Villa Maria advances to district final

Top seed Villa Maria Academy put itself in position to win its 10th District 1 Class AA field hockey championship - and fifth straight - Tuesday by dominating in a 2-0 semifinal victory over Springfield (Montco) at West Chester East.

The Hurricanes will play Upper Perkiomen, a 5-1 semifinal winner over Gwynedd-Mercy, Saturday in the final. The site and time have not been announced, but the site is expected to be Wissahickon. The game will be part of a doubleheader that includes the Class AAA championship game.

The Hurricanes (16-2) held a 17-5 advantage in offensive penalty corners over the Spartans (13-3). Springfield did not get a corner until less than 20 minutes remained in the game.

Villa goalie Maddie Joyce made a great save on the play to preserve her 10th shutout.

"They're certainly the best team we've played all year," Springfield coach Linda Nixon said. "I like to think that if we had been able to score early or hold them off until the second half, it might have been a little different."

Although Villa Maria had a 9-0, first-half advantage in penalty corners, the Hurricanes could not convert any of them into a goal.

Caroline Troncelliti, who has 39 goals this season, finally put the Hurricanes on the scoreboard with a goal off a scramble in front of the cage with 1 minute, 46 seconds to play in the first half.

Villa received an insurance goal with a little less than 10 minutes gone in the second half when Megan Parsons converted a penalty stroke.

"I'm 2 for 2 in penalty strokes," said Parsons, noting that she spends time on her own practicing them.

"I just stick to my routine when I go to the line," Parsons said. "I was aiming for the left side just above the [goal cage] boards, and that's where it went. I was glad I scored because I didn't think a one-goal lead would be enough. Coach [Maurene] Polley said she expected Springfield to be aggressive."

The Spartans did pick it up in the final 19 minutes of the game when they managed their five penalty corners. Three came within a two-minute period.

Springfield's season did not end with the loss. The Spartans will play a playback game against Gwynedd-Mercy to determine third place in the district. Three Class AA teams advance to the PIAA playoffs, which will begin next week.

Springfield (M)   0 0 – 0

Villa Maria   1 1 – 2

Goals: VM-Caroline Troncelliti, Megan Parsons.

Saves: S-Kim Machalette 8; VM-Maddie Joyce 3.