GRATERFORD — What a difference a year makes.
A few months removed from an injury decimated 2013 season, a healthy Perkiomen Valley has run roughshod over the PAC-10 to start the 2014 season.
Friday afternoon was no different as the Vikings dominated both halves, limiting Methacton to two shots on their way to an impressive 2-0 victory over the Warriors.
“Our key players really stepped up today,’ Perkiomen Valley head coach Erik Enters said. “Kelsey (Giese), Annie (Himsworth), Emily (Nagle), Nat Sell, all those girls stepped up. It was a great team effort today.’
Giese and Nagle scored 10 minutes apart for Perkiomen Valley in the first half while Mara Wrzesniewski finished with an assist and Kerri Hanshaw made one save for the Vikings (4-0 PAC-10).
“It was a great win for us today,’ Geise said. “We came out and not only played well offensively, but defensively too. It’s always a good thing when you can put those two parts of your game together and come out with a win.’
The loss was Methacton’s (2-2 PAC-10) second consecutive 2-0 defeat in three days without starting midfielder Brittany Dickinson who suffered an undisclosed injury during the first half against Owen J. Roberts on Wednesday.
“We are a better team than what we showed today,’ Methacton head coach Sarah Quintois said. “We are continuing to make adjustments and we will figure out what will work to beat a strong team like Perkiomen Valley.’
The Vikings’ offense was effective early as the team peppered Methacton goalkeeper Sammi Steele with 12 first-half shots, while racking up nine penalty corners.
It didn’t take long for the Vikings to strike first as Wrzesniewski made a good run into the circle before dishing it off to Nagle who fired it past Steele on the 2-on-1 opportunity.
Giese then found the back of the cage ten minutes later when she worked her way through two Methacton defenders before firing a pretty reverse chip from the top of the circle. The shot somehow eluded two Methacton defenders and a sprawled out Steele to make it 2-0.
That advantage held throughout as Sell and the Viking defense made it impossible for the Warrior attack to gain entrance into the center of the pitch. The result was zero first half shots, two second half shots and a quiet game in the cage for Hanshaw and Miranda Wesley.
“Sell was a wall today,’ Enters said. “That set the tone early on that they couldn’t come down the middle at all.’
“We were looking forward to this game all season,’ Giese said. “Methacton is great competition and getting this win is a big boost for us.’
