Gwynedd Mercy leads entire way in District 1-2A first round win over Merion Mercy

LOWER GWYNEDD >> Gwynedd Mercy Academy has a young team. There are only two seniors on the roster and just two players with district playoff experience from 2019.

When the eighth-seeded Monarchs took the field for the first round of the 2021 tournament, they looked like an experienced group. Senior Nicole Conwell scored 40 seconds into the game and GMA led the rest of the way, finishing with a 15-8 win over No. 9 Merion Mercy in the District 1-2A playoffs at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Tuesday afternoon.

“Team-bonding on and off the field really made it feel like there weren’t any grades,” Conwell said. “It felt like everyone is a senior. The sophomores and juniors definitely stepped up and we have a lot of talent. They all play club and they all work hard outside of school.”

Gwynedd Mercy advances to face No. 1 Bishop Shanahan in the second round Thursday.

Conwell’s goal at the 24:20 mark of the first half – her first of five goals in the game – came on a free position shot. Junior Cassidy Palazzo and sophomore Sydney Mandato added a pair of goals five minutes later to give the Monarchs an early 3-0 lead.

“We get hype in the beginning and then it just sets the momentum for the whole game,” Conwell said. “A really good start sets a good vibe. We tend to get down on ourselves when we have a big goal differential, so I think starting off the game right gets the energy going and helps a lot.”

Conwell, Palazzo, junior Izzy Fiore and sophomore Maxine Neumeister scored later in the first half while Merion Mercy’s Caroline Curcio scored twice and Kelly O’Connor once to send the game to halftime with GMA ahead, 7-3.

Conwell scored quickly in the third quarter – this time just 28 seconds after the break – and Merion’s Brynn Donnelly matched her to make it 8-4.

Then GMA took complete control, scoring five straight goals to extend its lead to nine, 13-4, and essentially put the game away with 13:42 remaining.

“The (halftime) adjustment was you’re not listening to the original gameplan, so let’s discuss it again,” GMA coach Deb Lawler said, “and be mindful of the results because tomorrow’s practice could look different.”

Conwell, Audrey Beck, Fiore, Caroline Mullen and Mandato scored during the game-clinching 5-0 run.

Over the final 13 minutes, Nora Burns and O’Connor each scored two goals for Merion Mercy while Conwell and Palazzo added goals for GMA to make the final 15-8.

The Monarchs shined on 50-50 balls. Beck scooped up plenty of loose balls in the midfield, especially ones that bounced away from the faceoff circle.

“(Beck) is picking up her game,” Lawler said. “(Monday) we dedicated our practice to groundballs, so across the board our stats are actually much higher than we’ve been presenting. I’m totally stoked about that. In fact, I think the highlight of our game was the 50-50 balls were finally our way, but well-earned our way. Typically that’s not the case. It sounds crazy a coach is going into district play and working on groundballs, but it is our nemesis. I feel if you rule the ground and rule the draw, that’s half the battle.”

The win completes a three-game sweep for GMA over their Athletic Association of Catholic Academies rival. The Monarchs beat Merion, 10-8 on April 22 and 19-9 on May 7.

Gwynedd Mercy played Bishop Shanahan earlier this season and lost, 19-8, on May 3.

“What we were working on today is exactly in preparation for that,” Lawler said. “We still have to work really hard (Wednesday) to fine-tune that, but today was a great opportunity. It’s one thing to put something into play and now you’re going to compete against your own defense. It’s a whole nother thing to put something in play and really work through it. That’s what today our goal was – obviously come out and storm the attack, but also how are we creating a different story on our attack. That was chapter one. We’re looking at chapter two on Thursday.”

Gwynedd Mercy 15, Merion Mercy 8
Merion Mercy 3 5 – 8
Gwynedd Mercy 7 8 – 15
Goals: MM: Caroline Curcio 2, Kelly O’Connor 3, Brynn Donnelly, Nora Burns 2. GMA: Nicole Conwell 5, Cassidy Palazzo 3, Sydney Mandato 2, Izzy Fiore 2, Maxine Neumeister, Audrey Beck, Caroline Mullen.
Saves: MM: Maura Smith 12. GMA: Paige Collins 15.