Lower Merion girls soccer squad clinches Central League title

The Lower Merion girls’ soccer team clinched the Central League title with a 2-1 win over Conestoga Oct. 12 in a hard-fought battle pitting two of the top teams in PIAA District 1. 

The Aces (12-1) are ranked as the No. 1 team in PIAA District 1 4A girls’ soccer (as of Oct. 14). Lower Merion is undefeated in the Central League, with its only loss a 2-1 defeat to No. 9-ranked Abington Oct. 1. It its first 13 games, Lower Merion has scored 40 goals, and given up only 11 goals.

On Tuesday, Lower Merion senior forward Hannah Blodget netted both goals for the Aces as they built a 2-0 lead by halftime.

Conestoga scored in the first 30 seconds of the second half on a breakaway by Abby Klebe to make the remainder of the game a very tense affair. 

“The Conestoga game is always tough, and played with a lot of emotion”, said coach Kevin Ries. “Both teams played with the kind of intensity, talent, and heart you’d expect to see in a game of this magnitude.”

LM junior  midfielder Elly Slensky wreaked havoc all over the midfield with some great support by junior defender Sadie Cohen, freshman Kasey Forman, senior defender Roberta Moger and sophomore Alex Dore on the back line. 

Lower Merion junior goalkeeper Oriana Rose played her best game of the year with three tremendous saves in the second half to help hold the Aces’ tenuous lead.