Spring-Ford field hockey advances to district quarters

Spring-Ford field hockey players needed a quick rebound after losing their league title to Boyertown the previous week. The No. 5 seed Rams addressed that challenge on Wednesday night, defeating No. 12 Springfield-Delco 4-0 at Coach McNelly Stadium. The victory eliminates the Cougars from the tournament and moves the Rams to the district quarterfinals.

The game remained scoreless until the middle of the second quarter. Elise Reagan, a senior and leading scorer for Spring-Ford, converted a penalty stroke with 7:16 remaining in the period. She added a second goal exactly one minute later using stick work to bypass the defense and finish in the corner. These two goals created a 2-0 lead for the hosts.

The scoring continued immediately. Ninety seconds after Reagan's second goal, Addie Striffler scored off a corner insert from Mia Keating. The play grew the lead to 3-0. This three-minute stretch of scoring proved difficult for Springfield-Delco to overcome.

Spring-Ford goalie Norah Kirsch anchored the defense during the opening half. The senior, who has committed to Northwestern, recorded seven saves. This performance marked her eighth shutout of the season. Springfield-Delco’s best chance in the first half came from Addison Dath, but Kirsch denied the shot.

"I always want to hold the opponents off the board," Kirsch said. "Not so much for the stats, but goals create momentum. We did that offensively tonight, where one goal turned into two, then three, so quickly."

Reagan completed her hat trick in the second half. She scored just six minutes into the period off another corner kick. The goal brought her season total to 26. Reagan, a recruit for UMass-Amherst, credited her teammates for the opportunities. "On the play that led to the penalty stroke, it looked like the ball was headed out of bounds but (fellow attacker) Kaia Pence didn’t quit on it," Reagan said. "It gave me the opportunity to execute."

Coach Jennie Anderson emphasized the importance of the senior leadership. "(Kirsch and Reagan) have been leaders not just this year as seniors, but their entire careers," Anderson said. "Norah, her defensive play speaks for itself, but her ability to direct our defense is (also) huge. It’s like having another coach playing on the field."

Springfield-Delco finishes the season with a 15-5 record. Seven seniors played their final game, including goalie Riley McGowan, who made six saves. The Cougars had hoped to extend their season, but the physical nature of the Spring-Ford attack limited their options.

The Rams will play No. 13 CB South in the district quarterfinals on Friday. The game is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. at Coach McNelly Stadium. CB South entered the bracket after defeating No. 4 CB West. District One sends seven teams to the PIAA Tournament, meaning the quarterfinalists will likely continue their seasons.