Conestoga sticks together, races past Upper Dublin in District 1-3A 2nd round

TREDYFFRIN >> Warrior mentality.

It’s the message the Conestoga girls lacrosse team has played under the second half of the season and the one the banged-up Pioneers wanted to bring Thursday night. With starters out and others limited, Conestoga would have to rely on a team effort to start its District 1-3A playoff run.

A team effort was just what the No. 3 Pioneers got as they toppled No. 14 Upper Dublin 18-7 in the 3A second round.

“We all knew we needed to play as hard as we could in order to win,” Pioneers senior co-captain Sydney Sloan said. “We had some new players in different positions but everyone worked as hard as they could. In the beginning it was really a team effort, there were so many assists and we were all going for the same goal.”

Conestoga set the tone on the defensive end. The Pioneers ended Upper Dublin’s first four possessions with turnovers with Sloan causing the first on the game’s opening possession.

Juniors Emily Lortz and Alex Aufiero and senior Sarah Clark were quick and aggressive on defense, backed by their midfielders. Lortz shadowed Mack Moore and the entire defense swarmed to whichever Cardinals player had the ball.

“Our goal with a high pressure defense was to cause some turnovers,” Pioneers coach Amy Orcutt said. “I think they played aggressive, smart and as a team. They were taking risks and when you take risks like that, you’re able to cause turnovers.”

Conestoga’s speed was also a huge factor early. Upper Dublin doesn’t see teams with the all-around jets the Pioneers have very often and the hosts thrived in transition.

The Pioneers’ first four goals were assisted and every player who had the ball on offense seemed determined to make something happen either with a pass or a shot.

“Two words described them, fast and athletic, and that’s exactly what they were,” UD coach Dee Cross said. “It’s nothing we didn’t expect, we just could not keep up with them.

“At that point, with some of the younger girls, we haven’t faced that pressure all year and we didn’t play our game.”

Conestoga scored the first 11 goals of the game and led 12-1 at intermission but no player had more than two at halftime and nine different players had scored. Sloan, who had an assist and two of her three goals before the half, said that was the plan with two of the team’s top scorers either out or limited.

The senior said her team was well-aware of Upper Dublin’s top players and the Pioneers didn’t want to try to do anything one-on-one.

“We did really well in communication,” Sloan said. “A lot of our players are really intense and step up on defense because we know that’s one of the things that gets into the other team’s heads. We were all really intense and working for the same goal, so it was easy to play hard.”

Rachel Clark was strong for Conestoga with two goals, two assists and her presence on draw controls. Emme Bucher had two goals and two assists, Nia Scott had a goal and assist, junior Mary Claire Hanzsche led the Pioneers with four goals and Julia Littlewood had a goal and two helpers.

Sloan had a really good all-around game, adding eight draw controls and three ground balls to her hat trick, assist and caused turnover.

“It’s been an all-year thing but especially going into districts, we knew it was time for everyone to step up,” Sloan said. “Everyone realized it was on them to make that effort to help us win.”

It was a new experience for Upper Dublin, which was in the second round for the first time in five years but did find a spark in the second half. The Cardinals do have a potent group of juniors including Moore, Jenn McCarry, Jackie Rama and Julia Reardon, who led the team with four goals, returning but they also lose a senior class that meant a lot on and off the field.

Cross noted it’ll be tough to replace the contributions of Becky Browndorf, heading to Florida, Aidan Hopkins, Michelle Wright, Sascha Keitz, Caroline Kohlbrenner and Maggie Brown.

“It’s hard to say goodbye,” Cross said. “At the end, I told Becky it was a pleasure to have been able to coach her. All of them, they’re the kind of people you need to make a team whole.”

Sloan said what impressed her most Thursday was how well her team played together. Nobody tried to be a hero and the cause was united in winning and advancing the season to the quarterfinal round.

“Our theme for this second phase of our season is warrior mentality and it’s playing to your top potential any time you’re on the field,” Orcutt said. “When the regular season, they hit that switch and that’s how they’ve been playing, just hardcore every time they’re on the field.”