Souderton emboldened by effort in District 1-4A final loss

UPPER MERION >> The tears came and went pretty quickly for Souderton’s girls soccer team.

A stunning goal by Conestoga’s Nia Scott had ended Souderton’s dreams of a District 1 title in overtime, but the Indians knew they had just turned in their best performance of the season. While they didn’t get to go home with hardware, there season wasn’t over either with the state tournament looming.

No. 8 Souderton had its chances, but couldn’t capitalize enough times in a 2-1 overtime loss to the No. 2 Pioneers in the District 1-4A title game Saturday at Upper Merion.

“Everyone just stepped up in their position and was so excited to play,” Souderton senior midfielder Sara Readinger said. “With it being a district championship, everyone’s emotions were in it and everyone was playing for each other. We’ve been saying we’ve been playing as a family all year and this game unified us even more.”

Souderton (13-3-6) started with the swirling wind at its back and it paid off as the Indians back line contained Scott and deadly junior Caitlin Donovan up top while Readinger and Campbell Power directed a terrific midfield effort. Conestoga wasn’t without chances but Souderton held the run of play.

Readinger started a build-up with a tremendous long diagonal ball up the left flank to sophomore Hannah Alderfer, who dragged it endline and drew a corner kick. Power served it in and Readinger headed it home, staking the Indians to a 1-0 lead with 24:55 left in the first half.

“We took advantages of their weaknesses really well,” Souderton coach Lindsy Jones said. “We couldn’t capitalize off it other than that corner. At the end of the game I said we’re not done, we have more work to do and they’re excited to start states.”

A soft foul call set the Pioneers up with a free kick in prime real estate. Reese Henderson put a great ball into the box at the near post, finding Scott who powered the point-blank effort in for the equalizer with 9:26 left in the first half.

The wind favored Conestoga in the second half and the Pioneers responded by upping their pressure on Souderton’s back end.

“If we had each other’s backs going into the game, I knew we could handle them,” Indians senior center back Miranda Kullman said. “In the first half I felt like we had the possession most of the half and worked as a team completely. In the second half, Conestoga took a little control so Lindsey (Pazdziorko), Kailee (Harwick) and myself had to stay calm and not get rattled.”

Pazdziorko, Souderton’s senior keeper, played a very strong match highlighted by a fingertip save on a Scott follow-up after Donovan pinged the post. The Towson recruit made eight stops and gave Souderton a weapon going forward with her long punts.

Kullman and Harwick, the Souderton senior center back duo, played well. The Indians have been a defensively stout team all season but they’ve taken things up to a different level over the final weeks of the season.

“In our season, we tied constantly and then after that Pennridge game (0-0 tie), our gear just changed,” Kullman said. “We were becoming a better team every single game and playing our all every single game so going into states, I don’t think that’s going to change.”

Souderton didn’t lack for chances the rest of the way, with Readinger just missing a header off another Campbell corner, Taylor Yoder forced an excellent save out of Sarah Nselel and Power put a shot a few inches wide of the post.

Jones felt part of her team’s uptick in play was the three phases – forwards, midfield and defense – coming together as a collective.

Readinger, who is heading to Penn next fall, put in an outstanding effort. One of her best plays came late in the second half, dropping way back to make a tackle then carrying the ball up field to start a counter.

“We were more prepared to come in and play harder,” Readinger said. “We were finding feet more, and more toward the end of the second half we were able to find each other. Campbell and I were playing off each other more and I think once I was able to take the touch, we found more space in the middle.”

A textbook counter led to the game-winner. Conestoga was able to win the ball in the midfield and got it over the top to Scott. The senior did the rest, carrying into space before unleashing a shot to the upper corner of the far post.

Souderton will face the District 11 runner-up in Tuesday’s opening round of states and likely won’t have to travel very far.

“I don’t think this loss is going to damper us in any way,” Readinger said. “I think we’re going to be just as excited to come into states and we’ll be even more confident. I think we had a really good chance of beating this team and I think it boosted our confidence to come in harder and believe we can beat teams like this.”