North Penn Knights (Credit: NPSD)
Junior midfielder delivers long-range strike in 1-0 win at Crawford Stadium
For three years, Elliot Hanrahan had been waiting for her chance. On Monday night, the junior midfielder seized it, blasting home a second-half goal from more than 20 yards to give North Penn a 1-0 victory over Lansdale Catholic at Crawford Stadium, according to The Reporter.
Hanrahan, who had seen limited minutes in her first two varsity seasons, made the most of her opportunity.
“I haven’t scored in three years, so I was ready for it,” she said after the win in the article. “It felt good to hit that one.”
The Knights, coming off a 6-1 season-opening win over Avon Grove, found themselves in a defensive battle against a young but organized Crusaders side. LC leaned on senior captain Makenzie Marco and sophomore goalkeeper Paige Simpson, who turned in six saves to keep the game tight, according to the gameplay report.
North Penn also absorbed adversity, losing freshman Annaliese Marnien and senior Izzy Rudnick to a first-half collision. Coach Mike Rio praised his team’s depth, crediting players like Madi Morrow, Paige Gladfelter and Hanrahan for stepping up.
The decisive moment came midway through the second half, when a loose ball rolled to Hanrahan at the top of the box, according to the article. She struck a rising shot inside the post, setting off a jubilant celebration with her teammates.
North Penn’s back line — anchored by senior captain Sophia Zampirri and juniors Alyssa Chartrand, Jadyn Sperling, and Allison Schall — limited LC to just one shot on goal. Sperling, a varsity mainstay, said the defensive group takes pride in being “brick walls back there,” according to The Reporter.
Despite the defeat, LC coach Nykie Beuke called the performance a step forward.
“I had mostly freshmen out on the field at one point,” she told The Reporter. “I’m proud of all of them. They all came out and produced.”
North Penn (2-0) continues a busy week with a trip to Spring-Ford on Wednesday before opening SOL Colonial play Thursday at home against Central Bucks West.
