Lansdale Catholic buckles down, rallies past Conwell-Egan

LANSDALE >> Throughout the entire first half and even into the second, a classic defensive strategy was causing the Lansdale Catholic girls soccer team fits.

Conwell-Egan’s high back line was doing its job to perfection, continually getting LC attackers called offside and stalling forays forward. Then, five minutes into the second half, Egan scored and everything changed.

Instead of panicking, the Crusaders buckled down, solved the high line and rallied back to take a 3-1 victory Wednesday afternoon in their Philadelphia Catholic League opener.

“We had to adjust our forward line,” LC junior forward Kate Henesey said. “It was a group of factors, me being offside, the refs’ calls and us holding onto the ball too long in the back.”

Even with the offside calls mounting, the Crusaders forwards didn’t let it affect them. Sure, they were frustrated, but they didn’t start trying to play 11-on-1 soccer or deviate from the plan. LC did have a few chances in the first half, but Egan keeper Maddy Terry was very aggressive and was able to block or deflect anything on target.

Just five minutes into the second half, Egan’s Mackensie Michaels lofted a high-arcing chip into the air that settled over the hands of Cayla Hopkins and into the back of the LC net. It could have been a breaking point for LC, given the frustrations on offense and now trailing on the scoreboard.

Instead, the opposite happened.

“We buckled down and got very serious about what we were doing,” Crusaders coach Tom O’Donnell said. “I liked the approach we took from that point, but I don’t want to fall behind to people to get motivated but I’ll say this, we really put our foot down and started to race forward.”

Winger Hannah Shumate had a shot saved a few minutes later and shortly after that, LC finally cracked the high line. A through ball got Henesey free and the junior was in alone with Terry, who went in and caught Henesey as the last defender back, giving LC a penalty kick.

The Egan keeper, who’s aggressive play had erased the other Crusader chances, had the leave the game and left Henesey a few minutes to think about her upcoming PK. Normally, that’s the last think a kick taker wants, but the junior stepped up in the 62nd minute and buried the chance, just pushing it past the backup keeper summoned down from the JV field.

“I tried to get it out of my head, but you obviously can’t not think about (the PK),” Henesey said. “There’s that pressure on you.”

With the score leveled, Lansdale Catholic went back on the attack and Shumate had another attempt saved. The Crusaders’ wide play was a factor Wednesday, with Shumate, Gabby Quattrone and Erin O’Sullivan getting to the flanks, advancing the ball and serving in good crosses.

Henesey, who netted 31 goals last year, has become the focal point of opposing defenses for good reason. Much of the high line approach was directed at her with two Egan defenders always within a step of the LC forward.

That’s why the wide play was so important Wednesday and going forward into the season. Being able to stretch the field and create chances off the flanks will force defenders away from Henesey and give her room to operate.

“When those kids establish themselves and hopefully this is a stepping stone, this other kid is going to find herself open,” O’Donnell said. “That’s really what it comes down to for Henesey, she just needs one or two teammates to find their wings, so to speak.”

A couple minutes after Shumate’s shot was saved, she finally put one away in the 65th minute off a far post cross by Quattrone. After a good run down the left side, Quattrone volleyed a ball across the field where Shumate met it and fired it into the netting for a 2-1 lead.

“They’re really good at keeping their position out wide,” Henesey said of the wingers. “They have good ball skills so they can make a quick move and get it across.”

Of course, the lead was far from secure and LC wanted another tally. The Crusaders finally got it with roughly two minutes left to play when the other striker, Sarah Fitzpatrick, finished a pass from Henesey in traffic. In less than 18 minutes, LC had scored three times and put a win well in hand.

Fitzpatrick is the other piece to the puzzle for the LC attack, a quick forward to play off the more technical and stronger Henesey. Henesey, who has verbally committed to Bucknell, said it’s been important having a well-rounded offense around her so she can give the ball up and not have to force anything.

“It’s just a good start for us,” Henesey said. “We can keep building with our heart, the way we come back and not stop while giving it our all.”

Lansdale Catholic 3, Conwell-Egan 1
Conwell-Egan 0 1 – 1
Lansdale Catholic 0 3 – 3
Goals: CE- Mackensie Michaels 45’; LC- Kate Henesey (PK) 62’, Hannah Shumate (Gabby Quattrone) 65’, Sarah Fitzpatrick (Kate Henesey) 78’.
Shots: CE- 5, LC-10. Corners: CE – 2, LC-5. Saves: CE – Maddy Terry and Anna Esposito 4; LC – Cailey Maxwell and Cayla Hopkins 4.

Top Photo: Lansdale Catholic’s Colbie Cummings blasts a shot between Conwell-Egan’s Taylor O’Keefe and Carly Bonfig du ring their game on Wednesday, Sept 7, 2016. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)