Mount hockey goes by Gwynedd, 4-1

by TOM UTESCHER

Mount St. Joseph Academy’s sticksters over came a rocky start and a one-goal deficit to down visiting Gwynedd Mercy Academy last Wednesday, 4-1.

Sarah Reinprecht scored twice and Jacky Beebie deposited what would prove to be the gamewinning goal for the Magic, who improved their stock in the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies to 7-1 while climbing to 11-1 overall. The Monarchs, who dipped to 3-6, 6-7, were playing without two regular starters, including U.S. Under-19 team member Alex Malatesta.

Despite their personnel problems, the visitors kept pace with the locals throughout the first half, noticeably outhustling the Magic on a number of occasions. Around five minutes in, Gwynedd goalie Lauren Curci (eight saves total) stopped Mount shots by Reinprecht and Laura Iaccovetti, and the Monarchs were first on the scoreboard with 9:04 elapsed. From out on the left side of the circle, Cristy Almendrales fed the ball in to Christina Mastropaolo, who scored from a feet feet in front of the near post.

Gwynedd held the lead for more than a dozen minutes and the Magic called time-out with 7:38 to go in the half. The peptalk produced results about 90 seconds later, when Reinprecht penetrated towards the goal in the wake of a corner hit and followed up her own shot to score.

Less than a minute later, with 5:05 left in the opening period, the host team went ahead for good when Nina Ferrier centered the ball from near the left endline and Beebie belted it in from the middle of the circle.

The Mount continued to attack as the second half dawned, but Curci kept the cage sealed, thanks in part to some saavy defensive plays by Mary Kate Farrell. Gwynedd countered and midway through the half the visitors got the ball behind MSJ goalie Keiran Sweeney (three saves) a few feet in front of the goal line, but the ball rolled outside the left post despite the efforts of Mastropaolo.

With 10:57 to go the Magic padded their lead with a third strike. Katie Burke sent the ball across the circle from right to left, Ferrier drove it towards the left post, and Meg Maginnis tipped it in. On a free hit from out on the left endline with under three minutes remaining, Reinprecht lifted the ball high in the air so it dropped almost straight down in front of the Gwynedd goal, drawing a foul when a Monarch defender batted the ball in the air. Reinprecht aimed the resulting penalty stroke waist high at the right post to lock in the final score at 4-1.