PHILADELPHIA, PA- Reigning Catholic League champions, the Archbishop Ryan Ragdolls soccer team kicked off their 2016 season at home last night against the Bonner-Prendergast Pandas.

Both teams present on the field, Pandas head coach Kim Detweiler tries to motivate her girls as they are about to face a team that is termed a dominate force in the league.

“They are not the same team that won the championship last year,” Detweiler says to her team minutes before the start of the game. 

Detweiler is referring to the 12 players that the Ragdolls lost this year to graduation.

Ryan’s head coach, Jonathan Geist talked about the new dynamics.

“Right now we have one returning starter on the field, which is Devin McDonald, she’s our goalie. Madi (Madison Taylor) started a few games last year. Pricilla started a few games last year, but the core of our team has moved on and went to college.”

Fortunately for Geist, his team is familiar with each other’s presence on the field giving them a slight edge as they head into the new season. 

“The good thing about this team is a lot of these girls have played together for a long time, and know each other.  They play well, It’s evident…they kind of have a sixth sense for where the other girl is going to be,” said Geist.

As the game kicked off, it was clear the Ragdolls meant business, trapping the ball in Bonner-Prendie’s half.  Wave after wave, the Ryan attackers ran at the Bonner-Prendie defense, but were unable to come up with a goal.

By the 20th minute, the Ragdolls gained several corners but were unable to get a real shot on net. That is until the ball finds a Ryan winger on the right side, who fires a shot from long range. It beats the keeper, but hits the crossbar and bounces out.

Five minutes later, Ryan would finally score first with a little luck. Ryan’s left wing crosses the ball across the Bonner-Prendie goal, and as the Panda’s goalie goes to grab the ball off the bounce, three Ryan players are right there trying to knock it in. This throws off Prendie’s gatekeeper, and the ball bounces over her head and through her arms for the first goal of the night.

From this point on it was all Ryan.  Three minutes later, Madison Taylor, gathers a ball on the top of the box with a beautiful first touch and strokes it into the right panel. Taylor seemed to be an important piece for Ryan, running the midfield for most of the game.

“She’s definitely one of the girls who plays with 100% heart and 100% effort in the middle of the field for us. She’s going be a key player for us going forward,” said Geist.

Ryan would put two more in before the half, making it 4-0.

For Bonner-Prendie’s star junior goalie Kayla MacLaughlin, Ryan’s lead did not stop her determination to secure her post.

“For a keeper that hasn’t played goal in three weeks, and didn’t play much last year in goal, she made some 15 – 16 saves, and some nice one’s too,” said Detweiler.

Despite MacLaughlin’s efforts, the Ragdolls would add 3 more goals in the second half to secure a 7-0 opening game win.

It was hard to tell from this game that Ryan lost 12 of their veterans. A good sign for Geist, who looks to repeat another championship season.

Game Stats:

Ryan

Devon McDonald GK 2 saves

Gianna Monaco        1 goal

Madison Taylor         1 goal

Sarah Szychulski      1 goal

Kiera Yaffe                 1 goal                              

Delaney McDonnell  1 goal

Sidney Gerner          1 goal

Kaitly Findley            1 goal

Bonner-Prendie

Kayla MacLaughlin GK 16 saves