Villa Maria keeps GMA in check
Monarchs shut out by Hurricanes in Catholic Academies matchup
LOWER GWYNEDD » Bella Carlucci looked at the clock and couldn’t help but remember.
As the second half wound to its final 15 minutes, the Villa Maria Academy senior striker recalled what had happened the last time her team had faced Gwynedd Mercy Academy. In that game late last week, the Monarchs scored three unanswered goals in the final 15 minute to stun the Hurricanes on their home field.
So while Carlucci remembered the last time, she and her teammates kept it from repeating as they topped the Monarchs 3-0 on Tuesday.
“I think we were all thinking a little bit about what they could do just like the last game,” Carlucci said. “Our momentum and our pace helped us to keep up and not let them come back.”
Last week, the Hurricanes built a 3-1 lead but saw it all blown away in about 15 minutes as Gwynedd Mercy stormed back to win 4-3 in their AACA matchup. Tuesday, with both teams battling for position in the District 1-3A playoff field, VMA knew it had a chance to make up for that outcome.
The Hurricanes (6-2) started seven sophomores and a freshman in their XI on Tuesday but they played like anything but underclassmen. Villa Maria, which entered as the No. 5 team in 3A, hit the turf running and didn’t give the Monarchs much time to string passes together.
It paid off with an early goal as well when freshman Carly Catania was able to carry the ball down the right flank, beat a defender at the corner and served a cross that sophomore Kaelyn Wolfe struck into the back of the