PAC Girls Soccer Championship Preview: Owen J. Roberts vs Upper Perkiomen
No. 1 seed Owen J. Roberts and No. 2 Upper Perkiomen meet for the Pioneer Athletic Conference girls soccer championship at 5 p.m., Thursday night at Owen J. Roberts.
A breakdown of the matchup:
Records >> Upper Perkiomen 10-0 PAC Frontier, 12-1 PAC, 17-2 overall, No. 4 in District 1-3A rankings … OJR 10-0 PAC Liberty, 13-0 PAC, 17-1-1 overall, No. 2 in District 1-4A rankings
Road to the final >> Upper Perkiomen topped No. 3 Spring-Ford 1-0 in a tight matchup that was decided by Sara Edwards’ second-half strike … Owen J. Roberts made a dramatic late charge to beat upset-minded Pottsgrove 2-1 on junior Alexa Vogelman’s goal in the final minute of regulation.
PAC playoff history >> Upper Perkiomen has reached the PAC final just once, when it won the title in 2008. Coach Mike Freed’s squad is the first Frontier Division team to make the final since Pope John Paul II in 2017 and just the fifth ever since the league began Final Four play in 2006 … The Wildcats are chasing their 14th PAC championship under coach Joe Margusity and fourth in the past five years after being co-champions with Spring-Ford in the playoff-less pandemic-altered 2020 season.
Head to head >> OJR routed Upper Perk 5-0 on Sept. 30, getting four first-half goals in an overwhelming first 40 minutes.
Upper Perk at a glance >> After starting the season as a high-scoring juggernaut, Upper Perk were brought back to earth in a two-game losing streak triggered by the blowout loss to OJR. Since its 1-0 loss to Archbishop Carroll on Oct. 1, Upper Perk has not allowed a goal in seven straight matches. The Frontier Division’s recent powerhouse returned eight starters from the 2020 squad including its three captains senior goalie Gabby Neal (La Salle commit), midfielder Sam Kozminski and center back Lindsey Bieler. Juniors Sara Edwards, Mary Kate Sitko and sophomores Megan Cairns and Sarah Fisher have been the focal points on offense. Bieler is joined on the back line by central partner Elizabeth Proctor and outside backs Erin Edwards and Elyse Kreiner. UP’s scoring numbers are impeccable with 89 goals scored versus only 10 against.
Owen J. Roberts at a glance >> Unbeaten in PAC play this season, OJR’s lone defeat of the year came against Downingtown East on Oct. 8. It has won five straight games since. It’s hard to miss the Wildcats’ defensive record of allowing just five goals all season (19 matches). Central to that, literally, is Boston University commit and three-time All-Area first team center back Mo Weaver, who pairs with senior Rachel Sbei in the back four. They are flanked by senior Caleigh Bold and freshman Ashly White as the chief protectors of freshman goalkeeper Rachel Epps. The centerpieces of the midfield and attack are the junior three-sport standouts Gabbi Koury and Vogelman, the PAC’s leading scorer, along with senior winger Avery White and junior Olivia Thompson. Thompson has proven capable of coming up with crucial goals when needed most and is a target on set pieces with her heading ability. Also giving regular contribution for OJR is senior Mya Sanders, sophomores Emerson Storti and Sydney Garner and freshman Fiona Sanders.
Matchup and prediction >> The 5-nil thrashing in their lone head-to-head meeting on Sept. 30 makes for interesting background when considering Thursday’s finals matchup. It may both inform and mislead. OJR has built their record against tougher competition and their superior pace of play was evident on Sept. 30. Upper Perk was not prepared for their match after winning blowouts in 10 of their first 11 matches leading into it. The loss was an inflection point for Upper Perk. “I personally took it extremely hard,” said goalie Gabby Neal on Oct. 12. “I never had five goals scored on me like that situation. I think it all hit us because we were used to coming out and crushing teams. To get crushed 5-0 hurt. But I think we’ve responded well and we’re ready to keep going.” There will be no sneaking up on the Tribe Thursday and their improved defensive record of late indicates it’ll be a much closer contest. As for OJR, it will know a better Upper Perk team is coming their way. Once dubbed the ‘WildKittens’ for their youth movement a couple years ago by some soccer writer, those days are gone. The key pieces are now experienced, talented and can and should be competing for championships. The Wildcats add another one tonight and complete a perfect PAC season … Owen J. Roberts 2, Upper Perkiomen 1
