DISTRICT 1-3A GIRLS LACROSSE: Upper Dublin rallies past Penncrest

UPPER DUBLIN — Upper Dublin’s district playoff run ended against Penncrest last year. The Cardinals finished this regular season with a 17-1 record – the only loss coming against Penncrest.

When Upper Dublin found out it would be facing Penncrest again in the District 1-3A playoffs, it wasn’t going to lose for a third time.

“We kept saying that, as corny as it is, ‘protect this house,’” Upper Dublin senior Anna DiMartile said. “We meant it. We weren’t going to let them come in here and beat us for a third time in the last year. We really wanted this one.”

The second-seeded Cardinals overcame a four-goal deficit to beat the 15th-seeded Lions, 9-8, at Spark Field Thursday afternoon.

“This was like a story,” UD junior Ava Shohen said. “Last year we lost and they took us out of districts. They give us our only loss this year. We’re undefeated at home and they came to our home turf. We just played our best.”

It just took them a little while to get going.

Upper Dublin coach Dee Cross called timeout late in the second quarter when her team was losing, 7-3. Penncrest was dominating the quarter and had scored seven of the last eight goals.

“We talked about everything we worked on at practice,” Cross said, noting that Penncrest is stronger than the No. 15 seed reflects. “We knew exactly what they were going to do on offense. It was more about play your game, don’t play to them. They settled down and that’s what’s great about this group with the senior leadership. Abby (O’Mear) and Olivia (Broome) and Sophia (Sirianni) have all played together for three years now. They just calmed everyone down and we started to stop the cutters and knock the balls down and get the groundballs.”

Upper Dublin responded with a Maeve Hogan goal 42 seconds after the timeout and took the three-goal deficit, 7-4, into halftime.

The third quarter was all Upper Dublin. Bridget DiMartile, Anna DiMartile and Hogan each scored to tie the game. Hogan’s equalizer was set up by Shannon Connaughton and occurred with only four seconds left before the fourth quarter.

Reese Bigler put Penncrest ahead, 8-7, just 61 seconds into the fourth, but Anna DiMartile answered three minutes later to even things up. DiMartile scored by scooping up a ground ball when a pass in front of the net fell to the turf and putting it into the back of the net.

Penncrest won the ensuing draw, but Upper Dublin goalie Caroline Stoffel made a save to give the Cardinals possession.

Shohen netted what proved to be the game-winner with 5:55 remaining to put Upper Dublin ahead, 9-8.

“Maeve (Hogan) passed me the ball,” she said. “It was a great pass. I just saw it and took it. I feel like our offense works together really well. We have a lot of chemistry. I feel like we all work for each other. We all want to win.”

Penncrest won the ensuing draw again, but with 4:10 left the Cardinals forced a turnover around midfield. Shohen came away with the crucial groundball that multiple players from both sides were trying to pick up.

“It was a team effort,” Shohen said. “I think three of our (players) trapped and the ball came out. I got it and ran. It was a team effort.”

UD took 2:40 off the clock, but turned the ball over behind Penncrest’s net with 1:30 left. The Lions called timeout at 1:26.

Penncrest was able to advance deep into Upper Dublin territory, but multiple Cardinals defenders collapsed on the ball in front of their net and forced a turnover. Hogan came away with it with 30 seconds left and raced to midfield before UD called timeout.

“Our main thing was play tight defense and don’t let them do what they’re trying to do,” Anna DiMartile said. “They’re really good at cutting and feeding the cutter, so we just had to stay tight on our cutters and play the defense that we know how to play, because in that moment it’s very easy to panic. (Coach Cross) just said relax and get on their hands and don’t let them score and it’s that simple.

“I just remember watching (Penncrest’s Cara Childs) drive and I think we had a double team from Abby O’Meara and Shannon Connaughton. She kind of slipped and I was able to get the back-check and I think Maeve (Hogan) finished it with the groundball. It was a four-person effort to get the ball back and that’s what we’re really good at – team defense. That was a perfect example of our team defense there on that last play.”

After the final seconds ticked away, the Cardinals celebrated their 9-8 win and trip to the district quarterfinals. They will host No. 7 Radnor, an 18-3 winner over No. 10 Council Rock North, Tuesday, May 20.

Upper Dublin jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. Bridget DiMartile assisted Hogan for the first goal and scored the second herself. Childs cut Penncrest’s deficit in half to make it a 2-1 game at the end of the opening 12 minutes.

Penncrest’s Olivia Wise and Bigler each scored two goals during the second quarter while Lylah Pompetti and Taylor Knox added one apiece to help the Lions build their 7-3 advantage.

Penncrest’s season ends with the loss. The Lions finished 12-6 in the regular season.

Upper Dublin 9, Penncrest 8

Penncrest 1 6 0 1 – 8

Upper Dublin 2 2 3 2 – 9

Goals: PC: Cara Childs, Olivia Wise 2, Reese Bigler 3, Lylah Pompetti, Taylor Knox. UD: Maeve Hogan 3, Bridget DiMartile 2, Anna DiMartile 3, Ava Shohen.