Conestoga holds off Notre Dame Academy for season opening win

BERWYN >> The Pioneers didn’t ease into the season, scheduling a couple of easy wins in the early going. Instead, Conestoga opened the season against the Notre Dame Academy, last season’s private school state-runners up, and like ‘Stoga, a nationally ranked team. 

Bringing back almost its entire starting line-up from last year’s team that won the District 1, Class AAA crown and reached the state semi-finals, the Pioneers picked up right where they left off, playing well in all facets of the game, giving them a 3-2 victory over the visiting Irish.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the season,” said Pioneers’ coach Regan Marscher. “Just getting to play a good, competitive game to start the year is a great thing. To come away with a win over a really good team like Notre Dame is even better.”
It didn’t take long for ‘Stoga to set the tone for the game. Barely three minutes in, Kate Galica hauled in a pass from Shae Wozniak around the 30-yard line, breezed past her defender, and found the back of the cage for the early lead.

“Notre Dame came out fast against us last year, so we knew we wanted to score early,” said Galica. “We’ve been working hard in the pre-season on making connections, and finding our best spots. The first game of the season, you aren’t really sure how it’s going to go, so it’s really great to come away with a win.”
Undaunted, the Irish battled right back in it, with Saylor Malone scoring unassisted not even a minute later, and just that quick, it was tied at a goal apiece.
But the Pioneers didn’t panic, and just went right back to work on getting pressure inside the circle, and finished the half with a 6-2 edge in corners. By game’s end, that advantage ballooned to 13-3.

“We shook off those early jitters and just started filling in the holes,” said Marscher. “A goal of ours was to get corners, support each other, and play good defense. We tried to keep it out of the middle and away from their best player, and we really did a good job of that. I’m so proud of them.”

Galica struck again midway through the second period, grabbing a ball in a crowd and slipping it past the Irish goalie for her second goal of the game, giving the Pioneers a 2-1 lead it took into the break at the half.

With Lepore and her defensive teammates getting the job done on that side of the field, Conestoga got back to work on the offensive side.
Still holding the one goal lead, the Pioneers brought the ball back up to their offensive end with just under nine minutes to go in the period when Wozniak put the ball on the stick of Addie DelOrefice at the top of the circle. DelOrefice unleashed a rocket to the goalie’s left and into the netting for a 3-1 lead.

“There was a girl on my back, and one of my teammates made a great pass,” said DelOrefice. “I just tried to slip off, and took it in space to get off a shot. It feels really good to come away with a win. It’s a great way to start the season.”
Notre Dame cut the lead to a single goal when Mauta Seeger scored just before the end of the third period.
“That was just a beautiful goal,” said Marscher. “It was one of the nicest goals I’ve ever seen scored against us.”
The Irish entered the final stanza much like they ended the fourth, pressuring the cage. But thanks to the stellar play of Lepore and the defense, nothing got past. From then on out, the Pioneers were in control.

“Alex made some incredible saves, including a key save in the final minutes,” said Marscher. “As always, we’ve got some things to work on, but there are a lot of positives from today, and it’s a great way to start. I think this team thrives on tough competition. It seems to bring out their best.”

Conestoga 3, Notre Dame Academy 2
Notre Dame 1 0 1 0—2
Conestoga 1 1 1 0—3
Notre Dame goals: Malone, Seeger.
Conestoga goals: Galica 2, DelOrefice.
Goalie Saves: McCloskey (ND) 5; Lepore (C) 6