Rama’s goal, draw help Upper Dublin hold off Methacton comeback

UPPER DUBLIN >> The ball and by extension, the game, was in Jackie Rama’s stick provided she could win one last draw control.

In the first half, that was an all but automatic assumption for the Upper Dublin junior but a change in personnel by Methacton after halftime had leveled the playing field. Still, there was nobody else the Cardinals wanted in the middle of the circle protecting a one-goal lead and Rama came through for them.

Rama’s final draw control win, one of her 17 Saturday afternoon backed up a five-goal effort including the game-winner for the junior attacker as Upper Dublin staved off a Methacton rally for a thrilling 16-15 win.

“I was so scared, but I knew where to put it and what had been working for me the whole game,” Rama said. “I just had to do what I had been doing the whole game and just win it.”

With Rama dominating the draw control circle in the first half, the Cardinals (10-5, 5-2 SOL American) scored first then built a 4-1 lead they would maintain for most of the first half. The UD junior’s height gives her an advantage in a lot of draw matchups but it’s her strength and power that are her real weapons.

Methacton (11-7, 8-5 PAC Liberty) tried a couple different looks in the circle and on its perimeter, but the Warriors found themselves on the wrong side of the draw most of the opening 25 minutes.

“She was very good,” Methacton coach Laurie Markle said. “We finally adjusted, and I kick myself because I wish we’d done it sooner. Our two people who normally take the draw are usually successful a good bit of the time.”

The Warriors managed to hang close though and even got within 7-5 when Delaney Smith scored with 10:06 left in the opening half. When Methacton did get the ball, whether it was off a draw win or a defensive turnover, the Warriors’ speed and athleticism helped generate good scoring chances.

Midfielder Mia Sheldon had three first half assists, the last going to Grace Shields to cut UD’s lead to 8-6 with 5:55 to go. Uppper Dublin then closed the half with a flurry, scoring four unanswered goals to go into the break leading 12-6.

Three players — Jenn McCarry, Julia Reardon and Rama — each scored their third goals of the game in that span.

Needing to mix things up even more, the Warriors turned to defender Katy Benton to match up with Rama on the draw circle.

Lacrosse isn’t Benton’s primary sport – the senior is an exceptional field hockey player heading to St. Joe’s – but she looked the part of difference-maker in the second half. Benton was able to match Rama’s power and even if the Warriors senior didn’t outright win the draw, she was able to disrupt things enough that Tornetta and Smith had a shot at it off the circle.

“She’s a physically strong athlete, she’s on the US Field Hockey team, so that helps,” Markle said. “Then, by moving Tornetta to the circle, I think it disrupted their draw personal. It’s not that Katy got every one of them, but she disrupted where it was going.”

Rama said the change by Methacton definitely changed the dynamic on the draws in the second half.

“It was harder to force it up to myself because she was really challenging me,” Rama said. “I had to fight a little harder and try to get the ball off faster.”

Upper Dublin lead 14-7 when Rama found senior Becky Browndorf with 21:55 remaining the game as Browndorf became the fourth Cardinal player with a hat trick in the game.  Then the Warriors, who have no seniors in their starting attacking unit, began to find their way back into the game.

Tornetta, who tallied four total goals, scored off an eight-meter then made a sublime pass to Julia McCann who finished a shot falling down before she pocketed another quick goal to make it 14-10. UD’s Julia Reardon temporarily stopped the flow when she rebounded her own shot off the post for a goal but Methacton came right back again.

“We came off a loss (Friday) to Owen J Roberts so I know they’re a little bit tired but we still have to do a better job going north and south to goal,” Markle said. “It’s about patience and really being consistent.”

Tornetta and Smith started a new Methacton run with goals with Benton then winning three straight draws after the Smith goal. McCann then doubled her goal total to get within 15-14 with 7:18 left.

In that span, UD coach Dee Cross called a timeout and just reminded her players they were still ahead and needed to be playing like it. While the Warriors won the draw after getting within a goal, the Cardinals’ Lydia Casey caused a turnover and got the ground ball.

Browndorf, who added three assists to her hat trick, made the last one really count by finding a cutting Rama with 3:08 left.

“A lot of the girls on the team work really together, so I just have to make eye contact and we’ll make it work out,” Rama said. “She’s such a good passer, she assists so many of our goals.”

Rama won the following draw but Benton came up with one more big play, knocking the ball out of a UD player’s stick, collecting the ground ball and giving the Warriors a chance. Methacton called a timeout with 1:19 left down two and in the UD huddle, Cross had a message.

“I said to the seniors it could be our last time on this field so let’s go out with a ‘W’ and it was a challenge,” Cross said. “I said play within your talent and your limits, don’t try to do what you can’t and they did respond to that.”

Methacton did get a goal thanks to Sheldon, but Upper Dublin had made its stand and just 13 seconds remained on the clock by the time the midfielder scored. Rama then took any drama out of the ending, winning the draw and letting her teammates run out the final few seconds of clock.

“When it comes down to it, Jackie has that timing and she was able to get it back and at the end, that’s who you want to take the draw,” Cross said. “That was a huge draw for us and it’s a tribute to her. She had a phenomenal game in the circle and that was the difference.”

Methacton will play in the PAC playoffs Tuesday then await its final District 1-3A seeding. Upper Dublin finishes with three straight road games, starting Monday at Abington so the Cardinals were happy to end their home schedule with a win and take some momentum into those final games.

“It was a big deal to win today,” Rama said. “Once we get momentum, it really goes from there with the positivity and the sideline cheering us on. We stayed positive even when the game was getting close, we knew what we had to do.”

UPPER DUBLIN 16, METHACTON 15
METHACTON 6 9 – 15
UPPER DUBLIN 12 4 – 16
Goals-Assists: UD – Jackie Rama 5-2, Julia Reardon 4-0, Becky Browndorf 3-3, Jenn McCarry 3-2, Allie Rock 1-0, Megan Martile 0-3; M – Sydney Tornetta 4-3, Julia McCann 4-0, Mia Sheldon 2-3, Delaney Smith 3-0, Alexa Kratz 1-0, Grace Shields 1-0.