The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
PUNCHING THE CLOCK
Pennridge goes to work, tops Neshaminy in PIAA-4A semifinals
FRANCONIA >> Outwork and outlast.
If there’s a ball that can be won, Pennridge players are expected to challenge for it. If the ball is lost, the Rams are expected to apply immediate pressure to get it back.
At this point of the year, with the caliber of competition as sharp and as skilled as it is, a team that has players willing and able to fill a role and put the full effort in often finds a way into the margins that determine which side gets to play on.
Anna Croyle’s brace on a pair of scrappy goals and plenty of hard work and drive up and down the field led Pennridge past District 1 champion Neshaminy 2-0 in Wednesday’s PIAA-4A semifinals at Souderton.
“We played our game,” Joey Tomlinson, the lone Pennridge senior, said. “We didn’t fall into playing the way they wanted to play, we possessed the ball, we pressured and worked together.”
Pennridge (23-2-0) heads to its second PIAA final in the last three years, the Rams capturing the 2020 state title when most of the current team were freshmen and third since 2018. The Rams will face Central Dauphin,
the second quarter. Madeline Bogle put two strong shots on goal on a penalty corner, but both were saved. After the second rebound, things got chaotic in front of the Palmyra cage. The Monarchs tried to force the ball in, but Cougars defenders were there to keep it scoreless.
“Those goals are always hard to make, especially when it's on the line,” GMA coach Katie Ronan said. “It was a great shot and a great rebound, just very unlucky that it didn't go our way on that call, but we have to move on from that and be able to move on to the next one.”
Palmyra got on the scoreboard first with 4:29 before half. Crisp passes on a penalty corner set up Katie Lintz, who put a strong shot into the back of the cage.
“It was a great shot,” Sweeney, who made four saves, said. “It was in that
hard position where it's a really tough one for me to save.”
Palmyra's Avery Russell used a spin move to get around a defender in front of the cage and score just 2:18 after halftime, doubling the Cougars advantage to 2-0.
GMA gave itself a chance when it scored with 7:10 left in the game. Catherine Fitzgerald inserted a penalty corner to Sydney Mandato and got the ball back. Fitzgerald found the back of the cage to make it a 2-1 game.
“We're not one to give up,” Ronan said. “The girls wanted it. We wanted it so bad. They're never going to give up on it. Even when that last goal went in with four seconds left, they're still going for it.”
The Monarchs got a few chances over the final seven minutes, but couldn't score before Palmyra made it 3-1 with 4.4 seconds left.
Gwynedd Mercy Academy won the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies league this season and reached the District
1-2A title game before getting to the state final four. It was a strong follow-up to its 2021 district championship and state finals appearance.
“It's been absolutely amazing,” Sweeney said. “As a junior last year, that was like a dream come true for me and even this year. Obviously I know it's harder as a senior to be graduating and leaving that, but I think all the seniors made such an impact on this program and I know that the juniors, sophomores and even freshmen are going to continue that impact. It's knowing that you did something while you were in high school, you achieved something.”
“So incredibly proud of the girls,” Ronan said. “It's an amazing achievement to be able to win the league and then make it all the way to the state semifinals. Very, very proud of them.”
Palmyra 3,
Gwynedd Mercy Academy 1