RADNOR – With the way the last few weeks have gone for Episcopal Academy’s girls soccer team on the injury front, Quinn Whitaker knew to be ready. With the wrap on her right hand, she knew the pain, literally and figuratively.
With Grace McHugh out for the season and her central midfield partner Lainey McGonagle sporting a heavily taped leg on a raw and rainy afternoon, Whitaker knew at some point Tuesday she might have to make a holding midfield cameo.
Wherever she was playing, the junior helped control the middle of the park against Notre Dame, with a hand in both goals of a 2-0 Inter-Ac victory.
“I feel comfortable just because my teammates are helping me and directing me,” Whitaker said. “We all work together. Being in a different position, yes, it’s reading the field differently, but ultimately it’s still working with the same people and we all have the same ideal.”
Whitaker’s fingerprints tend to be visible wherever she plays. A high-scoring All-Delco forward as a freshman, she’s equally comfortable on the ball in deeper areas.
In the first half, that meant driving at the Irish defense and hemming them in before a 37th-minute payoff via Maya Bright. In the second, it meant navigating a more open game, Notre Dame having more of the ball and allowing more space for EA’s forwards to run in behind.
Whitaker played the pass that led to the pass on both goals. Her corner kick was controlled by Bridget Dempsey behind her with an outstretched leg and nudged forward to Bright to toe-poke home inside the six-yard box an instant ahead of a defender.
In the 56th, Whitaker facilitated a move from the right wing toward freshman midfielder Devon Stewart, who slipped a ball through the lines for junior Ava Novelli to bury the goal. (Stewart joined the injury list a few minutes later with an ankle issue.)
“I think we have a lot of depth on our team,” said Whitaker, who this week committed her college future to Boston College lacrosse. “Everyone is versatile and can play a different position. So when someone is in a different position because of injuries, I think our team does a great job helping, vocally, leading them and giving them directions and supporting them so they know where to pass the ball and where to be.”
The depth was the difference. Notre Dame (4-2-2, 2-1 Inter-Ac), down a couple of contributors due to injury, fielded the same 11 players for the entire first half while EA (7-2, 3-0) subbed liberally. It worked for a while, goalie Sophia Hall not called on to make a save for 28 minutes, though EA would eventually fire 12 shots her way.
In the second half, when midfielder Abby Reger exited with injury and stalwart centerback Avery Hannah had to step into midfield, the backline grew more porous.
“In the beginning, we planned to play more defense because we know how good their threats are toward the outside,” Hannah said. “We played defense and we tried to counter when we could, but it was tough.”
Bright, an All-Delco forward, is always a willing runner. But so are the other forwards out wide in EA’s 4-3-3. Dempsey, Kate Dente and Sofia Gagliardi are among them, and their constant movement forced some fine saves by Hall.
Addie Chang nearly scored 2:30 into the second half, Hall making a superb reflex kickout eight yards off her line. Whitaker volleyed a shot off the outside of the post in the 57th, though Hall had it covered. Dente got into space down the left channel and forced a diving swat from Hall, then Dente repaid the favor by blocking Whitaker’s follow. Gagliardi had an effort in the 73rd that Hall slid to get a grip on.
“It’s so nice just because you know you can play that through ball because there’s someone who can get there,” Whitaker said. “We never have to take a break because we’re tired. We can always attack, we can always push the pace and try to score.”
Dempsey was denied an outstanding solo effort in the 67th when she beat three defenders on a mazy run. But her effort from 20 yards dipped only to hit the top of the crossbar.
The crossbar saved EA from losing the clean sheet. From the run of play, the Churchwomen controlled Notre Dame’s playmaking axis of Reger and Lola Pena. The reach of rangy center backs Ella Becket and Natalie Magnotta controlled space, while Avery Le and Caitlin McCarthy are adept at stepping up at outside back to cut down space.
Lauren Creamer made three saves. She could only watch in the 74th, though, when Hannah’s side volley clanged the woodwork.
“This season, I’ve been trying to play more mid because it lets me get forward and create more opportunities for my team,” Hannah, a Washington and Lee commit, said. “It’s harder to that at center back.”
As they delve into the heart of the Inter-Ac season, one result didn’t escape the notice of Whitaker and her EA teammates: Friday brought an Agnes Irwin win over Springside Chestnut Hill, the Blue Devils’ first league loss since 2018. A year ago, EA’s 10-1-1 mark was good only for second thanks to SCHA’s 10-0-2, the Blue Devils adding insult by topping EA in the PAISAA final.
The Episcopal veterans who lived last year’s heartbreak are on high alert about trying to rectify that this season.
“Last year, we thought we could win it, too, and it was an unfortunate ending,” Whitaker said. “This year, every game is a new game, every game is a tough game. We just want to win and compete and try to win the league.”
Also in the Inter-Ac:
Agnes Irwin 2, Penn Charter 0 >> Dylan Ohm set up Lily Fusco’s opener and then scored off a feed from Campbell Collins to keep the Owls unbeaten in the league.
Lindsay Reidenbach made eight saves for the clean sheet.
In the Central League:
Strath Haven 4, Harriton 0 >> Annie Dignazio scored on either side of halftime as the Panthers claimed a home victory.
Gia Chaves opened the scoring, and Ava Annacone added the fourth.
Lower Merion 5, Ridley 0 >> Rachel Jarmon made 15 saves, but the Green Raiders lost their sixth straight game.
Radnor 1, Marple Newtown 0 >> Ryan Ertel’s second-half goal off a fed from Fran Lucchesi was the difference between the teams. Mallory Toomey recorded the shutout.
