By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/26/23
Agnes Irwin senior defender KK Lerch believes her Owls’ “goldfish” memory paid huge dividends in Thursday’s 7-6 overtime win over Penn Charter in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association championship at Cabrini University.
“I think we’ve had more ups than downs this season, but on our down parts we’ve done such a good job of having what we call a ‘goldfish’ memory – goldfish don’t remember a lot in the past, they look forward,” said Lerch. “If we had a bad day, we’d move on the next day.
“Especially in this game, we had that goldfish memory. if someone made a mistake today, they just got it out of their head. Everyone was super mentally prepared and I think that’s what held us together.”
The top-seeded Owls (15-3) needed that mentality as three times they rebounded from two-goal deficits. In overtime, sophomore Caroline Chisholm dodged for the game-winner with 22.6 seconds.
Chisholm wins it for @agnesirwinowls with 22.6 left in overtime pic.twitter.com/pU3uqvsjCp
— Phillylacrosse.com (@phillylacrosse) May 25, 2023
“The plan was to hold the ball and then I saw an opportunity and I took it,” said Chisholm, who had three goals, an assist, four groundballs, and three draw controls. “Coming into the game, being seeded No 1 meant nothing to us. It’s always a close game with them, we were 1-1 against them this year.
“It’s an awesome feeling to beat them. Winning PAISAA was one of our goals this season.”
Sophomore Catie Holmes added three goals and a groundball and Blair Fox had a goal and three draw controls (100 for the season). Lerch paced the defense with two caused turnovers and an assist.
Second-seeded and defending champion Penn Charter (14-10) had taken a 3-1 lead in the first half and then broke open a 3-3 game in the second half with consecutive tallies by Grace Walter (two goals, one assist) and Gracie Shoup. Holmes pulled the Owls within 5-4 with 13:23 to play in regulation, but Molly Dougherty made it 6-4 with 10:47 to play.
After that, Agnes Irwin’s Fox helped her team dominate the draws and Chisholm fed Fox for a nifty goal off an 8-meter pass to make it 6-5 and Chisholm tied it with 5:57 to play on another 8-meter.
“I think that made the big difference in terms of momentum by winning those possessions on the draw,” said Agnes Irwin coach Lauren Wray. “They (the Quakers) are a great team and we match up so well every time we play them.
“I am really proud of our kids. They really, truly believed they could win the whole game. That’s how they’ve played all season.”
Adidi Foster added a goal and an assist for the Quakers and Bea Bickley scored once. Shoup added an assist, five draw controls, three groundballs and a caused turnover.
When these teams last met, Agnes Irwin won, 11-5. Penn Charter won the first matchup, 8-7, in overtime.
“Honestly, I’m really proud of this team,” said Penn Charter coach Colleen Kelly. “They stuck to our game plan today. The last game (we lost big) to them. They’re very talented so I knew they’d get a good shot off at the end.
“But I am happy about the season. We had a lot of losses, but a lot of good losses. We learned a lot and got better. We really competed in games, just like in this one. They always believed, and we kept getting better and found ourselves right back here in this game. We had some big wins this year znd I am proud of them.”
Lerch was one of only two senior starters on an Agnes Irwin team that used many sophomores in key roles.
“I’m just so proud,” she said. “I was a great effort. And they (the Quakers) put up a heck of a game. Being a senior, this is sp special. Not many seniors get to feel this way and I am so thankful and happy for my teammates.”
PAISAA Championship
Agnes Irwin 7, Penn Charter 6, OT
Agnes Irwin 2-4-1- 7
Penn Charter 3-3-0- 6
Agnes Irwin
Caroline Chisholm – 3g, 1a, 4gb, 3dcs – Game winning goal in OT
Mairyn Dwyer – 2gb, 2dc
Blair Fox – 1g, 3dcs – 100th Draw Control for the 2023 Season
Catie Holmes – 3g, 1gb
Ella Springer – 1gb
Katie Repp – 1gb
Molly Chorin – 1ct, 1gb
Olivia Dianiels – 1gb
KK Lerch – 2ct, 1a
Maggie Mullen – 5 saves, 1ct, 2gb
Penn Charter
Aditi Foster 1g, 1a
Grace Walter 2g, 1a, 2gb
Bea Buckley 1g
Molly Dougherty 1g, 1gb
Gracie Shoup 1g, 1a, 3gb, 1ct, 5dc
Alex Glomb 2gb, 2dc
Isabelle Toomey 1gb
Mia DeBenedetto 1gb, 2ct
Ella Lewandowski 1ct
Kayla Joyce 7 saves
