Newcomer’s corner skill aids Peddie against Pennington

HIGHTSTOWN — Coming from Virginia, it took Lisi Mueller a few games to get adjusted to the “Jersey” game.

But it didn’t take Mueller very long to become familiar with Peddie’s strategy on penalty corners.

“I used to do them with my old team and I really enjoy them,” Mueller said Tuesday after she picked up a goal on a corner to lead the Falcons to a 3-0 win against Pennington.

The win lifts Peddie to 6-3-2 as play in the MidAtlantic Prep League commences Saturday. Pennington, which has won seven of nine, falls to 8-4.

“Our girls have been playing really well,” Peddie head coach Alli Treese said. “It was nice to get the goals off the corners. We need to convert those. It’s a matter of reading the defense.”

The first two Peddie goals came off corners. Ally Huelbig took the insert and found Morgan Crowe for the first goal. Huelbig connected with Mueller for the second goal.

Peddie, which scored all three goals in the first half, capped off the scoring with a Mueller assist to Olivia Bundschuh with 3:43 left in the first frame.

“Lisi has a great touch on the ball inside the circle,” Treese said. “She’s very positive and a great kid. Along with helping on the field she’s a great teammate.”

The Falcons’ play kept the Red Raiders on the defensive most of the game. Pennington got off a couple shots, but it did well in the second half in limiting Peddie’s chances.

“Peddie is very fast on every part of the field,” Pennington head coach Wendy Morris. “We were strong defensively. There were a lot of good things that came out of this game.”

The Red Raiders are enjoying one of their most productive seasons, and playing a tradition-rich team like Peddie tough will only benefit the program down the line.

Having a defensiveminded midfielder like Kelly Coyle on the field has benefited the Falcons.

Coyle did a great job in stopping Red Raiders runs, and she was even better getting Peddie’s transition game going.

“I really wanted to come out and work on passing to my teammates and playing a good level of hockey,” Coyle said. “We wanted to play our best. I really enjoy it when I can take the ball from the other team. It’s great to stop them and get it up the field.”

Coyle brings a lot to the Falcons defense, and Mueller adds to the offense. Together, it’s been a perfect combination.

“The game is a lot different here than in Virginia,” Mueller said. “But I really like the team, and going to camp with them really helped. The game is faster here and now I’m getting used to it.”