Benner scores winner in final minute for C.aock
Joanna Benner scored with just 23 seconds left in regulation to give Christopher aock a 2-1 win over Lower Moreland Tuesday afternoon in a rainy Bicentennial Athletic League game on the turf at aock.
“It was way too close for comfort,” Benner said, smiling. “I was like, ‘come on.’ It was crazy. EOn the goalF, I was thinking, ‘gotta get down, get the right angle, and just swoop it right in.’ That was all Taylor ESchwoyerF though. She had a great shot in.”
Benner’s follow-up shot HxHPSOLfiHG DRFN’s SHrsLstence.
“We were dominating there for a while. We were getting a lot of offense, cornHrs, DnG wH finDOOy SuW LW in,” aock coach Michelle Waldspurger said. “My captains really stepped up — Joanna and Taylor. They really put it to the goal.”
aock out-shot the visiting Lions E9-3 overall, 5-2 BALF by a whopping margin of 193.
“We kept putting the pressure on. We just couldn’t finG WKH JRDO,” :DOGsSurJHr said. “Finally, we capitalized here at the end.”
It took aock E8-4 overall, 6-1 BALF less than six minuWHs WR sFRrH LWs firsW JRDO, Ds bmily aerstine gave the Pioneers a quick 1-0 lead. But aock would not score again unWLO WKH finDO PLnuWH RI WKH contest. The reason was Lions’ goalie Claire McPherson.
“She kept us in there and gave us an opportunity to get a win,” Lions coach aanielle Kline said. “It just didn’t happen in the end. Christopher aock put a full 60 min- utes in and we waited a little too long. It was a deserved win on Eaock’sF part.”
0LGfiHOGHrs 6DP 0FGuigan and Kelly auffey played well for the Lions, who tied things up with just 4:22 left. Pioneers goalie Marissa Souder stopped the initial shot by Corey Mayer but Lindsay Boerner was there to put in the rebound.
aock didn’t want to let the game go to overtime.
“I was slamming my hand on my forehead, and just said ‘come on, girls, we can do this,’” Benner said.
aock was able to earn its sixth league win of the season. The only BAL team to defeat the Pioneers this fall, New eope, visits Christopher aock Thursday night.
“1Rw wH’rH Rn firH IRr New eope,” Benner said. “TKHy EHDW us Ln WKH firsW game - it was a hard loss at WKHLr fiHOG, sR Ds WKHy FRPH WR Rur fiHOG, KRSHIuOOy wH can show them who’s boss. We’ve come so far.”
Lower Moreland will host “Play for the Cure” on Thursday, a game that benHfiWs WKH WrHDWPHnW RI BrHDsW Cancer, and that contest will be against BAL rival aelco Christian.