Gwynedd Mercy starts fast, tops Mount Saint Joseph
SPRINGFIELD >> Gwynedd Mercy Academy wanted to get the early jump on Mount St. Joseph on Tuesday and accomplished that three times over.
The Monarchs dominated play in the first half and built a commanding 3-0 lead, on their way to an impressive 3-1 victory in a Catholic Academies League game at Mount.
“There was so much energy out there and it was so great,” said GMA senior captain Mollie Hanson. “We’ve had some trouble scoring a lot of goals and scoring first, so to get that first goal was really important for us. And once we got one, the rest just came.
“This is a huge win for us. We’re coming off some tough losses and we’re not in the best spot for playoffs but this is really good for us going into the rest of the week and the rest of the season.”
With its collection of eight seniors, GMA improved to 7-7 overall and 5-5 in the league.
Goals by Samantha Berish (Hanson assist), Peyton Palazzo and Kaylie Griffin powered the Monarchs to their early burst.
“We really wanted it today so I’m glad we showed up,” said a smiling Palazzo. “We definitely wanna make a playoff push. As seniors, we’ve seen it many times before so we would love to carry our team there.”
For the first 50 or so minutes, the Monarchs dominated play on the field and on the scoreboard.
Said GMA coach Bill Dailey: “Everything we’ve been working on in practice, they’re bringing it to the game. They really wanted it. They were motivated, they were really aggressive and they really went for it.
“It was a good game for us. This was a must-win for us for the league and holding onto our playoff position. And Mount’s a big rival so it meant a lot to the girls to come out and get the win.
The Magic (4-8, 3-6 league) did dent the scoreboard midway through the second half, with a goal by Kate Taulane.
“For whatever reason, we came out flat in the first half,” Magic coach William Naydan said. “We had trouble marking. But in the second half, I think we turned it around and we really controlled the game in the second half. At halftime, we talked about making sure we worked strong through the midfield, that we’re not ball watching, that we’re making sure we’re coming back.
“We knew we had to get more offensive push and we got more numbers forward. But it’s tough to come back from three goals down in the first half.”
