SPRINGFIELD, PA – On Thursday May 11, Cardinal O’Hara hosted Bonner-Prendie in both teams' final league game of the season. Each team came in ready to fight to secure one last win before playoffs commence this week.
O’Hara started off strong with a goal from Anna Dirita with 21:58 on the clock. Bonner-Prendie answered back with a three-goal run started by Keeley Weis who scored with 19:50 on the clock. Haley Dyer and senior Paige Brady tallied two more goals for the Pandas by the 16 minute mark.
Game Highlights
O’Hara’s Erin Grady answered for the Lions scoring two quick back-to-back goals to put her team on top with a score of 4-3. The Lions went on to score two more goals in the first half, while Bonner-Prendie scored four. In the final thirty seconds before the half, Weis scored again to put the Pandas ahead by two. O’Hara’s Erin Grady made one last attempt to score a goal, but her shot landed in the net after the buzzer. The players went into halftime with a score of 7-5 in favor of Bonner-Prendie.
O’Hara started the second half strong. Molly Grady scored for the Lions making it a one point game. However, Pagie Brady quickly answered for the Pandas and scored two goals within 35 seconds of each other to put Bonner-Prendie up by three.
Bonner-Prendie’s Paige Brady scored her fifth goal of the game at the 14:43 minute mark in the second half. Weis also scored her fifth goal of the game at 9:22 for the Pandas.
Cardinal O’Hara’s Erin Grady tallied her third goal with twenty-two seconds left in the game, but it was not enough. Each team put up a fight in their last PCL match-up, but it was the Pandas who came out victorious with a final score of 15-10.
During the game, the passion from each team resonated throughout the crowd. Prendie’s sideline was filled with emotion. Their JV team was cheering on their fellow varsity members all throughout the game. Cardinal O’Hara's bench did the same.
At the end of the game Bonner-Prendie celebrated a great win. Head coach Amanda McCloskey applauded her team for all the hard work and dedication they put into their practice this past week.
“We held a Sunday practice to prepare for the upcoming week, we played a tough team the other day and I genuinely feel as though that’s what prepared my team for today’s game,” said McCloskey.
For Cardinal O’Hara’s head coach Rebecca Dolenti, losing to Bonner-Prendie in their last game is to be observed as a learning experience before playoffs begin this week.
“The team that played today was not the team that has played this whole season,” said Dolenti. “I hope that my players can take this as a learning example and only grow from here on out.”
With the win, Bonner-Prendie ends their season tied with Lansdale Catholic in third place with a 7-3 record. O’Hara currently sits behind Archbishop Wood (10-0 PCL) in second place with an 8-2 record.
Looking Ahead: Bonner-Prendie is set to host six seeded Little Flower on May 16. With the second seeded spot, Cardinal O’Hara will move on right to the PCL semifinals on Thursday, May 18 at Neumann University.