it, which was working pretty well.

Dock Mennonite (3-2-0, 3-1-0 BAL Constitution) opened the season with three straight wins but has hit a rough patch this week with Thursday’s loss coming after a 5-0 nonleague defeat to Upper Moreland Monday.

“I think we’re just kind of in a slump right now,” said Vaitis, who is in her first season at Dock. “And I think we had a long team-bonding moment and we’re hoping to come back tomorrow ready to go, fix what we need to fix. It’s little things here and there, nothing huge but we’ll be ready tomorrow. Team unity, team chemistry  we got to work on that and once we get that jelling we’ll be good to go.”

Lower Moreland’s Phoebe Lynch (17) works to get past Dock Mennonite’s Peyton Scialanca (17) and Lauren Moatemri (14) during their game on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)

Dock came close to pulling even shortly after Castor made it 1-0 at 37:17 in the first half but Emma Kratz’s shot knocked off the left post. Kratz had another chance later in the half off a corner only for the sophomore’s shot to be hauled in by LM goalie Ceili Courduff.

“It’s tough when the ball’s getting back, we can’t clear the ball,” Vaitis said. “Laura was fantastic in net, she held us to the game as it was but We have to do more from midfield forwards. We have to try to support as a team, we have to work through it.”

Both teams are back in action Friday for nonleague matchups. Lower Moreland visits Council Rock North at 3:30 p.m. while Dock hosts Archbishop Carroll at 7 p.m.

“Everybody’s allowed to have bad days,” Vaitis said. “The past two games have been tough on our team but the only way is up.”

Castor has played soccer since she was 9 but her future is on the track with the senior looking to compete in heptathlon in college. Last year at the BAL Championships, Castor claimed first in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and triple jump and also took silver in the high jump.

“Just been trying to work a lot in the summer to pick up on the heptathlon events cause it’s a lot of work,” she said.

Castor’s first goal Thursday was a right-place, right-time situation, as Frederick could not hold onto a shot from Fox and Castor jumped on the loose ball at the left post for a goal less than three minutes into the game.

“I just know how it feels when I run down and cross the ball and nobody’s there,” Castor said. “So I just wanted to finish that opportunity cause you never know what can happen.”

Lower Moreland’s Nicole Castor (22) and Dock Mennonite’s Laurel Latt (11) chase after the ball during their game on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)

The Lions made it 2-0 at 17:30 when Phoebe Lynch fought through a tackle then slid a through ball behind the defense that Castor chased down. Castor proceeded to skipped around the outcoming Frederick and tap the ball into the left side of the goal.

Matraku, who cracked a long-range effort off the crossbar in the first half, gave LM the 3-0 advantage at 13:11 before the break when she got free in the 18-yard box and had her shot slowly rolled into the net.

Castor struck for a third goal just 1:34 after halftime, dribbling into the left side of the box then slotting a shot past Frederick and into the opposite right corner.

Castor made it 5-0 on another run into the box. After holding off a defender, she just got a touch around Frederick — the Dock keeper getting a piece of the ball, but it still stayed in the path of Castor, who tapped it into the open net.

“I just try and keep my touch close,” she said. “Cause usually I can tell where she is, so if I feel her on my right side I take it left and keep it close so I can just take a touch around the goalie.”

Fox registered the Lions’ final goal by getting just inside the box and lofting a shot just over the reach of Frederick.

Lauren Cunningham

Cunningham, who was a second team All-Inter-Ac and All-Main Line at center midfielder/back last fall as the Churchwomen won the PAISAA girls’ soccer championship, was moved to more of an attacking role this fall due to an early-season injury to Raina Kuzemka, and has come through nicely, tallying two goals and two assists in EA’s first four games, including the game-winning goal in the final minutes of the team’s opener against Radnor. EA girls soccer head coach Andy Fraggos said, “Lauren’s intelligence, talent, and versatility have made her indispensable. This season, Lauren picked up where she left off from sophomore year, as a scoring and passing threat. Lauren’s focus and leadership will be essential to carry this team to another successful season.” The Lafayette College-bound senior is an all-around athlete, having previously competed in winter track and varsity basketball for EA. Her cousin Zac Gallen is completing a fine rookie season as a starting pitcher for MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks

Q: You were one of the key players on last year’s EA team that won the PAISAA state championship. What is your most vivid memory of last season – can you share it with us?

A: My most vivid memory was beating Pennington at home. We hadn’t beaten them in years and we finally beat them last year 1-0. Due to an injury to our center back, I had to step up and play her position. I was nervous because I had been playing center midfield the whole season. We kept Pennington scoreless and held on to win the game. This was definitely my most vivid memory because we all worked extremely hard as a team to win the game.

Q: How do you see your role changing from last year?

A: I see my role changing immensely because Raina was a key player on this team. I definitely have shifted my mindset throughout my offensive years at EA and I know this year I need to take advantage of my opportunity to score goals. I’m willing to play wherever the team needs me.

Q: What do you consider the strongest part of your game? What aspects of your game are you working on most currently?

A: I think the strongest part of my game is my versatility because I have grown to be able to play any position on the field. I am defensive minded, but now I have become more attacking minded at the same time. The aspects of my game that I am working on now are my quick foot skills in small spaces and staying composed with the ball.

Q: Tell us a little about your start in soccer. What originally attracted you to soccer? Who have been your most important soccer mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you?

A: I started playing soccer when I was 5 years old. Although my parents made the decision for me to try soccer, I continue to play it because I love being competitive. My Penn Fusion club soccer coach, Craig Scangarella, has been a very important mentor to me because he always is extra hard on me and wants me to become the best player I can be. Also, my high school coach, Andy Fraggos, pushes me to be able to play in many different positions and has helped me become a versatile player on the field.

Q: Briefly describe for us your pre-game preparation (physical, mental) on the day of a game.

A: On game days, I usually spend a lot of my time alone thinking about strategies to win the game. I drink at least three bottles of water throughout the day and then, right before we start warmups, I go by myself and juggle while listening to music.

Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 5 for EA soccer. Is there a reason you picked this number – does it have any significance to you?

A: I wear No. 5 because I have worn it for a few years now for EA and I wear it for Penn Fusion. I am excited that I will be wearing No. 5 for Lafayette next year.

Q: What is your favorite course at EA? What do you think you might want to major in at Lafayette? Is there a career field that particularly interests you at the present time?

A: My favorite course at EA is Computer Science. I would definitely consider majoring in Computer Science at Lafayette and having a career in that field.

Fun facts – Lauren Cunningham

Favorite TV show: All American.

Favorite movie: Game Night.

Favorite athlete: Julie Ertz.

Favorite pre-game pump-up song: On the Road, by Post Malone.

Favorite team: Liverpool soccer.

Favorite place to visit: San Diego.

Favorite pre-game meal: Chicken and rice.

Person I most admire: “I most admire my parents because of how much they motivate me to be the best person and player I can be. I also admire my cousin Zac Gallen, who is finishing a great rookie season as a starting pitcher for MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks. He has shown me that perseverance and hard work pay off.”

Family members: parents John and Christine, sister Alyssa (senior at Villanova), brother Johnny (sophomore playing soccer at Saint Joseph’s University), sisters Julia and Erin (sophomores playing varsity soccer for EA).

(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)

Baldwin senior Alex Loomis scored the game-winner in the Polar Bears’ 1-0 win against Agnes Irwin Sept. 21.

Rosemont >> The Baldwin School and Agnes Irwin, sharing similar values, have always look to partner with each other to help celebrate special occasions. On Sept. 21, the two schools’ soccer teams faced off as part of Agnes Irwin’s 150th anniversary of the school.
“It’s great playing against Agnes Irwin,” said Baldwin senior Alex Loomis. “We are two amazing schools and to be able to play against them is always an honor. We always try to get them when we have special occasions. We have a great partnership.”
Baldwin keeper Taylor Levinson added, “It’s very special to play on a day like this. We have a great rivalry and at the end of the day we respect each other.”
“I have been here for eight years and Agnes Irwin sports have been a big part of my life here,” said Agnes Irwin senior Natalie Pansini. “I always enjoy playing Baldwin especially on a day like this when the school is celebrating its 150th anniversary.”
In a tight contest, Baldwin prevailed for a 1-0 win. The game was scoreless with approximately 34 minutes left when Baldwin was awarded a direct kick. Loomis lined up for the direct and struck the ball perfectly from about 30 yards out and placed just over the outstretched arm of Irwin keeper Amelia Layden into the back of the net.
“As I lined up for the kick, I knew I had to shoot high,” said the senior striker. “They had a good wall in place, so I knew I had to shoot high. I also know when I shoot high, I am able to put a good curve on the ball.”
For the rest of the game, the Owls went on the attack peppering the Polar Bears defense and keeper Taylor Levinson. With each scoring opportunity the Owls had, either the Baldwin defense got the clearing or Levinson made a huge save to preserve the game.
“She (Taylor) is an amazing goalie as well was being an amazing field player,” said Loomis. “When she was moved from field player to goalie it was hard, but I have never been prouder of her for coming big this season for us when we needed a goalie.”
Levinson, who has not played goalie since she first started playing when she was young, needed to step up for her team, who lost starting keeper Rani Bleznak prior to the start of the season.
“When I found out what happened I went home and talked with my parents and told them I think I need to step up and help the team,” said Levinson, who finished with six saves and five goalie clearances. “I played when I was younger, so I knew how to dive and what to do.”
“Taylor was a difference maker in today’s game,” said Baldwin soccer head coach Adrian Cox. “She made a number of excellent saves and her decision-making was flawless. She anticipates plays and reads the game well. Taylor made a number of strong defensive clearances outside the penalty box, which prevented Agnes Irwin strikers from getting breakaways. Overall, Taylor is a talented field player and multi-sport athlete. She is a selfless teammate. With the absence of junior Rani Bleznak due to an ankle injury, Taylor has stepped right in and provided strong leadership and confidence to a young team. At one point during the game we had seven freshmen and sophomores on the field.”
With plenty of season remaining both teams will learn from this contest and continue to keep their eyes on the prize of an Inter-Ac title.
“It’s always great to get a result on the road against rival Agnes Irwin in your Inter-Ac League opener,” said Cox. “We have a lot of games remaining in the league (11) and there are no easy games. We will continue to learn from these experiences, grow individually and collectively as a team and prepare for EA at home [Sept. 24] and SCHA away on [Sept. 27].”
“I thought we played hard today but unfortunately did not get the result we wanted,” said Agnes Irwin senior Natalie Pansini. “We just have to learn from this and continue to get better.”