Lefkowitz’s long-distance OT strike lifts Plymouth Whitemarsh over Upper Dublin

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UPPER DUBLIN >> Alex Lefkowitz just took a chance.

After all, his Plymouth Whitemarsh soccer team was tied, in overtime, so when Lefkowitz saw Cardinals goaltender Alex Goldenberg was out a little farther than he should have been, he took a shot.

The next sound heard was a rousing cheer as Lefkowitz’s shot eluded Goldenberg and put PW in the winner’s circle.

Lefkowitz’s unlikely 35-yarder found the net, and the visiting Colonials found an unlikely win, 4-3, in a Suburban One League American Conference tussle Thursday at Upper Dublin High School.

“I saw their keeper was out a couple yards from the net, so I just tried for the best,” Lefkowitz said of the game-winner.

The win was a welcome one for the Colonials, who pulled even with the Cardinals, Hatboro-Horsham and Springfield-Montco into a four-way tie for first place in the American Conference standings.

Upper Dublin’s Mathew Yoon heads the ball away from his team’s net during the Cardinals’ game against Plymouth Whitemarsh on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (Gene Walsh/Digital First Media)

PW (3-2-0, 3-1-0 conference) trailed 2-0 at halftime, but head coach Jeff Heaton credited a defensive adjustment for slowing down the Cardinals (3-2-0, 3-1-0), and boosting PW’s chances.

“We just weren’t executing defensively, and (Upper Dublin) scored those two goals in the first half,” Heaton said. “In the second half we went from a 3-4-3 to a 4-4-2 and gave them a new look.”

The new look worked, getting the Cardinals back in the game — although two goals by Jacob Sandcroft in the space of 8:00 certainly helped, too.

Meanwhile, Cardinals head coach Andy Meehan was lamenting the fact that his offense was not as opportunistic as it could have been.

“That’s just the game of soccer,” Meehan said. “You have to be able to finish your chances when you get them.

“We missed too many, and they took advantage.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Andrew Stricklin runs down a pass near Upper Dublin’s Jordan Kahn during their game on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (Gene Walsh/Digital First Media)

Actually, the Cardinals had a 3-2 lead late, but Lefkowitz forced overtime with a goal in the contest’s final 3:00.

“After we got those two goals early in the second half, we got some momentum,” Lefkowitz said.

But even after Sandcroft tied it, the Cardinals recaptured the lead on a goal by Kevin Devlin with about 8:00 left.

But Lefkowitz got it tied in the final minutes, then won it with the unlikeliest of shots.

“Credit to (Plymouth Whitemarsh),” Meehan said. “They came and fought back, and then finished it with a good shot at the end.”

PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 4, UPPER DUBLIN 3 (OT)
Plymouth Whitemarsh  0 3 1 — 4
Upper Dublin     2 1 0 — 3
Ist Half Scoring: Upper Dublin, Max Adams (7th minute); Ryan Huggins (23rd minute).
2nd Half Scoring: Plymouth Whitemarsh, Jacobe Sandcroft, 6th minute); Plymouth Whitemarsh, Sandcroft (15th minute); Upper Dublin, Kevin Devlin (27th minute); Plymouth Whitemarsh, Alex Lefkowitz (36th minute).
Overtime Scoring _ Lefkowitz (6th minute).
Shots:Plymouth Whitemarsh 3-7-2-12; U Dublin 7-5-1-13
Saves: PW: Patrick Corpus: 6; UD: Alex Goldenberg: 5.

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