By Harry Chaykun
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/18/17
By the end of last week’s spring break, Conestoga senior midfielder Liz Scott was tired.
By the end of the second half of Tuesday night’s Central League showdown with Strath Haven at Teamer Field, Scott was tired of worrying about whether the defending PIAA champion Pioneers would find themselves out of first place in the Central League.
Scott won the overtime draw, took the ball to goal and scored, giving top-ranked ’Stoga (9-1, 5-0) a thrilling 9-8 victory over a much-improved Haven (8-1, 4-1) squad that has established itself as a league contender.
Conestoga had its eight-game season-opening streak stopped in the last of its three games in Georgia last week, falling to Milton High (GA).
“It was a great trip,” said the Loyola (Md.)-bound Scott, who had five goals,three draw controls, three groundballs and two caused turnovers. “We did so many off-the-field things like bungee jumping and go-karting. But by the last game, we were just so tired. We played three good teams down there, and Milton just go us.”
Strath Haven, which trailed at halftime, 6-3, did its best to get after the Pioneers in the second half, earning five draw controls and making the most of its 10 scoring chances. Maddy Ruffini and Margaret Hotham were credited with tying goals before Scott gave Conestoga an 8-7 lead with 2:30 showing on the clock. Ruffini took advantage of a ’Stoga turnover and pulled the Panthers even for the last time 1:12 before the second half ended.
“I guess we made a statement today,” Haven coach Pigeon Graham said. “That was a fun game. Now we have to get ready for Radnor Thursday. We might have been sneaking up on some teams, but I guess that won’t be the case after this game.”
Conestoga senior goalie Anne Fraschella made a key save late in the second half on a play on which it appeared Haven was going to go back ahead.
“Their girl came around the crease and there was a defender on her,” Fraschella said. “I just did everything I could to stop her.”
At the other end of the field, Strath Haven’s Katie Capalbo made a couple of big stops on scoring bids by Scottie Rose Growney.
During the five-minute break before overtime began, Scott made it a point to let her teammates know that she wasn’t going to let them lose.
“I knew we had to turn things around,” she said of the Pioneers’ disappointing play in the second half. “You play with heart and grit and you get the draw and you can win in overtime.”
Conestoga coach Amy Orcutt knew what had gone wrong after the intermission break.
“We just weren’t getting draw controls,” Orcutt said. “But it was good to see that we found a way to win this game.”
Conestoga 9, Strath Haven 8
Strath Haven 3 5 0 – 8
Conestoga 6 2 1 – 9
Strath Haven
Nicole McNeely 2G 1A
Maddy Ruffini 4G
Chloe Brennan 1G
Margaret Hotham 1G
Emily Raech 1A
Eliza Krose 1A
Katie Capalbo 10 saves
Conestoga
Liz Scott 5g (game winner) 3dc 3gb 2ct
Dana Cichitti 1g
Scottie Growney 1g 1a 2dc 1gb
Sydney Sloan 1g
Nia Scott 1g, 1a
Tessa Kerin 1a
Anne Frascella 6 saves