Main Line roundup: Top-ranked Lower Merion boys soccer team aces 9th opponent

The Lower Merion High School boys soccer team (11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the PIAA District 1 4A division as of Oct. 4) posted its ninth shutout of the season in a 2-0 win against Radnor Sept. 29. With about 15 minutes to go in the first half, LM senior Sam Nyenka scored the first goal with a penalty kick. With two minutes remaining in the first half, the Aces scored again when senior Simon Rosen slotted a ball past the Radnor goalkeeper off a good pass from senior Joaquin Jenkins. The Aces were anchored in defense by junior goalkeeper Crosby Johnson, who had four saves. The Aces have outscored their opponents this season 48-2.
The LM girls soccer team (11-1 and ranked No. 3 in the District 1 4A division as of Oct. 4) defeated Radnor, 1-0, Sept. 29. Grace Downey scored the lone goal of the game. The Aces’ defense, led by Sadie Cohen, Casey Forman, Abby Braslow and Alex Dore, helped secure the win. Kate Cantu was spectacular in goal, making key saves in the closing moments to preserve the shutout. The Aces, who have outscored their opponents 42-9, were scheduled to face No. 1 ranked Conestoga (11-0) Oct. 6.
In other Main Line high school sports action (the local roundup is compiled from game summaries sent to badams@mainlinemedianews.com):

Soccer
Academy of Note Dame defeated Germantown Academy, 3-2, Monday. With a minute to go in the second half, Lola Pena scored the game-winner. Sophie Demchyk also scored for the Irish. Three days earlier, Notre Dame defeated Penn Charter, 3-2, in overtime, getting goals by Jordan Elsasser, Katherine Berstiehl and senior captain Natalie Maya (game-winner).
Episcopal Academy (boys) defeated Germantown Academy, 2-1, Sept. 30. For EA (7-1-2), both goals were scored by Dylan Vengoechea (assisted by David Knox and Eddie Jones) Goalie Akira Heath recorded five saves.
The EA girls’ team lost to Springside Chestnut Hill, 1-0, Sept. 29. EA goalie Maya Naimoli recorded a season-high 10 saves. Three days earlier, the Churchwomen defeated Baldwin School, 4-0. Goal scorers were Bridget Dempsey (two), Chelsea Swei and Natalie Magnotta. Assists were dished out by Sofia Gagliardi, Abby Schwartz and Alexa Cohen.
Merion Mercy Academy lost to Marple Newtown, 4-1, Oct. 1. The Golden Bears goal was scored by Lily Denn, her 10th goal of the season. One day earlier, Denn had a hat trick as Merion Mercy defeated Delaware Country Christian School, 5-2. Sofia Fisher and Patty Bieter scored one goal each for the Golden Bears.
Villa Maria Academy defeated host Mount Saint Joseph, 6-3, Sept. 29. Kaelyn Wolfe tallied four goals, while teammates Delaney Dobra and Olivia Caruso each scored one. Kate Kemmerley dished out two assists, and other standouts for the Hurricanes (10-1 overall, 5-1 AACA) included midfielder Caroline Capaldi and striker Carly Catania.

Field hockey
Academy of Notre Dame (7-2 overall, 3-0 InterAc) defeated Germantown Academy, 6-1, Monday as freshman Kiera Sack tallied a hat trick. Reese Czajkowski had one goa, and one assist, and Saylor Milone dished out two assists. ND goalies Alex Duff and Mia McCloskey combined for 10 saves. Three days earlier, the Irish defeated Penn Charter, 5-1, as Saylor Milone tallied a hat trick.
Archbishop Carroll (9-4 overall, 5-0 Catholic League) defeated <Merion Mercy, 2-1, in overtime Sept. 30. Sienna Golden scored the game winner with 4:50 remaining in overtime. Kerry McCormick forced the OT for Merion Mercy with a corner goal at the 8:03 mark of the fourth quarter. Bridget Grazel scored for Carroll in the opening quarter. MMA goalie Molly Mangano had 15 saves,
Episcopal Academy defeated Springside Chestnut Hill, 3-1, Sept. 30. The Churchwomen were led by Charly Bruder (one goal), Paige McMeekin (two goals), Isabel Andrews (three saves) and Mary Gilman (two defensive saves).

Girls’ volleyball
Academy of Notre Dame (7-4) defeated Merion Mercy, 3-0, Monday, posting scores of 25-15, 25-19 and 25-13. Vkki Zelubowski and Lauren Dougherty combined for 18 kills while Carolyn Meehan and Molly Morrow provided the defense with 21 digs. The Irish served a total of 14 aces.
Agnes Irwin defeated host Baldwin, 3-0, Oct. 1, posting scores of 25-20, 28-26, 25-18. The Owls were led by senior Anahla Thomas with (7 kills, 24 digs), sophomore Priya Johnson (7 kills, 4 aces, 12 assists) and senior Reagan Pagano (4 aces). For Baldwin, the standouts included Ryan Shelton (7 assists, 9 digs), Joelle Pearlstein (6 kills, 13 digs, 4 blocks), Cynthia Huang (7 assists, 9 digs), Bella Gillis (5 aces, 6 kills) and Ayna Berlanska (13 digs).
Baldwin School defeated Penn Wood, 3-0, Sept. 28, posting scores of 25-14, 25-8 and 25-10. The Polar Bears, who improved their record to 4-2 with the win, were led by Ryan Shelton (8 aces, 4 kills, 4 assists), Joelle Pearlstein (5 aces, 7 kills), Cynthia Huang (5 aces, 5 assists, 6 digs), Zoe Ross (2 kills, 2 blocks) and Bella Gormley (5 aces).
Conestoga defeated Ridley, 3-2, Sept. 28. Pioneer standouts included Cheyenne Bird (23 kills, 3 aces) and Sara Walheim (36 assists).
Lower Merion defeated Boyertown, 3-0, Sept. 29, posting scores of 25-16, 25-17, 25-12. The Aces were led by Jenna DeTemple, who had 10 kills on only 14 attempts. Brooke Johnson also had 12 kills while Zoe Brown led the defense with 16 digs.

Girls’ tennis
Episcopal Academy defeated Academy of Notre Dame, 7-0, Sept. 30, winning all seven matches in straight sets and losing only three games. All three singles players won their matches by a 6-0, 6-0 score – Kamora Helton (first singles), Avery Morris (second singles) and Carter Yearley (third singles).
Merion Mercy Academy had two of the final four players in the PIAA District 1 2A singles championship Oct. 1. MMA junior Sofia Berestetska finished in second place, after defeating teammate and fellow junior Ashley Gomes, 6-1, 6-1, in the semifinal. Lower Moreland sophomore Hannah Kideckel won the championship final.
Radnor defeated West Chester Rustin, 6-1, Sept. 29, sweeping all three singles matches in straight sets. Singles winners were Leina Ciarrocchi (first), Mia Xie (second) and Grace Gordon (third).
Delaware Valley Friends lost to AIM Academy, 3-1, Sept. 28. For DVFS, Jules Kierman at second singles earned an 8-3 win.

Cross country
Episcopal Academy (boys) defeated Malvern Prep, 15-46, Sept. 27, capturing the first five spots. Dawson French won the race at Malvern with a clocking of 17:13.
Haverford High School sophomore Olivia Cieslak finished first in the girls Brown Race at the 48th annual Paul Short Run at Lehigh Sept. 30. The sophomore bested the field in the girls Brown Race with a personal-best time of 17:42.7 to lead the Fords to a sixth-place finish in the team competition with 273 points. Teammate Camryn McGeehan placed 14th in 18:21.9.

Water polo
Haverford School defeated Malvern Prep, 23-14, Monday. The Fords were led by goalie Jaiden Schuchman (5 saves, 4 assists, 1 steal), Luke Fesnack (2 goals, 2 steals), Henry Pennington (2 goals, 2 assists), Ben McDade (5 goals, 4 steals), senior captain Luke Sekulic (4 goals, 2 steals, 2 assists), Eddie Kohn (2 assists, 5 steals), Isaiah Schuchman (2 goals, 2 assists) and junior captain Luke Putter (4 goals, 3 assists, 4 steals, 1 drawn ejection).
Malvern Prep lost to Hill School, 24-10, Sept. 30. Carter Marks made 19 saves, and Max McGovern and Patrick Buysee each scored three goals for the Friars.

Football
Episcopal Academy (5-0) defeated Blair Academy, 49-14, Sept. 30. TJ Cadden scored on a punt return and a rushing touchdown in the first quarter as the Churchmen wrapped up their nonleague schedule with seven first-half touchdowns. Cadden returned a punt 65 yards for a score, then capped the first half with a 25-yard TD run. The latter came 13 seconds after Na’Rome Rayborn and TJ Lamb combined on a 43-yard touchdown pass. Rayborn found Lamb on a five-yard score in the second quarter. Michael Cadden ran for a three-yard score in the first quarter and a 11-yarder in the second. Rayborn found his third touchdown of the night by hitting Ryan Appaneal for an eight-yard score.
Haverford High School lost to undefeated Garnet Valley, 25-7, Sept. 30. Tommy Wright threw a 29-yard TD pass to Ethan Mahan in the second quarter for the Fords (2-4 overall, 2-3 Central League).
Radnor halted a four-game losing streak with a 39-13 win against Harriton Sept. 30. For Radnor, Tommy DeShan returned a kick 80 yards for a touchdown, to go with a pair of rushing TDs, and Amir Byrd took a punt 70 yards to the house as the Raptors (2-4) rolled. DeShan scored on runs of six and five yards as Radnor led 26-6 at half. Bryce Cohen added a 53-yard run in the third quarter.