Great Valley advances in field hockey playoffs
Great Valley shook off some early frustrations Tuesday to post a 2-0 win over District 12 champion Archbishop Prendergast and advance to the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class AAA field hockey playoffs.
The 19-2 Patriots, the fourth-place team from District 1, were making their first appearance in the state playoffs since 1979. They quickly registered eight offensive penalty corners, three in less than three minutes to start the game, but had only one goal to show for it. And that came on the last corner in the series.
"We kept pushing the ball through, but we couldn't score," said Emily Hager, who finally broke the scoring ice for Great Valley just before halftime. "We weren't executing properly. We weren't taking enough shots."
It was Hager's 34th goal of the season, and the Patriots had to make it stand up under some second-half pressure from the Pandas until midfielder Amanda Tabb put in the second goal with 13 minutes, 59 seconds left to play.
"We were applying all kinds of pressure, but we didn't have anything to show for it until Emily finally connected on a nice play," said Great Valley coach Joe Tornetta. "I told them to keep shooting, that the goalie [Emily Moran] was the one they had to beat. We needed to make her move and slip one in."
With the win, Great Valley earned a match Saturday with District 11 second-place finisher Parkland.
"It'll be a battle," Tornetta said of Saturday's game. "We know we have to work on some things we saw today."
The loss marred the Pandas' first appearance in the PIAA playoffs since the Catholic League joined the PIAA two seasons ago. Prendergast finished second to Class AA Kennedy-Kenrick in the league playoffs last season, but the District 12 Class AAA slot in the playoffs went to Cardinal O'Hara on the basis of its higher finish in the regular season.
This year, the Pandas made sure they were in states by knocking off Carroll and O'Hara in the league playoffs and then beating Public League titleholder Northeast in the district title game.
"We were a little hesitant at the beginning," said coach Megan Stanaszewski of the Pandas, who finished 16-7.
"Great Valley is very offensive. They go from minute one," Stanaszewsi said. "They're on for 60 minutes. Emily Moran did all she could in goal for us. It's been a wonderful experience this season."
Moran, a senior in her first year of field hockey, registered eight saves for the game.
Great Valley 1 1 - 2
Archbishop Prendergast 0 0 - 0
Goals: GV-Emily Hager, Amanda Tabb.
Saves: AP-Emily Moran 8. GV-Christina Heston 2.
Contact staff writer Don Beideman at 267-815-0733 or dbeideman@phillynews.com.
