Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/21/23 – From Staff Report
Penn Charter junior Aditi Foster believes today’s 8-7 overtime win over top-ranked Agnes Irwin demonstrates how much her Quakers have grown.
“This game is huge for us,” said Foster, who scored five goals and had the game-winner off an 8-meter with 9 seconds left in overtime. “We didn’t start off hot, with our first game being a loss (9-8) at home to Springside Chestnut Hill. Our next Inter-Ac game was a (13-5) loss to EA, and we committed about 20 turnovers. We’ve been taking each game as another opportunity to prove ourselves, and we’ve been getting better each and every time.
“We grew from those two league losses and knew we had more in us, and it has all been coming together lately. This win just really showed our resilience and that we can be the best if we really just believe in ourselves and our teammates.”
Penn Charter, which started 2023 at 0-4 and was 2-5 after the loss to EA, has won its last four games and is now 2-2 in the Inter-Ac. Foster also had three assists, three draw controls and two groundballs while goalie Kayle Joyce posted 16 saves. and Gracie Shoup collected one goal, one assist, three groundballs, three draws and a caused turnover.
Agnes Irwin (6-2, 3-2) entered the week ranked No. 1 by Phillylacrosse.com and was ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation. The Owls, who fell to Episcopal Academy, 5-4, on Tuesday, were led by Caroline Chisholm (2g, 1a, 2ct, 3dc), Blair Fox (1g, 2ct, 3gb, 4dc) and Kelsey Young (2g).
Foster noted that Joyce made a key save on the first possession of overtime and Shoup set her up for a dodge to the goal, which resulted in the 8-meter opportunity.
What were the keys to the victory?
“To start off, I think we had amazing energy as a team, and everyone played for something bigger than themselves – which is something we really pride ourselves with as Penn Charter Girls Lacrosse players,” said Foster, who is uncommitted. “It’s something our coaches emphasize to us often.
“Each and every person gave everything they had, which was just awesome to be a part of, and it just makes you want to do all the better, being surrounded by this. We knew Agnes Irwin was going to come out fighting, and they did just that. Our defense played great today, and were doing a great job shutting down their main scorers, and Kayla Joyce made some amazing saves.
“We were down 4-3 at half, and we made adjustments as we went, coming out into the second half scoring a handful of goals. Our offense was really clicking and we moved the ball well, hitting the ‘one-more’ pass, something we’d been practicing lately. Gracie Shoup and Bea Buckley did a great job facilitating the ball and leading our offense to be patient, and Alex Glomb did great, getting scrappy plays all over the field.”
Foster also credited defenders Nora Maione, Ella Lewandowski, Olivia Summers and Bella Toomey for their efforts.
Penn Charter has benefited from a brutal early-season schedule, Foster said.
“Our confidence has really risen as a team ever since our Georgetown Visitation win last Thursday,” she said of the 12-11 overtime win. “We started out with an extremely tough schedule, playing nationally ranked teams, which has only prepared us for games like today’s, once again, playing against a very strong nationally ranked team.
“It’s been so much fun to be surrounded by teammates who trust in you, and since we were more of a newer team this year, we didn’t have as much experience with each other coming into the season. Our coaches have been great, preparing us mentally for our season so far. We focus on bringing the best version of ourselves as teammates to one another, and the chemistry has just flown from there.
“It’s awesome to see everything connecting, and it really has just sprouted from believing in not only ourselves, but in each of our teammates, and knowing that every single one of us has each others backs. Our motto as a team is Win the Day, and we did just that against extremely tough competition.”
Penn Charter 8, Agnes Irwin 7 (overtime)
Agnes Irwin
Caroline Chisholm – 2g, 1a, 2ct, 3dc
Mairyn Dwyer – 1ct, 1dc
Blair Fox – 1g, 2ct, 3gb, 4dc
Catie Holmes – 1g, 1gb, 1dc
Ella Springer- 1a, 1dc, 1gb
Molly Chorin – 1gb
Hunter Fleitas – 1g, 1a
Kelsey Young – 2g
Emma Tayloe – 1ct
KK Lerch – 1ct
Maggie Mullen – 6 saves, 1gb
Penn Charter
Harbor Campbell 1GB
Aditi Foster 5G 3A 2GB 3DC (game winner)
Nora Maione 1CT
Bea Buckley 1G 1GB 2CT
Grace Walter 1G 1A
Ella Lewandowski 1GB
Alex Glomb 2GB 1DC
Gracie Shoup 1G 1A 3GB 1CT 3DC
Bella Toomey 1GB
Ava Diaz 2A
Kayla Joyce 16 saves