Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ soccer teams in action Wednesday.
SOL Patriot
Harry S Truman 1, Bensalem 0
The number 11 is significant in soccer.
It’s the number of players who line up per side on the pitch to start a match, all of them playing an important role both in their individual positions but also in the collective effort as they support, connect and cover for each other. For Harry S Truman, the number 11 also had another meaning, as it marked the number of years between SOL conference wins for the
Tigers, their last league win coming on October 6, 2015.
When Brian Gilbert took over the program last year, he knew it had been some time since Truman had been able to post a conference win but that didn’t sway him or his motivated players from setting a goal for this season to break that streak. Coincidentally, after his team dropped its season opener, Gilbert found out just how long it had been in a chance meeting with former Truman coach Jack Kinloch.
It took something from everyone, whether it was the team’s freshmen who have stepped right into some important roles, or Gwen Marston scoring the pivotal goal, an outstanding effort from Dani Gilbert in goal or even the players on the sidelines who gave their teammates between the lines all the energy they had in support. The win was hard-earned, Bensalem putting its all into trying to find an equalizer but Truman collectively had enough to accomplish its team goal.
Wednesday’s victory was a massive one for this year’s Tigers team but true to what he wants the program to be about, one of the first things Gilbert did afterward was contact last year’s senior class to make sure they knew there was a part of the win that belonged to them too.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
HST: Gwen Marston (Jaedyn Olds, Lily Hadfield) 23rd
2nd Half
No Scoring
Goalkeeper saves
HST: Dani Gilbert, 16
Harry S Truman coach Brian Gilbert on the win: “For the Truman Tigers, one of the goals for this season was to win at least one conference game. The Tigers were 0-10 in the conference last year, and prior to this weekend, I couldn’t tell you the last time Truman had won a conference match. Coincidentally, I ran into Jack Kinloch and learned that he was a former Truman girls soccer coach and Bristol Township teacher, familiar with a few of my players. Sure enough, Coach Kinloch’s team was the last Truman team to win a conference game dating back in 2015 when they defeated William Tennant. We shared soccer stories and spoke proudly of our players. Truman had just lost big to CB West in the season opener earlier that day. I told Coach Jack about this team’s cohesion and that this year’s team was going to end the drought.”
--Playing with belief: “It was made known to the girls before the game how long it has been since we’d had a conference win and if they were ready for that losing streak to end here. They gave their ‘Tigers’ chant and stormed onto the field and played hard from the first whistle to the last.”
--Tigers break through: “It was a back-and-forth battle for most of the first half and the game remained scoreless until the 22nd minute. Freshman Lily Hadfield, who was just cleared to play with a protective brace/padding after sustaining a hairline fracture in her wrist less than a week ago, started it. Playing center mid, she won back a loose ball and changed directions of the field, sending a pass across to freshman Jaedyn Olds, who tipped the ball just enough to get it past her defender, hitting junior right midfielder Gwen Marston in stride. Marston split the defenders and came in one-on-one with the keeper. Marston, running to her right, turned her hips and fired a shot into the lower left corner of the net for her second goal of the season. It would end up being the game winner.”
--Youth movement: “Truman had five freshmen on the field at the time of the goal. The freshman tandem of Jaedyn
Olds and Arianna Avila were effective and created many chances while giving senior starters Lila Giunta and Skyla Leiva the ability to remain fresh and create a productive rotation.”
--Standout in goal: “Bensalem had a lot of fight in them and outshot the Tigers. Many shots did not miss by much and when the shots were on net, junior goalkeeper Dani Gilbert had to make several difficult saves. Gilbert compiled 16 saves en route to a shutout win.”
--Defense steps up: “Much credit goes to the strong defensive play in front of Dani Gilbert. The Romer sisters - junior Isabella and senior Julianna - alongside Natalie Klimowicz, Harley Palencik and Monica Almanza, fought hard down in the trenches to win battles and clear the ball out.”
--Props for the Owls: “I was looking forward to this game because I knew I would be seeing many Bensalem players who I currently coach in travel and have coached at various levels in the past. Having watched these girls grow up and getting a front row seat to see them play soccer at the high school level is something special. Bensalem junior fullback Chloe Brophy plays intense and physical. I can tell you, it’s much more fun having her on your team than having to play against her. The girls competed hard against each other for 80 minutes, but following the game, 10 combined players from both teams who are travel teammates met up for a photo at the 50. That is what the game is about.”
--Postgame message: “I am so proud of these girls and excited to see them get that first conference win. They really played together, communicated and played sound positioning. It is a weight off our backs and a huge step in the right direction for the program. This team built a strong bond last season and my first message following the game was on a thread with last year’s seniors who were a big part of the program’s turnaround, letting them know that the girls got one for them.”
HARRY S TRUMAN 1 0 - 1
BENSALEM 0 0 - 0
Pennsbury 2, Neshaminy 2
Another year, another back-and-forth game between eternal rivals Neshaminy and Pennsbury.
The Falcons, eager to pick up their first win of the fall, put the pressure on with a first half goal then again put Neshaminy behind a goal in the second half. Neshaminy, coming off a win in its opener, faced the early season test with resolve, twice finding an equalizer.
With the PIAA eschewing overtime in the regular season this year, neither team had the chance to grab a winner in extra time but both sides were able to walk away with a point and some valuable early season lessons.
Scoring Summary
1st half
P: Julia Hammer
2nd Half
N: Leah Kaczmarek (Chloe Mougeotte)
P: Jill Patrick
N: Eve Dozier
Neshaminy coach Josh Van Reed: “I knew this was going to be a tough game, it always is when we play Pennsbury. First half, we started out creating a couple chances but just couldn’t seem to put together a goal. We had been applying good pressure, but Pennsbury was able to get one just before half when a shot took a deflection that found the net and kind of took the wind out of our sails. Regrouped at halftime and made some adjustments.”
--Second half rally: “Our first goal came from a ball that defender Maria Mitchell played in the air, Chloe flicked it through to find Leah in behind the defense. But the lead was short lived and Pennsbury took the lead again from a broken play inside our box. We kept pressing, and with less than five minutes left, the ball dropped in the path of Evie Dozier from a corner kick, who evened the game again. The last couple minutes both teams had some chances to pull the game out.”
--Measuring up: “After one preseason game and one regular season game, it was a good test for us early in the season. To be down twice and even the game up, I was really happy with our girls' grit and our ability to make adjustments.”
Pennsbury coach Jenna Peters: “At halftime, we told the girls Neshaminy would come out hard, organized, and pressing high, and they did, tying the game 1-1. Jill Patrick then put us back in front 2-1, finishing a bouncing ball in the box off a cross from Julia Hammer with a header after multiple rebounds. We continued to press and create chances, but Neshaminy eventually tied it up off a corner kick.”
--Takeaways: “Always a battle with Neshaminy, but the girls fought today and continue to show a lot of growth. Sophomore Julia Hammer did a great job organizing the center of the field, while senior Sofia Gorski found a lot of success out wide and served in some great balls.”
PENNSBURY 1 1 - 2
NESHAMINY 0 2 - 2
SOL Colonial
Central Bucks South 3, Central Bucks West 0
After a couple of tough results in August to start their season, the Titans started September with an always-tough rivalry game.
Last year’s state finalists graduated some big names on both ends of the field, but they also brought back some skilled players ready to step up. One of them is junior Charlotte Manley, a dynamic presence in the attack who committed to the University of South Florida over the summer and the tone-setter CB South needed on Wednesday.
Manley had two assists, Lucy Keane scored twice and the defensive unit came up big as South got its first win of the fall.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
CBS: Khloe Montini (Charlotte Manley)
CBS: Lucy Keane (Charlotte Manley)
CBS: Lucy Keane (Addi McKeon)
2nd Half
No Scoring
CB South coach Dana Cole: “Charlotte generated a lot of our offense along with Maddie Roe winning 50/50 balls and Emily Franklin and Kate Walsh attacking on offense. This was a full team effort starting from the back. Ella Parish and Peyton Karpinski controlled the back line with Tenley and Avery Rogers, and Addi McKeon defending on the outside and building from the back. We played as a team with technique and hustle. Morgan Sowash played aggressive in goal for the first half and Sienna Carone came in strong in goal for the second half, keeping a strong vocal presence behind our defense. Grace Depman finished the game in net to help secure the shutout with some clutch saves.”
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3 0 – 3
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0 0 – 0
Central Bucks East 1, Souderton 0
It took a second half goal from one of their dynamic duos for the Patriots to secure a win over an improved Souderton side looking to make a mark in the SOL and beyond.
Kiera Sleicher and Mia Forney have been fixtures in the East lineup since they were freshmen, the two seniors linking up for plenty of goals over the years. On Wednesday, with the Big Red defense not giving up much, the duo came together midway through the second half as Forney set up Sleicher with the JMU recruit giving CB East a big win to start league play.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
No Scoring
2nd Half
CBE - Kiera Sleicher (Mia Forney) 61st
CB East coach Jake Nesteruk: “Overall I thought a solid game from us against a very good Souderton team. I thought we kept the ball well and the base of our shape much of the first half but just struggled to string together anything of potential in the attacking half. I thought the second half we probably lost a little bit of control of the match but were more threatening in finding space in behind their backline. I thought a really good second half from Kiera Sleicher and Mackenzie Peters gave us a little more of an edge. Massive credit to how our midfield defended in this one, particularly Mattie Williams and Ava Mignon, and another consistent performance from our backline to pick up another clean sheet.”
--The goal: “A ball was played down the right channel by Mattie Williams into Rylie Leady breaking on. Rylie was able to cut the ball back to Mia breaking into the box. She was able to turn on her defender and square the ball across the six-yard box for Kiera to finish one-time on her right foot.”
Souderton coach Melissa Lollar: “We were really excited to play against the defending state champions. We have a goal this season to go deeper into the playoffs than last year and to start conference play against such a disciplined, skilled, and well-coached team is a great learning opportunity for us. I was proud of how our girls held up defensively for a long time while getting some chances on net from corners. Cam Lobel had some key saves for us throughout the game. However, East has always known how to play a full 80 minutes in a composed and patient way. They were able to pull us out of shape consistently and break us down which led to a goal in the second half. It would have been nice to capitalize on some of the chances we had from corners, but we just couldn't get on it. We are looking forward to learning from this game and progressing each game.”
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0 1 - 1
SOUDERTON 0 0 - 0
Pennridge 3, North Penn 2
The SOL Colonial provides all kinds of challenges and every team is capable of pushing another to the limit on any given night.
Playing under the lights for a second time this week, the Rams found themselves pushed to the limit against the host Knights in a game that featured plenty of scoring and players from both sides flying up and down the pitch in transition. An early goal put Pennridge on the front foot, but it was far from a smooth path as the Knights rallied to tie it before Mikayala Loux continued her hot start to give the Rams a halftime lead.
Loux added an assist on the opener while senior co-captain Peyton Rabinowitz tallied two assists, including one on a corner kick that led to the eventual winner from Jaylin Matuske, one of two debut scorers for Pennridge alongside Kenzie Metzler.
Even with all that, the Knights remained steadfast to the final whistle and continued to show plenty of early season fight as they continue to put their pieces together.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
P: Kenzie Metzler (Mikayla Loux) 38:02
NP
P: Mikayla Loux (Peyton Rabinowitz) 4:45
2nd Half
P: Jaylin Matusek (Peyton Rabinowitz) 17:32
NP
Pennridge coach Lucas Kriner: “Gritty win for us tonight and we’re happy to get the league points. Good first taste of league play for us: intense, frenetic and physical. It was a good learning experience. We had to make some adjustments, so credit to North Penn for forcing our hand. There were also some problems of our own making: The team shape neither got big when we were attacking nor got compact when defending, so we really never dictated any of the important moments of the game, never had the ball for any appreciable time. These structural movements will improve with more time.”
--High tempo play: “My sense is 85 percent-plus of that game was played in transition, and fair play to North Penn - it seems that was what they wanted to do. We have to understand that the heavy legs are a result of a game that required a lot of sprinting for lack of ball security and defensive organization.”
--Takeaways and props: “Overall, a strong win for our kids. Proud of the effort. We’ll rest up and get ready for CB West next Tuesday. Thrilled for Kenzie and Jaylin for opening their high school soccer accounts. Kenzie’s opener and Jay’s winning goal were massive for us. Mikayla’s tally near halftime put us in a good position going into the locker room. She’s been in great form recently and usually involved in our goals.”
PENNRIDGE 2 1 - 3
NORTH PENN 1 1 - 2
SOL Liberty
PW 1, Hatboro-Horsham 0
There’s a lot of “new” around PW this fall, from new names to a new lineup to new connections forming between the touchlines.
The new Colonials’ first time out didn’t go as hoped against Methacton in their opener, but Wednesday’s first SOL test showed they were able to treat the next game as a new opportunity. One of the team’s newest players got her first varsity goal, while a new-look defensive unit rose to the task to make sure it held up for an always valuable three points in the league table.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
PW - Skylar Wawrzynek 21:37
2nd Half
No Scoring
PW coach TJ DeLucia: “After a disappointing game at Methacton on Friday, it was great to see our team respond today. After graduating seven starters from last season, we have a team that is mixed with youth and inexperience. We challenged them this week at practice. We changed some things from Friday, asking multiple players to switch positions and roles. There was some sacrifice involved. No one pouted, no one complained - everyone embraced what was asked of them and really performed well today.”
--First goal for a first-year: “It was great to see our freshman, Skylar Wawrzynek, get on the board with her first Varsity goal. She won the ball about 45 yards out, made a driving run, beat a defender and beat the keeper 1v1 with a composed finish. She's a talented kid and is so open to coaching.”
--Defense steps up: “Today, we sent out a very new backline from last year with only sophomore JJ Lafferty returning. Seniors Liv Patete, Maddi Lazaroff, and Bella Zeoli joined JJ on the backline and earned our first clean sheet of the season. Credit to freshman keeper Jules Rex who was solid back there today.”
--Props: “The way Hatboro set up in their attack and transition can definitely cause problems so a lot was asked of our midfielders Josie Marcella, Emma Shelby, Soph Nagle, and Sophie Ippolito, in working with our fullbacks.”
--Takeaways: “All in all, we are very proud of the team in winning our league opener. Since the expansion to four divisions, there has never been an easy game in the Suburban One League - Liberty Division. We are thrilled to be 1-0.”
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1 0 - 1
HATBORO-HORSHAM 0 0 - 0
Upper Dublin 3, Quakertown 0
The Cardinals needed something to jumpstart their attack and found it in Maya Schulz.
Upper Dublin hadn’t been able to find the net in its opener against Gwynedd Mercy Academy and after 40 minutes on the road Wednesday, was still searching for its first goal of the season. Schulz changed that midway through the second half, the junior converting a penalty kick to open the Cardinals’ account and ending the night with a brace as UD picked up its first win and three points in the conference table.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
No Scoring
2nd Half
UD: Maya Schulz (PK) 58th
UD: Emerson Smith 68th
UD: Maya Schulz (Brooke Smith) 68th
UD Coach Darius Gbunblee: “I thought the girls came out and played a great game tonight. We were a little disappointed with the result of Monday’s game, so it was great to see the girls bounce back and come out ready to play.”
Schulz provides a spark: “I want to shine a little spotlight on Maya Schulz. With the game tied 0–0 at halftime, Maya came in and provided the spark we needed, scoring two very important goals to help lead us to the win.”
Props: “I’d also like to congratulate Freshman Brooke Smith on recording her first varsity assist. Proud of the girls and the way they responded tonight.”
UPPER DUBLIN 0 3 - 3
QUAKERTOWN 0 0 - 0
Wissahickon 6, Abington 0
A big afternoon from Kate Irani propelled the Trojans to a strong win to open league play.
The junior striker put away four tallies as she and Wiss pounced early and continued to build their lead. With such a strong effort, the Trojans were able to rotate players onto the field quite a bit throughout the afternoon.
Wiss coach Chris McDaniels: “Wiss jumped out to a 1-0 lead early and led at the half 4-0. Goals were scored by Kate Irani with four, Alexa Lentz and Emily Bennacef. Sydney Jackson and Ciela Lore shared the clean sheet. Brooke Collins had a strong game on the back line. In all, 18 Wiss players got on the field and contributed to the great start to league play.”
WISSAHICKON 4 2 - 6
ABINGTON 0 0 – 0
SOL Freedom
Springfield Twp 3, William Tennent 1
The Spartans faced a quick test to start their quest for back-to-back conference titles.
The visiting Panthers scored early, putting Springfield Twp behind for the first time this fall and forcing last year’s Freedom champions to respond. It wasn’t a spot the Spartans had always responded well to in past years, but their now veteran and experienced team found a way.
Two second half goals after a first half equalizer helped the Spartans fend off a hungry Tennent group to start league play with three crucial points.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
WT: Kaitlyn D’Ambra (Bailey Kasner)
ST: Karter Brady
2nd Half
ST: Karly Hartman (Liz Hanushchak)
ST: Julia Guicheteau (Bea Lyons)
Springfield Twp coach Chris Tomarelli: “It’s never easy playing league games, and William Tennent gave the Spartans everything they could handle today. Springfield was down for the first time this season, but good teams find a way to win. I believe we are a good team, and this is the type of game we have lost over the past two seasons. Today, we found a way to get it done.”
--Scoring: “Karter Brady came through with a huge goal, sneaking one inside the post to even the score heading into halftime. After making some slight adjustments at halftime, the Spartans came out strong in the second half. Karly Hartman scored a fantastic header off a corner from Liz Hanushchak, and Julia Guicheteau finished off a great pass from Bea Lyons for the final goal.”
--Props: “Ava Brnich, June Kirk, Maddie Decker, Alice Williamson, Annika Spratt, and Lucy McDevitt all played with the toughness and determination that have become the identity of this team. It wasn’t our prettiest game, but it was an important win.”
William Tennent coach Elise Jara: “We came out strong in the first half scoring first but gave up the tying goal two minutes later. We felt confident going into the half tied against a tough divisional opponent. We made a couple of mistakes in the second half that Springfield was able to convert on. Goalie Megan Pacchioli made a couple of key saves to keep us in it in the second half. They were playing five in the back and able to neutralize our offense. This was a good first opponent for us and we are looking to turn it around in our next match.”
SPRINGFIELD TWP 1 2 - 3
WILLIAM TENNENT 1 0 - 1
Lower Moreland 6, New Hope-Solebury 0
Lower Moreland spread the wealth on Wednesday, with six different players accounting for their scoring.
The offense was also spread across the class levels, with seniors accounting for three while the junior, sophomore and freshman class each got one.
Scoring Summary
LM: Gabbie Sellecchia (Ella Fey)
LM: Agnes Kroll
LM: Quinn Rozanski (Izzy O’Brien)
LM: Shannon Mahon
LM: Emma Leibert (PK)
LM: Charlie Carroll (Evie O’Brien)
Lower Moreland coach Todd Hill: “Our girls played a really aggressive and dominant game today. I was really proud of their effort. New Hope has some good athletes on their team, but our girls made it really difficult for them to get any momentum. It was a great team effort.”
Props: “Shoutout to three of our center midfield players today. Senior Agnes Kroll, senior Quinn Rozanski, and freshman Charlie Carroll really dominated the middle of the field today.”
Upper Moreland 2, Cheltenham 1
Mia Meakim’s second half brace helped the Golden Bears rally from a halftime deficit to pick up their first win of the season.
Despite a strong start and some chances in the first 40 minutes, UM found itself down 1-0 at half against a Panthers team that had shown some offensive punch in its opener. Meakim spurred her team to the win by scoring two goals in a five-minute span midway through the second half, allowing the Bears’ midfield and defensive unit to keep pressing while also staying organized at the back.
Scoring Summary
1st Half
C: 30th
2nd Half
UM: Mia Meakim (Brooklyn Kavanaugh) 60th
UM: Mia Meakim (Eva Gorell) 65th
UM assistant coach Sarah Veneziale: “Upper Moreland came out strong today, generating numerous offensive opportunities throughout the game. Cheltenham took a 1–0 lead in the first half, but UM came out of halftime determined to fight their way back into the game.”
--Meakim gets going: “In the 60th minute, Mia Meakim equalized the game with a well-placed finish off a cross from Brooklyn Kavanaugh. The momentum continued to build, and Meakim scored again shortly after off a corner kick from Eva Gorrell.”
--Closing out strong: “The girls maintained possession and continued to control the pace of play, creating consistent offensive pressure and limiting Cheltenham's opportunities. Keeley Hawk, Madelyn Cox, Jada Rivera, and Julie Albert all played strong games, helping generate offensive opportunities while also keeping the back line organized and composed.”
UPPER MORELAND 0 2 - 2
CHELTENHAM 1 0 - 1
- Log in to post comments
