Hoffner’s hustle gives Upper Dublin 2OT win over Springfield-Montco
SPRINGFIELD TWP. >> A little more than 30 seconds separated Tori Hoffner and the Upper Dublin girls soccer team from what would have been a disappointing draw with Springfield Township.
But a final opportunity presented itself and Hoffner found enough left in her legs to take it. The sophomore winger jumped on a misplayed ball and deposited it into the back of the net with 30 seconds left to lift the Flying Cardinals to a 2-1 double overtime win over the host Spartans.
The Cards were a chance generating machine for much of the match, but they couldn’t put anything away until Hoffner pulled out the victory.
“It was really tough getting there,” Hoffner said. “I think we deserved more than that (one goal), but I’m glad we ended up winning it.”
The Cardinals (7-0-1 6-0-1 SOL American) held an 18-4 shots on goal advantage by the time Hoffner’s ball settled into the far back corner of the goal. The main reason they hadn’t scored until the last possible minute was Spartans (5-2, 5-2 SOL American) keeper Katie Fitz.
Fitz, a junior, made 17 saves and stifled Upper Dublin’s otherwise capable scorers.
The Cardinals almost scored less than a minute into the game, but Becca Watson pushed a shot wide off a cross from Hoffner. Watson, a senior outside midfielder, summed up Upper Dublin’s afternoon with her performance.
The senior winger was heavily involved, getting the ball wide, putting crosses across the Springfield box and generating a handful of chances for herself. But she went goalless, hitting the outside of the post on a shot in overtime and having a ball taken off her foot inside the box in the second half.
“It was a little bit frustrating, they were difficult to break down,” Upper Dublin coach John Topper said. “Sometimes you’re at a little bit of a loss for words when your team is creating chances, which as a coach you always want them to do and they’re just not going in.”
The near draw was a resilient performance out of a young Spartans team that had no seniors see the field Tuesday. Springfield’s back line gave its keeper plenty of support, led by junior captain Emily Giampietro and freshman Samantha Wynne.
After losing nine starters off of last season’s district playoff team, Springfield has had some bumps along the path this year. While young, the team has talent and it pushed Upper Dublin for 99 minutes.
“I have nothing bad to say,” Spartans coach Suzette Wolf said. “It was a fun game to be a part of, a fun game to watch. We played pretty defensive in the second half and two overtimes and I’m sure that helped us. But I also felt like we had opportunities.”
The Spartans did have chances, with junior forward Molly Dugan and freshman midfielder Sarah Potocki leading the effort. But they were well handled by Upper Dublin’s back line, led by seniors Olivia Ness and Devon Magarity.
“Our back line’s done a great job and I probably don’t talk about them as much as I should,” Topper said. “They kept themselves organized. We knew on a short field on a wet day not to let any balls drop in the back where anything can happen. They did a real good job keeping the game in front of them and establishing play.”
Upper Dublin tested Fitz and Springfield in every way possible. Fitz was especially strong on Upper Dublin’s set pieces, making a couple of close range saves on corners and she read the Cardinals’ distance shots well.
Cards midfielder Paige Lawton had a number of good looks but she was left frustrated after putting a header high and having two other efforts stonewalled. Midfielders Becky Haber and Alexis Schneider tried to find something from range, especially after Springfield went into a defensive formation later in the game.
“It happens a lot and sometimes you just have an off day,” Hoffner said. “You just keep hoping the next one will be better. The field’s so wet it’s almost luck how it bounces.”
Upper Dublin’s barrage started in the second half and carried through both overtimes and the Spartans tried to hold on. The Cards are no strangers to overtime, going into extra time in their last game and having one tie on their season record.
As the minutes wear on and legs wear down, sometimes it’s just that final burst that can decide a game in extra time.
“I told the girls after the last game I was really proud of the way they kept their work rate up through the entire thing,” Topper said. “It paid off for us in this one.”
Wolf said the goal was very untypical of something her team would give up, but noted it came in the 100th minute of a tough game where fatigue had set in. Springfield doesn’t have much time to rest, as Wissahickon comes in on Thursday.
The Cardinals and Trojans are battling for supremacy in the SOL American and as the league calendar flips over for the playbacks, UD will look to continue doing what it’s been doing.
“With us and Wissahickon being neck-and-neck, the temptation is to look at that game,” Topper said. “I tell the girls every game in the league is three points and any slip-up could cost us in the long term.”
