Great Valley stages comeback to down Kennett, 4-1

KENNETT SQUARE – It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint the turning point of Wednesday’s Ches-Mont girls’ soccer clash pitting Great Valley against host Kennett.

Following a slow start, the Patriots eventually regrouped, and finally broke through with a game-tying goal in the final seconds of the first half. Clearly energized, Great Valley proceeded to score three goals in the opening nine minutes of the second half to secure a key American Division road win, 4-1, over the Blue Demons.

“It is amazing what a goal can do to make you believe that you can score,” said Patriots’ head coach Tom Doyle.

Great Valley was unable to put a shot on goal until the 22-minute mark, but had generated at least half a dozen scoring opportunities that either went over the cross bar or wide. With time running out, freshman Sydney Phillips corralled a rebounded shot by teammate Mary Deitch and found the back of the net with just five seconds on the clock.

“I had to look at the clock to make sure we got it in. I knew it had to be close,” Doyle said.

“We didn’t start with enough energy but we definitely picked it up,” added junior Libby Cogan. “By the end of the first half we were really starting to get into our groove and play like our team.”

Deadlocked at 1-1 at the half, the Patriots roared into the second half and scored three goals in a frenzied five-minute span to complete the comeback. Great Valley improves to 2-2 in the Ches-Mont (4-3 overall).

“That first goal really got us energized, and it helped us to play the rest of the match like that,” said senior Roni Yonce.

“At the end of 40 minutes, our girls got worn down and forgot to follow through on that last play,” added first-year Kennett head coach Ashley Ainsworth.

The Demons fall to 2-3 in the league (3-5 overall).

“We had plenty of opportunities to pick that back up but (Great Valley) came at us real strong at the beginning of the second half,” Ainsworth said. “They used their momentum and I felt that our girls could have stepped up a little harder. Our girls can learn that as soon as you put your heads down, all it takes is a few minutes for a counterattack.”

Cogan scored what wound up the winner less than four minutes into the second half off a corner kick by teammate Rose Bleahen. The Yonce followed with two straight goals only a few minutes apart. The first was from a tough angle, but Yonce found the top nearside corner.

“Then I dribbled inwards, cut it with my right foot and shot it with my left,” Yonce said, when asked about the match’s final goal.

Similarly, Kennett got off to a fast first half start. Katie LaCosta made it 1-0 off a free kick from teammate Sydney Heimann. And then a few minutes later, the Demons came close to making it 2-0 but Pats’ goaltender, Lauren Birchler, came up with a big save off a corner kick.

“Our keeper Lauren kept us in the game right there,” Doyle said. “To go far in districts and things like that you need a keeper that is going to make that game-saver for you.”

Kennett earned four corner kicks in the opening 20 minutes of action, but Great Valley wound up with a 5-4 edge through 80. And the Patriots out-shot the Demons 12-1 in the second half.

“That shows the importance of the mental part of the game,” Ainsworth explained. “We had the confidence in the first five minutes, but with (Great Valley’s) fast second half attack, we were unable to recover mentally as fast as they were able to attack.

“I think this game is 90 percent mental. You have to be there for each other, you have to stick it out through things and not take yourself out of the game. It’s hard when heads go down or you feel you’ve lost hope.

“You have to want it. It’s all about who wants it bad enough.”

Great Valley 4, Kennett 1

Great Valley             1 3 – 4

Kennett                     1 0 – 1

Great Valley goals: Phillips, Cogan, Yonce, 2.

Kennett goal: LaCosta.

Goalie saves: Birchler (GV) 4; Coffee (GV) 1; Rosser (K) 12.