PAC Girls Soccer Final Four: Kurian’s OT winner lifts Spring-Ford over Perkiomen Valley

BUCKTOWN >> The Spring-Ford and Perkiomen Valley girls soccer teams played last week and couldn’t separate from one another.

After 80 minutes of regulation in their Pioneer Athletic Conference semifinal Tuesday night it was more of the same.

The game needed a hero. Spring-Ford senior forward Meg Kurian was happy to oblige.

Kurian struck from 25 yards out with a hammered shot from distance at the 6:37 mark of overtime to give Spring-Ford the golden goal in a 1-0 victory over Perkiomen Valley that sent the Rams into their first PAC final since 2019.

“This was our second time seeing them in overtime so we knew we wanted to finish it this time,” Kurian said. “I think we had a great team effort keeping the ball out of our half. They found me and I was able to just find a window and I took it.”

Spring-Ford’s Brynn Vickery (32) and Perkiomen Valley’s Rylee Rosati compete for the ball during their PAC semifinal on Oct. 17 at Owen J. Roberts. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Spring-Ford’s Ally Garvey looks to advance the ball as Perkiomen Valley’s Rain Boyd defends during their PAC semifinal on Oct. 17 at Owen J. Roberts. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

Spring-Ford, the top-seeded Liberty Division champions, will face old rival Owen J. Roberts, which knocked off reigning champion Upper Perkiomen 2-1 in the other semifinal. The championship game will be played at 5 p.m. Thursday at Owen J. Roberts.

It will be the first finals appearance for any current Rams player after losing in the semifinals the previous two seasons.

“A lot of us as seniors, this is our first time finally getting out of the semis. It’s huge and we’re not done yet,” Kurian said. “It goes to show the work we’ve put in on the offseason and in season. There’s so much that’s changed in the program and it’s worked out all for the best.”

Jeff Kushner took over head coaching duties just days before the start of preseason and former Rams head coach Tim Leyland, who guided Spring-Ford in its peak years between 2014-17, came on board as an assistant. Yet the unsettled preseason did not unsettle a roster primed for a big season that has translated to a 15-1-1 year and No. 3 ranking in District 1-4A.

“There’s just something about this season that we want to play for each other and we’re willing to give whatever we can and have a little hope after every game. I think that’s so important,” Kurian said.

Spring-Ford bossed the contest, more than doubling PV’s shot total, leading in corner kicks 14-1 and hitting the crossbar on three occasions in the second half.

Spring-Ford’s Lena Ackerman controls the ball along the sideline against Perkiomen Valley during their PAC semifinal on Oct. 17 at Owen J. Roberts. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

Kurian and Lena Ackerman were a threat up top, supported by midfielders Izzy Pondorf, Ally Garvey, Molly Kennedy, Ava Hissong.

“We got unlucky in the second half with a lot of us hitting the crossbar,” Kurian said. “I just hit (the game-winner) with the confidence that it was going to go in and it did. I’m so glad I got it.”

Meanwhile, the Spring-Ford back four of Sarah Hang, Siena Miller, Mackenzie Hanley and Brielle Kevitch and goalkeeper Olivia Neild registered another shutout and kept their goals conceded total to six goals in 17 matches.

Perk Valley couldn’t make it back to the final after earning their first title game appearance in 2022. There was no disappointment in the effort from first-year coach Kaitlyn Dougherty though.

“I think our girls played their hearts out. To take the No. 1 seed to overtime, they played awesome. Spring-Ford’s a really good team and they had a good goal.”

The season has been successful if uneven for the Vikings (11-7-1), but they have plenty left to play for with a No. 17 ranking in District 1-4A ahead of the tournament which begins Oct. 24.

“It’s been good,” Dougherty said. “We’ve had some tough games where we might not have played our best but the bounce back has been better. Our leadership has gotten everyone back together and positive as soon as possible.”