First-half spurt helps Conestoga thump Henderson
BERWYN >> The Conestoga girls soccer team made an appearance in the PIAA Class 4A championship final last season. Judging from Thursday’s peformance against West Chester Henderson, another pilgrimage from Berwyn to Hershey could be in the cards.
The Pioneers jumped out to a big halftime lead and had goals from seven different players en route to an impressive 8-0 nonleague victory at Teamer Field.
Conestoga (2-0) scored four times in a 10-minute stretch in the first half to break open a tight game as they dominated the first 40 minutes, posting an 11-0 shots on goal advantage.
The game also featured two first-year coaches matching wits on the sidelines — Deane Mariotti for Conestoga and Stephen Norris for Henderson.
“The thing that struck me about this game was that the team possessed the ball very well. They were to connect pass through the middle and find feet,” said Mariotti. “They also, to a person, gave 100 percent every single play they were in from a defensive perspective. They played well as a team.”
The first half started off evenly played, but that didn’t last long. The Pioneers started the scoring in the ninth minute. Brynn Borger made a decisive run with the ball off a throw-in to the edge of the penalty box, where she found an open Keira Kemmerley, who took a couple of touches and and slipped a shot passed goalie Kennedy Stark inside the left post.
“It was all Brynn. I just tapped it in,” said Kemmerley. “I thought we all played really well together. Even though it’s our second game, we connected really well, especially in the final third and we just finished our chances.”
The decisive run began with 18:35 left as Borger turned from provider to scorer. Off a corner kick, Harley Karbiner sent an effort into the box, where an open Borger met it with a header that eluded Stark and bounded into the net.
“I was just at the right place at the right time,” said Borger. “I don’t even know, it was kind of a blur and I saw it go in and I was excited.”
Two long-range efforts ballooned the lead to 4-0. First Karbiner let loose an effort from about 25 yards out that beat Stark inside the left post with 11:07 remaining. Three minutes later, Janie Loftland unleashed a shot from distance that dented the back of the net.
Maeve O’Murchu ended the run with a goal to send the Pioneers into the halftime break with a decisive 5-0 lead.
“It’s disappointing. We had chances, but I think at times we had lapses we should have corrected, particularly in transition,” said Norris. “And we have to be tougher in clearing the ball. There were times we did well and had a decent run of play, but times we switched off and they scored in those moments.”
Henderson did have a little more of a territorial edge at the start of the second half, but could not turn that into any dangerous chances. They had two shots, but did not force backup keeper Katherine Logan into any saves.
Mariotti substituted liberally in the second half as the Pioneers scored three more times, led by a pair from Victoria Gauthier.
Conestoga has gotten off to a dream start, winning its first two games by a combined 12-0 margin. It’s a long way to go, obviously, but the start has Mariotti happy.
“When everyone is having fun and everyone is working hard, it’s fun to play soccer,” she said.
For Henderson, they have some time off before opening up Ches-Mont League play Sept. 8 against Bichop Shanahan.
“I’m proud of the way the girls responded. They stayed hungry and never gave up the fight,” said Norris. “It’s a good team and a good test for us. We move on from here.”
Conestoga 8, WC Henderson 0
WC Henderson 0 0 – 0
Conestoga 5 3 – 8
Conestoga goals: Kemmerley, Borger, Gauthier 2, Karbiner, O’Murchu, Hogan, Loftland.
Goalie saves: Stark (WCH) 3, Werner (WCH) 0; Steege (C) 0, Logan (C) 0.
