Springside Chestnut Hill Academy gradually built up the level of competition in a series of scrimmages over the first two weeks of the girls' lacrosse season.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy gradually built up the level of competition in a series of scrimmages over the first two weeks of the girls' lacrosse season. The Blue Devils closed out last week's action by hosting always-formidable Radnor High School on Friday, outscoring the visitors 12-8 in a game-format trial run.
The Devils finished in a tie for third place in the Inter-Ac League last spring, with an 8-4 record identical to that of Agnes Irwin. Episcopal Academy captured the league title with an 11-1 mark, the only blemish on its record being a one-goal loss to Springside Chestnut Hill. SCH also split in its Inter-Ac series with Penn Charter, which was the league runner-up with a 9-3 mark.
Due to time conflicts with its annual work/study program requirements for seniors at the end of the academic year, Episcopal did not participate in the Pa. Independent Schools postseason tournament.
After losing both regular-season meetings with Agnes Irwin, the SCH Blue Devils were seeded third, right behind the Owls, for the PAIS tourney.
They defeated Irwin in the semifinal round to advance to the championship game against top-seeded Penn Charter. The Devils fell behind the Quakers by four goals in the first half, then rallied in the second period but still came up a goal short against PC, which won 8-7.
All four of the above teams should be in the thick of the battle for the Inter-Ac championship once again, with SCH and Penn Charter slated to face one another in this week's 2023 league opener.
Among Springside's graduation losses from its 2022 squad are three athletes now competing at the NCAA Division I level, goalie Lucy Pearson (Stanford), Brooke Gyllenhaal (Sacred Heart), and Cece Reilly (Louisville).
This year's three team captains, who will also continue to play in college, are midfielders Emma Bradbury (Michigan) and Fallon George (Maryland) and defender Caroline Foley (Washington & Lee).
Fourth-year SCH head coach Noelle Powell noted that the three captains will be joined by six other players as full-time starters. They are seniors Riley Kling and Shay Romero and juniors Madison Freeman, Cortney Neverosky, Alex Reilly, Sarah Scollin. Romero, the Devils' goalie, will play at Siena College, and Kling will join the program at Lynn University.
A number of other players will rotate through the remaining starting spots and main reserve roles. Coach Powell indicated that some fluidity in the line-up will help the team adapt to the various strengths of particular opponents.
In addition to the seniors already mentioned, there are Kaitlyn Melinson (who'll play field hockey at Denison University), and Mali-Vinn Renz. Junior Maddy Caliendo already saw a good deal of varsity action last season, and now she has plenty of company in 11th-grade classmates Audrey Boyce, Meghan Flach, Lillian Martino, Elizabeth Pearcy, Alexa Robles, and twin sisters Kerry and Riley O'Donnell.
Taylor Foley, Caroline's sister, is one of only two sophomores, along with Maille Colin. Many younger players will see a bit of varsity action and also play with the junior varsity, including freshmen Kass Magarity, Brae Powell, and Molly McCann.
