By Harry Chaykun
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/19/15
When Kim Wenger went through the interview process for the head coaching position at Great Valley, she made one thing perfectly clear.
“I said I was here to win a state championship,” Wenger said at Haverford High’s Cornog Field Tuesday, after the fourth-seeded Patriots had knocked off No. 1 seed and No. 1 ranked Conestoga, 12-11, in a PIAA District One semifinal.
Great Valley, which trailed at halftime, 7-5, and gave up the first goal of the second half, then scored five in a row and seven of eight to take control of the game. Kristen Knaff, who finished with five goals and one assist, scored three times and set up a goal during the GV outburst.
Goalie Mia Tornetta had 10 saves and an interception.
The fourth-seeded Patriots (18-3) will face third-seeded Harriton at 7 p.m. at Haverford High in the District 1 title game. The Rams toppled Radnor, 13-11.
“We were down two, and we had to work and not let the game get away,” Knaff said. “My teammates all were helping me. We all know we have to help each other.”
Great Valley battled through some weather issues to get in a good practice Monday.
“It was raining, so we had to work inside,” Knaff said. “We worked on everything we wanted to, and doing this tonight has been so great.”
Ashlyn Smith and Olivia Muscella helped out for the Patriots with three goals apiece while Monica Borzillo had three goals and two assists and Scottie Rose Growney got three goals and one assist for Conestoga, which was playing without head coach Amy Orcutt, who was in North Carolina for a funeral.
“We put ourselves in position to get the ball in the second half,” Wenger said, after her team earned a 7-5 draw control advantage after halftime. “We spent more time on attack, which put more pressure on their defense.
“The girls said if we had the ball, they weren’t going to score. This was one of those games where you can’t spend time being happy or getting upset. You just have to concentrate on what adjustments need to be made and get them made.”
Great Valley 12, Conestoga 11
Great Valley 5 7 – 12
Conestoga 7 4 – 11
Great Valley: Kristen Knaff 5G 1A, Ashlyn Smith 3G 1A, Natalie Hahn 3G, Linnea Hughes 1G 1A.
Conestoga: Monica Borzillo 3G 2A, Scottie Growney 3G 1A, Liz Scott 2G, Sondra Dickey 2G, Rilee Scott 1G.
Saves: Mia Tornetta (GV) 10, Jules Horning (Con) 2, Laney Stenson (Con) 5.
