Stoltz scores twice, Calvary Christian tops Dock Mennonite for District 1-A title

FRANCONIA >> Dock Mennonite coach Ray Hess knew the reason it was Calvary Christian and not his Pioneers girls soccer team celebrating Thursday night.

“It’s about a young team reacts, OK and their team more anticipated,” the Dock coach said. “And when you have a team that anticipated over a team that reacts they’re going to win every time.”

Dock could never gain control of the District 1-A final and late in the second half at Souderton, the Cougars finally took advantage.

Joslyn Stoltz scored off a rebound with 16:40 left then added another with less than three minute to go in regulation as top-seeded Calvary Christian shut out the No. 3 Pioneers 2-0 to claim the district crown.

Dock Mennonite’s Brooke Bozarth battles Calvary Christian’s Corinne Hunter during the District 1-A final on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)

“I was hoping we’d come out and challenged them more cause they’re very good at one-time kicking. I mean, as soon as they got the ball they kicked it down the field,” Hess said. “And they could send it long, so our kids were very tentative and don’t get on and put pressure on right away and that was the game, I think, right there.”

Calvary Christian advances to the PIAA tournament, where it faces Conwell-Egan in the first round Tuesday at a site and time to be announced.

“We made it through and we just are so happy,” Stoltz said.

Dock was trying to win its first district title since 2015.

“I’m pretty happy, I didn’t expect to get this far,” Hess said. “I felt that we could of beaten them, OK, and I felt that we could have beaten the other that we beat the other night (The Christian Academy) and if we would have done that during the regular season we would have had a 10-8 season instead of an 8-10 season.”

The Pioneers threatened on a few corner kicks in the first half and after the break made a few runs down the right sideline, but Dock would only end up crossing right to Calvary Christian goalkeeper Alanis Jean-Baptiste.

“We’ve been having trouble all year trying to score,” Hess said. “We got 18 (McKenzie Swartley), she’s a player and we’re going to miss her next year. We needed somebody else to compliment her up top and we didn’t get any through balls.

“We played things to our feet instead of into space up top. And didn’t get balls behind the defense and make them turn around a little bit.”

Stoltz finally broke the scoreless tie in the 64th minute. Dock goalie Audrey Schweizerhof couldn’t keep hold off a long shot and the rebound went right to Stoltz, who blasted the ball into the net.

“I just had to get it in,” Stoltz said.

The Cougars doubled their lead with 2:49 left when Stoltz sent a ball towards goal from well outside the 18-yard box with her shot taking a bounce over Schweizerhof and in.

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