WHITEMARSH >> Plymouth Whitemarsh held a one-goal advantage for more than 47 minutes in its Suburban One League Liberty Division matchup with Wissahickon Monday afternoon.
The Colonials lost their lead with less than 150 seconds left in regulation. After a quick chat at the end of the second half, they quickly attacked in overtime. Junior Liv Reilly centered the ball in front of the Wissahickon net and it deflected off of a defender and into the goal to give PW a 2-1 win at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
“I knew Liv Reilly was going to cross that to me,” PW sophomore Maddie McGuckien, who was in front of the net, said, “because I’ve been playing with her for years. I was like, ‘I know where this ball is going’ so I got to the spot where it was going.”
The Colonials (2-1-1, 2-1-1 SOL Liberty) took a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute in the way they’ve scored most of their goals this season – on a set piece. Senior Meghan Wendler took a free kick from near midfield and sent the ball high towards the goal. McGuckien skied into the air and headed it into the goal to break a scoreless tie. McGuckien considers headers as one of the strongest parts of her game.
“I think I just read the ball well when it’s coming in,” McGuckien said, “and I just know how to head the ball.”
“All (McGuckien) wants is head balls,” PW coach TJ DeLucia said. “Maddie wants goals off headers non-stop. It’s something we work on and we have plays for. Meghan Wendler, our senior centre-back, is playing beautiful balls into the box on free kicks and McGuckien is looking for them. She takes pride in that and in a sport where not a ton of people head the ball, we’re happy to have her search for headers and that’s something she wants.”
That 1-0 lead held until the final minutes of the game. The Trojans (0-5-1, 0-4-1 SOL Liberty) had a few chances – they hit the post in the 46th minute and had a goal disallowed on an offsides call in the 67th – but Plymouth Whitemarsh goalkeeper Caitlyn Dinh made four of her seven saves after halftime. DeLucia credited sophomore Marleigh Burton and senior Emma Vuotto as having strong defensive games.
Wissahickon goalkeepers Olivia Lore and Meredith Blight combined for eighth saves to keep Wissahickon within striking distance.
The Trojans got their scoring opportunity when senior Lannah Werynski was taken down in the box. She was on the ground for a few moments, but stayed composed and converted her penalty kick by going low to the right side. Her goal made it a 1-1 game with 2:26 left in regulation.
Plymouth Whitemarsh is a half-game behind Abington (3-1-1) in the SOL Liberty standings. PW beat Abington, 2-1, on Aug. 29.
“We’ve now played four of the (five) teams in the league and I feel like we can play with all of them,” DeLucia said. “We do feel good about where we’re at, but as this team learns how to win you need a championship effort every single day in this league. No one is going to give you anything.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2, Wissahickon 1 (OT)
Wissahickon 010 – 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 101 – 2
Goals: W: Lannah Werynski. PW: Maddie McGuckien.
Assists: PW: Meghan Wendler, Liv Reilly.
Saves: W: Olivia Lore 4, Meredith Blight 4. PW: Caitlyn Dinh 7.
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