FIELD HOCKEY:Pennsbury earns share of SOL National

Pennsbury senior Mia Reed (L) scored twice in 3-0 win over Neshaminy.
Melissa Hauss marks Reed for the Redskins.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

FAIRLESS HILLS—The girls counted down the seconds together.
Three-two-one.
Pennsbury had just posted a 3-0 shutout win over Neshaminy and with it, its first share of a Suburban One National League title since 1992. The Falcons earned a share of the league trophy with Council Rock North, which defeated CR South, 1-0, yesterday at North.
Anchoring the offense for Pennsbury, as they have all season long, were seniors Jenna Allen and Mia Reed. The pair combined on all three Falcon goals, all of which came on corners opportunities.
For the girls on the field—especially the 13 seniors on the team—the feeling was one of total jubilation.
Too often, they had watched the girls on the other side of the field win league titles. The Redskins, winners of six consecutive SONL titles from 2003 to ’08, clinched the league title last year with a win over the Lady Falcons.
Pennsbury co-coaches Brooke Bergmann and Tracey Arndt know what it’s like. The two instructors came within mere seconds of winning a league championship in 1995. Bergmann was a sophomore on the same Falcon team on which Arndt was a senior.
Heading into the last game of the season with Council Rock, all Pennsbury had to do was beat the Indians to claim the league crown. Alas, the Rock tied the game with five seconds to go, giving them the conference championship.
While the Falcons have had talented teams in the past, this group, says Bergmann, is something special.
“It was an attitude adjustment more than anything,” said the coach. “This group was very tight-knit; they just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
But for 43-and-a-half minutes in yesterday’s game, the Falcons toyed with potential disaster to a season that before now, they could only dream of.
After taking a 1-0 lead on Reed’s goal that came off a feed from Allen 5:09 into the duel, Pennsbury just could not find a way to cash in on that all-important insurance goal. For the game, the Falcons outshot the ‘Skins, 14-3, and out-cornered them, 12-4.
With 6:28 to go in the skirmish on a corner, Allen took Reed’s insertion and one-timed it past Neshaminy keeper Alexa Bell. The pair reversed roles on an ensuing corner on Reed’s ninth goal of the season that came with just 3:56 to go.
After the game, Bergmann explained that the Falcons were passing too much on penalty corners. The players needed to start shooting the ball, she said.
“I kept telling them to take the initial shot, instead of passing,” stated Bergmann, of Allen’s goal. “On that play, [Jenna] listened. She took the shot and she scored.”
From the onset of the season, Pennsbury rocketed out of the gate with seven consecutive league wins including 1-goal triumphs over CR North (1-0), William Tennent (2-1) and CR South (3-2).
But a midseason slump starting with a 2-1 loss to the Indians on Oct. 5, continuing with a 2-2 tie with lowly Bensalem and culminating with a 1-0 loss to Tennent last week on their home turf threatened everything.
To their credit, the Falcons finished strong, posting consecutive shutout losses over Truman (4-0) and CR South (2-0) before blanking Neshaminy.
“This group is fantastic,” said Bergmann, who reversed roles with Arndt before the start of the season. “They committed to this from day one and they worked hard.
“I’m so proud and so happy for them.”
Coincidentally, the last time Pennsbury won a league title—1992, was the year most of the seniors on the team were born.
“Before the game, Coach Arndt said, ‘guys you were born to win,” stated Allen. “We really were; it’s been our goal as long as I’ve been on the team.
“We’ve been working for this since offseason practices in June.
“Now, it’s finally paid off.”
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LINESCORES
Pennsbury 1 2—3
Neshaminy 0 0—0
Goals: Reed (2), Allen
Assists: Allen (2), Reed
Shots: P—14, N—3
Corners: P—12, N—4
Saves: P—2, N—8