By Harry Chaykun
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/29/14

Springfield-Delco head coach Keith Broome was happy with his team’s start in Tuesday’s Central League game played during heavy rain for much of the second half at Radnor’s Enke Field.

He also knew his team couldn’t get complacent, and the Cougars got his message. Springfield (11-2, 7-1) built a big early lead then fought off Radnor’s second-half comeback to claim a 11-7 decision and retain a share of second place in the Central with Harriton.

“We played up here a couple of years ago and jumped up on them, 5-0,” Broome said. “We ended up losing that game, 8-7.”

Tuesday, it took the visiting Cougars about 11 minutes to get the game’s first seven goals. By halftime, their lead was 8-3. After Springfield earned the first two goals of the second half, Radnor (11-4, 6-3) responded with four in a row.

Junior Emily Santana fired in the goal that halted the Red Raiders’ momentum and made it possible for the Cougars to use their passing and running skills as the clock wound down.

“We’ve been working well together on attack,” Santana, who finished with four goals and three assists, said. “We’re looking for the good shot.”

Broome was delighted to get a good game from Santana, who has committed to Rutgers University.

“She was so dominant on draw controls in the first half,” the coach said. “And that goal she scored came at the right time for us after they had scored four in a row.”

Santana said that she and her teammates tried to ignore the less-than-ideal conditions in which the game was played.

“It was freezing, and sometimes it was hard making passes,” Santana said.

Senior Kate Ryan had four goals for Springfield by halftime, and picked up her fifth early in the second half, giving the Cougars a 10-3 lead.

That was when Reilly Masterson got Radnor rolling toward a comeback. Kate Stanley, Hannah Proctor, assisted by Masterson, and Katie Quinn (free-position shot) chipped in with Red Raiders’ scores.

After Santana’s final tally turned things back in Springfield’s direction, the Cougars’ defensive unit tightened up in front of goalie Katie Bedard (eight saves). Emily Verica, Noelle Morrissey, Lauren Schickling and Shannon Jackson were among the key Springfield defenders.

“We’ve really worked on being more aggressive,” Verica, who is headed to Johns Hopkins University next fall, said. “It’s almost May, and the playoffs will be coming soon.

“The Central League is a tough league, and we know we’ll see a lot of Central League teams when the playoffs start.”

Thursday, the Cougars host Lower Merion for their Senior Day game. Friday, defending state champion Harriton pays a visit to Halderman Field to play a game that had to be postponed when it was scheduled early in the season because of bad weather.

“We know that should be a very good game,” Santana said.

Springfield-Delco 11, Radnor 7

Springfield-Delco 8 3 – 11
Radnor 3 4 – 7

Springfield-Delco
Kate Ryan 5G
Emily Santana 4G 3A
Maggie O’Connell 1G
Emily Paulus 1G
Aly Gormley 1A.
Katie Bedard 8 saves

Radnor
Reilly Masterson 1G 1A
Kaelee Helms 1G
Sara Curley 1G
Megan Massimino 1G
Kate Stanley 1G
Katie Quinn 1G
Hannah Proctor 1G
Emma Bickhart 1A.
Maddie Lally 8 saves

Tags: Radnor, Springfield-Delco