Pennridge defeats Souderton with 1 goal
Freshman’s gamewinner gives Pennridge key SOL Continental victory
With scoring chances at a premium between the Pennridge and Souderton girls soccer team Tuesday afternoon, Rams freshman Lindsey DeHaven knew she had to make the most of her moment.
“When Abby Groff passed me a beautiful ball I was like, “This is my opportunity, I’ve got to finish this,” DeHaven said.
Spinning after taking a pass from Ashley Groeber, Groff tapped a ball forward to the charging DeHaven, who knocked a shot into the left opposite corner, finally ending the scoreless tie in the fifth minute of overtime to give Pennridge the 1-0 Suburban One League Continental Conference win over the host Indians.
“It feels amazing to finally win a game,” DeHaven said. “We needed this win and they way we worked as a team was just incredible. Feels great to be a part of this team because we all just put the work in, get it done and celebrate.”
Defense and the midfield controlled the match with both sides looking to keep pace in a crowded conference race, as the top five teams in the Continental coming into Tuesday were separated by only three points. Pennridge (9-2-2, 5-2-2
conference) was shutout in its previous two games — a 1-0 lost to Central Bucks South then a scoreless draw with Central Bucks East.
“I think we don’t know the potential we have yet. Sometimes it’s chaotic but I think our midfield was the field was the key today” Rams coach Audrey Anderson said. “We’ve been struggling in the midfield, connecting with each other and today I thought our midfields did a great job of pressuring the ball, connecting with each other and that gave our forwards an opportunity to make a run.
“So I think I wouldn’t say we were desperate we just wanted it all to come together and at this point in the season I hope we can keep that momentum going forward and kind of feed off this game instead of sit back and relax.”
Souderton (9-4-0, 5-4-0), has lost its last two games after winning the previous seven.
“We didn’t seem are usual self. We were slow, didn’t seem to have intensity,” Indians coach Chris Felber said. “Both teams played almost the similar shape, so we were pretty much man-to-man all over the place, I don’t know if we both cancelled each other out. They didn’t seem their usual self either. Yeah, it’s three games where we just have to score first that we’ve lost, we score first and we win. I don’t know, we’re struggling to unlock it just now.”
Pennridge and Souderton went to overtime in their first contest this season Sept. 14, taking a 0-0 scoreline into the extra period until Groff won it for the Rams. Tuesday, it was Groff providing the assist on the OT tally as Pennridge won the ball in the midfield, Groeber with a central pass up to Groff, who then found DeHaven.
“We won it out of the air and we settled it and connected pass,” DeHaven said. “Great give-and-go passes to lead to a breakaway and we finished it. It was perfect.”
DeHaven’s goal ended up being the best scoring chances for either team in the 80-plus minutes. The Rams got off a few shots on goal earlier in the game, but none challenged Souderton’s goalkeepers. The Indians’ opportunities came on free kicks and corners — Big Red coming closest in the second half as Pennridge keeper Mary Kate Levush’s punch of a corner went skyward and then needed to be cleared away from goal by Molly Groff.
“There wasn’t a lot of chances,” Felber said. First game we played, both teams had a ton of chances and as the game went on I thought we were the better team in the first game and we could have won it. This game, I don’t think either team were able to create chances. It almost looked like it was going to finish 0-0. Obviously they get a breakaway and then they get in.
Both teams have 7 p.m. conference road games Thursday — Pennridge is at Central Bucks West while Souderton visits North Penn.