Dachowski caps Pennridge’s comeback win over Wissahickon

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LOWER GWYNEDD >> The Pennridge girls lacrosse team has gotten in the habit of finding itself down early in games this season.

Such was the case Monday against host Wissahickon, as the Rams surrendered the first four goals of the in the Suburban One League non-conference contest.

But Pennridge also has a habit of not giving up in the face of those deficits.

“We always seem to put ourselves in a hole and then we fight out of the hole,” Rams coach Karen Schnurr said. “I’ll give them credit, they will fight to the end, but we got to figure out how not get ourselves in the hole in the beginning.”

Pennridge had just one lead against the Trojans, yet it came when it mattered the most. Down 10-8 with 9:15 remaining, the Rams scored the final three goals – Maddie Dachowski providing the go-ahead tally on a free position shot with 2:23 remaining – to earn the 11-10 comeback victory.

“I think we’re definitely a second-half team,” Pennridge junior Grace Loughery said. “We definitely use our heart a lot. And Maddie knew the goalie was pretty good at saving her high, like high shots, so she knew she had to shoot low and got the lead for us.”

Loughery’s five goals paced the Rams (6-3, 1-1 SOL National), who trailed 7-3 in the first half before scoring twice in the half’s final minute then struck two more times after the break to pull level with the Trojans (3-6, 2-0 SOL American).

Wissahickon, however, went up 9-7 on free-position goals from Emily Vervlied and Carolyn Wilde. And after Lowery got Pennridge within one, Wilde scored after corralling a ground ball to giving the Trojans back the two-goal edge.

But that proved to be home side’s final goal and Wissahickon’s could not hold on to the lead as it lost its second straight.

“Definitely disappointing especially with the early lead,” Vervlied said. “But I think we have a few things we know we can learn from and some lessons we can take away.”

Jen Rodzewich made it 10-9 with her free-position goal at 6:10 while Loughery knotted things at 10 with her strike off a drive with 3:29 left.

Dachowski collected the game-winner 1:06 later, bouncing her free-position shot into the net.

“I think we started moving off ball a lot more. We were really static in the first half,” Loughery said.

Wissahickon had most of the possession in the final minutes, but could not find an equalizer. Loughery helped seal a second consecutive win, coming up with a turnover off a stick check that allowed the Rams to run off the last seconds.

“We tried to shut down some of their better players, again working as a unit,” Schnurr said. “The first half, I think we weren’t talking, weren’t communicating, we weren’t sliding. Second half we picked it up.”

Vervlied scored four of her five goals in the first half. Wilde added three goals for the Trojans while Sam Intrieri had two goals.

Rodzewich had two goals and three assists for the Rams with Dachowski finishing with a pair of goals.

Both teams have road conference games Wednesday. Pennridge, which has won two straight, is at Central Bucks South at 3:30 p.m. while Wissahickon visits Souderton at 5:30 p.m.

Vervlied had Monday’s opening goal at 22:54 before Intrieri scored the next two for a 3-0 Trojans lead at 18:20. Vervlied made it a 4-0 at 12:47.

“We were doing really well coming down off of transition and creating opportunities right away before the defense could get settled,” Vervlied said. “So, I think we need to carry that through the game but obviously you get more tired, you want to slow it down more. I think that’s where we fell back.”

Rodzewich got Pennridge on the scoreboard at 11:33 while back-to-back goals from Loughery had the Rams within 4-3 at 8:55. But Wissahickon answered with three straight goals, Vervlied’s fourth of the half putting the Trojans up 7-3 at 1:12.

Pennridge cut its deficit to two in the minute before intermission – Emily Price scoring at 58.8 seconds with Alex Lippmann making it 7-5 with 13.8 seconds left.

Goals by Loughery and Dachowski – both assisted by Rodzewich – had Pennridge even with the Trojans at 21:38.

“Pulled them in at half and our slogan this year is ‘Conquer from within,’ so I told them you to outplay them, you have to have more passion than them, you have to out-hustle,” Schnurr said. “They did that in the second half, they worked together as a team.”

Pennridge 11, Wissahickon 10
Pennridge           5 6 — 11
Wissahickon       7 3 — 10
Pennridge Goals-Assists: Grace Loughery 5-1; Jen Rodzewich 2-3; Maddie Dachowski 2-1; Emily Price 1-0; Alex Lippmann 1-0.
Wissahickon Goals-Assists: Emily Vervlied 5-1; Carolyn Wilde 3-1; Sam Intrieri 2-0.

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Mike Cabrey

Mike Cabrey
Mike Cabrey is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Reporter and Montgomery News. Email him at mcabrey@thereporteronline.com.

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