Pennridge rolls by Upper Dublin
This preseason the Pennridge girls’ soccer team has stressed defense, defense and defense. The defending District One champs understand success stems from the backline.
However in the season opener on Friday, a nonconference game at Upper Dublin, the Rams quickly displayed offense, offense and more offense. The 9-0 win over the Flying CardinDOs wDs HxDFWOy wKDW fiUsW year coach Audrey Anderson ordered.
“It feels good to get my feet wet,” Anderson said. “We talked about how the fiUsW fiYH PLnuWHs RI WKH JDPH are going to be the most important for us this year. Our goal was to connect, but I did not expect three goals in fiYH PLnuWHs.”
Senior Natalia Pinkney’s cross 90 seconds into the action allowed sophomore Marissa Sheva to register the WHDP’s fiUsW JRDO RI WKH yHDU. 2nOy fiYH PLnuWHs ODWHU WKH Rams held a 3-0 and after 80 PLnuWHs WKH 5DPs KDG fiYH GLIIHUHnW JLUOs finG WKH EDFN of the net.
“We tried to play some 4-5-1 later in the game to take some offense out,” Anderson said. “In a 4-3-3 forPDWLRn Ln WKH fiUsW KDOI wH connected so well. We had our forwards making their runs that they have been working on all preseason.”
Pinkney picked up two goals in the win and fellow senior captain Shannon Chynoweth tallied a hat trick. Considering Chynoweth started the game as a defensive back, the three goals was not expected today, but certainly welcomed. Chynoweth, who did play forward as a junior, realizes she may be on the defensive end more this season.
“We have areas that we need to make strong and we are moving people around,” Chynoweth said. “On my club team I play everywhere, so they are trying me everywKHUH KHUH. WH GHfinLWHOy lost a lot of key players, but we have enough strong SODyHUs EDFN WR fiOO Ln WKRsH holes.”
Teaming up with Chynoweth to start the game in the back was senior cocaptain Carly Henry. As the last line of defense in front Rn fiUsW yHDU JRDOLH APDnGD O’Hara, who gets credited wLWK KHU fiUsW sKuWRuW, WKH captains set the tone early by showing up to steal possession and help their squad smoothly transition from defensive to offense.
“Carly has been here and she is going to be our defensive go-to person,” Anderson said. “For her to be back there, be that smart, and have her voice is something we need. Even taking her out for a minute changes the whole tempo of the game.”
A Henry through ball and a Henry throw-in helped the 5DPs fly SDsW WKH CDUGLnDOs and bury ball after ball. Cardinals’ junior keeper Alexis 5DPD finLsKHG wLWK sLx sDYHs in the loss. The Cardinals KRSH WKH GLIfiFuOW GDy GRHs not deter all early season optimism.
“Years ago we decided we were going to challenge ourselves non-league and that is one of the best teams we will see,” Cardinals coach John Topper said. “It gives us an idea of where we are, what we need work on, which is a lot.”
The Cardinals are still tryLnJ WR finG WKH IRUPDWLRn WKDW works best, in the midst of having a few girls banged up. The season opening loss highlights areas of improvements for the Cardinals, who would rather deal with the lumps now and get healthier as the season progresses.
“We do not think this is going to be indicative of our season,” Topper said. “We have a lot of girls playing new positions and we are dealing with some injuries, so we were kind RI fiOOLnJ WKH JDSs WRGDy. We need to work a little Rn fiWnHss WR SUHYHnW sRPH injuries. So hopefully we will heal up and be healthy to start the league schedule next week.”