By Harry Chaykun
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/14/24
Before the game at Agnes Irwin’s Phelps Field began Tuesday afternoon, the host team’s players as well as those from visiting Episcopal Academy donned pink shirts and stood at attention facing their team’s bench.
Mention was made that it was the Penny’s Flight Foundation’s “Play 4 Penny Day,” honoring the memory of Penny Doerge, a friend of an Agnes Irwin student who died in November 2022 of Neurofibromatosis, a form of cancer that resulted in more than a dozen surgeries in the 16 years Penny lived.
“I’m a member of Penny’s Flight Foundation,” said AI senior Ella Springer. “It’s amazing to be able to support something that is so close to my teammates and Penny’s friends.
“It’s very important that we are able to do this, and that Episcopal joined with us in supporting what all of this meant.”
Springer showed her passion for the cause by scoring all three of her goals in the second half, including the ultimate game-winner as Agnes Irwin earned a 9-8 decision over Episcopal and kept alive its hopes of earning a tie for first place in the Inter-Ac League.
The Owls (12-4, 7-2, No. 3 in Phillylacrosse Rankings) can grab a share of the title with No. 1 EA (18-2, 8-2) with a win over Springside-Chestnut Hill on Thursday. Both of Episcopal Academy’s Inter-Ac losses this season have come to Agnes Irwin, which has won seven straight league games after dropping its first two to Penn Charter and Academy of Notre Dame.
“We’re always looking forward to playing EA,” said Springer, signed with Johns Hopkins University. “Our (Inter-Ac) season got off to a slow start with those two losses (to Penn Charter and Notre Dame).
“We’ve been playing our best lately, and we knew we’d have to be at our best if we wanted to win this game today.”
A big key for Agnes Irwin was its defense. Close defenders Naomi Kim (2CT), Olivia Daniels (1CT), Kelsey Young, Emma Tayloe (2GB, 1CT), and Maggie Dooley stood out for Agnes Irwin in front of Maggie Mullen (6 saves). Midfielders Caroline Chisholm, Blair Fox (1G, 7DC) and Catie Holmes also excelled on defense.
Agnes Irwin head coach Lauren Wray had a one-word answer to her feelings after her team’s success.
“Excited,” Wray said. “These teams just know each other so well. When we asked our girls to do something, they did a great job of doing whatever it was that we were asking.”
Both teams scored three goals in the opening quarter. Junior Chisholm got a pair and Springer set up Mairyn Dwyer (three draw controls) for Agnes Irwin and Sydney Richter had a goal and an assist for EA.
Maura Irish scored in the third minute of the second quarter and assisted on a Richter goal seven seconds before the period ended to put Episcopal ahead at halftime, 5-3.
“They were playing two different defenses,” Wray said. “We had to make adjustments in the way we were attacking on offense.”
The third period belonged to Agnes Irwin, 4-0. Chisholm opened the scoring, then Springer notched a pair and Blair Fox, who chipped in with seven draw controls, put in a shot one minute before the period ended, assisted by Dwyer.
“We practiced against the zone they played against us the last time,” Springer said. “But they shifted and played man before they went back to the zone. We knew we had to look for more options as we passed the ball around.”
Sofia Gagliardi got EA close in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but Dwyer fired home her second score a minute later. That was when the defenses took over for five minutes
Episcopal Academy got strong defensive support from Irish, Avery Le, Quinn Whitaker, who also had five draw controls, Caitlin McCarthy, Jenna Morley and Abigail Schwartz in supporting goalie Grace Holland (5 saves).
Le got an EA goal, assisted by Richter with 5:18 to play. Again it took Agnes Irwin only about a minute to answer as Springer completed her hat trick with the clock reading 4:27.
A goal by EA’s Katherine Dente with 52 seconds to play was negated when Fox earned possession on the draw, allowing the Owls to take time off the clock.
“Any season in which we can beat EA twice is special,” Springer said.
EA is the No. 1 and Agnes Irwin is No. 2 when the Independent Schools state championship tournament begins later this week. The title game will be played Thursday, May 23 at Villanova University.
“We’ve both got to make sure we make it there before we can talk about anything like that,” Chisholm said.
Agnes Irwin 9, Episcopal Academy 8
Episcopal Academy 3 2 0 3 – 8
Agnes Irwin 3 0 4 2 – 9
Episcopal Academy
Syd Richter 1g 2a 2dc
Kate Dente 3g 1a
Sof Gagliardi 1g
Quinn Whitaker 1a 5dc 1cto 1gb
Maura Irish 2g 1a 2cto 2gb
Avery Le 1g
Caitlin McCarthy 3ct 1gb
Jenna Morley 1gb
Grae Holland 5 saves
Agnes Irwin:
Elle Brady – 1a, 1gb
Olivia Daniels – 1ct
Ella Springer – 3g, 1a
Caroline Chisholm – 3g, 3dcs
Mairyn Dwyer – 2g, 1a, 4dcs
Blair Fox – 1g, 7dcs
Naomi Kim – 2ct
Rowan Lawrence – 1a
Emma Tayloe – 1ct, 2gb
Maggie Mullen – 6 saves
