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GIRLS SOCCER: It Was Penalty Kicks All Around In Playoff Bid To Semifinals

By Marc Narducci (photos by Donna Eckert), 10/22/21, 1:45PM EDT

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Penalty Kick First-round wins for Lansdale Catholic and St. Hubert

By Marc Narducci

 

Lansdale Catholic and St. Hubert earned berths into Tuesday’s Philadelphia Catholic League girls’ soccer semifinals with dramatic wins in games that were decided by penalty kicks after 100 minutes of highly competitive soccer.

In winning, both teams now will play in Tuesday’s semifinal at Ramp field in Northeast Philadelphia.

No. 3 Lansdale Catholic will meet No. 2 Archbishop Wood and No. 4 St. Hubert’s will face No.1 Archbishop Ryan. The Catholic League championship will be 5 p.m. Oct. 30 at RAMP.

Here is a look back at the opening round and other games for this past week.

 

Thursday Oct. 21

Catholic League first round

No. 3 Lansdale Catholic, 1, No. 6 Cardinal O’Hara 0 (4-3 in penalty kicks).

The two played to a scoreless tie through regulation and the two overtime periods. Lansdale Catholic then won the penalty kick session, 4-3.

“We hit the cross bar and the post quite a few times and just missed goals we should have scored,” Lansdale Catholic coach Bree Benedict said. “Credit to Cardinal O’Hara, they were 10 times as good as when we played them in the regular season.”

In the regular season Lansdale Catholic beat the Lions, 3-1.

“Cardinal O’Hara was sharp and their goalkeeper was lights out,” Benedict said.

The O’Hara keeper was Ava Hnelrski, who made 10 saves.

Then came the penalty kick situation and Benedict made a key move – she put center midfielder Olivia Boccella in net.

“She is such a good athlete,” Benedict said.

Also, not a bad keeper.

On the third penalty kick, Boccella made a key save.

Lansdale Catholic’s first three shooters scored on their penalty kicks – Delaney King, Nicole Mezzatesta and Ava Mercier. The Crusaders missed their fourth and then Mia Norbury buried the fifth.

Cardinal O’Hara then kicked its fifth PK wide and the Crusaders had survived the matchup.

Lansdale Catholic vs. Cardinal O'Hara gameday highlights. (courtesy/LC athletics)

Lansdale Catholic vs. Cardinal O'Hara final penalty kick of the game. (video/LC Athletics)

Now it is on to facing Archbishop Wood, which beat Lansdale Catholic, 5-2 in their one regular season meeting on Oct. 7.

St. Hubert 2, Archbishop Carroll 1 (3-0 in penalty kicks)

St. Hubert’s trailed 1-0 at halftime but got the equalizer in the second half on a goal by sophomore Lorenza D’Andrea.

Trailing at halftime, St. Hubert’s didn’t panic.

“You are a little bit nervous at that point but at the end of the day I know my players, that once they start to click, they can beat anybody,” said coach Nettie Graziosi-Hibbs.

In the penalty kick session, St. Hubert’s keeper Gabby Becker wasn’t forced to make any saves, but Graziosi-Hibbs said she made several key saves during the game.

Meanwhile Giana Grassifulli, Keara Pizzaro and Madison Marron all converted their penalty kicks for St. Hubert’s.

Now it’s on to the semifinals and a matchup with top-seeded Archbishop Ryan.

St. Hubert wins in penalty kicks vs. Archbishop Carroll in first-round of playoffs. (Game highlights by Donna Eckert for PSD)

On Oct. 4, St. Hubert’s lost a 3-0 decision to Ryan.

“It’s exciting, we are one game from the championship,” Graziosi-Hibbs said. “That is always a big rival and any game with us playing Ryan brings a lot of energy and there is plenty of motivation to win.”

Oct. 18

Cardinal O’Hara 1, St. Hubert 1 (2 OT)

After a scoreless first half, the second half scorers were O’Hara’s Kelly McCarthy and Emma Drum of St. Hubert’s.

Ava Hnelrski made six saves for O’Hara and Gabby Becker added four saves for St. Hubert’s.

The next day, St. Hubert's defeated Little Flower 3-0

Oct. 19

Lansdale Catholic 7, Bonner-Prendie 0.

Lansdale Catholic tuned up for the Catholic League playoffs with a convincing win.

“Both teams worked hard and showed good sportmanship,” Lansdale Catholic coach Bree Benedit said. “”Their goalkeeper made some great diving saves and they had good opportunities.

Benedict added that Ava Mercier, a key player all season, showed her ability to get forward. Mercier is a strong two-way player who has contributed greatly to the Crusaders’ success.

FINAL STANDINGS

Here were the final regular season standings in the Philadelphia Catholic league listed in the league record.

1. Archbishop Ryan, 7-0-1

2. Archbishop Wood, 7-0-1

3. Lansdale Catholic,

4. Archbishop Carroll, 4-3-1

5. St. Hubert, 4-3-1

6. Cardinal O’Hara, 2-5-1

7. Conwell-Egan, 2-6

8. Little Flower, 2-6

9. Bonner-Prendie, 0-8

 

Reporter's Note:

This is our final weekly PCL column for this season, but we will be covering key games including the PCL final. Thanks to all the coaches for their help each week and best of luck in the rest of the season.