The RDA’s girls showed that a six-week hiatus from game action appears to have done little to slow their momentum. For the first time after a state-mandated halt to play and for the first time in 2021, the Hounds took the field last weekend at the rescheduled PA Classics Winter College Showcase at locations across east-central Pennsylvania, and stacking wins was the norm on this trip. Three of the RDA sides finished the weekend atop their group with perfect 3-0 records — the 2006 East Girls, the 05 Girls, the 04 Girls — and the 02/03 Composite Girls also won their group at 2-0-1.
The lone East team to take part, the 06 East Girls, made the most of the trip with a nearly flawless 9-1 goal difference in their three wins. Ava Yurko netted the lone goal in the team’s closest match, a 1-0 win over Sting PA, and Robin Reilly scored twice in a second straight clean sheet, 4-0 over FC Bucks. Reilly added two more to close things in a 4-1 win over Hershey FC, and Kierstyn Maxey also netted her second of the weekend in the final match.
For the 05 Girls, it came down to finish in their last match, but Lucia Wells’ second goal of the weekend sealed a 1-0 win over the host club. The coaches hailed the team’s defensive play and noted strong play by Piper Coffield, Bella Vozar, Sophie Spatafore, Ella Bulava, Regan Casper and Eliana Davin. That win came after a first day that saw Ava Boyd’s hat trick spark a 4-2 comeback win over Warrington FC and another clean sheet, 3-0 over FC Delco.
The 04 Girls didn’t keep a clean sheet, but they had more than enough scoring pop to defeat Penn FC, 2-1; FC Revolution, 5-1; and Philadelphia SC, 2-1. Kendall Walton recorded a hat trick in the second match, which put her atop a balanced scoring weekend that saw seven different players find the net.
For the 02/03 Composite Girls, the second match was a difficult battle to get a 1-1 draw with Philadelphia Coppa, but an outstanding goal by Reese Enochs was enough to get the point. That draw and an earlier 2-1 win had them in position entering the final match, and Sarah Powell, Natalie Vilchek, Casey Brieier and Halle Marsalis powered the team into first with a 4-1 win over Lititz Youth.
Also of note with an unbeaten weekend were the 04 Regional League Girls, who went 2-0-1 but missed out on the top spot on goal difference despite finishing the weekend with a come-from-behind, 2-1 win over PA Classics fueled by two Isabella Dapra goals in the second half.
For more details and the rest of the results from the weekend, check out the Live Results page HERE, which will continue to be updated frequently as the RDA gets back to normal action in 2021.
Sunday, Jan. 17
At the PA Classics Winter College Showcase:
• The 06 East Girls closed out a perfect weekend with a 4-1 win over Hershey FC. Robin Reilly added two more goals to her showcase total, and Delanna Colarusso and Kierstyn Maxey also scored for the Hounds. Not only did the side win all three matches, but the weekend served some good developmental lessons for the first action of 2021.
• Also making it a 3-for-3 weekend was the 05 Girls, who snagged a 1-0 win over the host club. Lucia Wells rounded the goalkeeper to tap in the lone goal in the second half. The team was excellent defensively, with top performances from Piper Coffield, Bella Vozar, Sophie Spatafore, Ella Bulava, Regan Casper and Eliana Davin.
• A 4-1 win over Lititz Youth completed a 2-0-1 record for the 02/03 Composite Girls. Sarah Powell, Natalie Vilchek, Casey Brieier and Halle Marsalis scored in the victory, which wrapped up an excellent weekend by the full squad.
• The 02/03 Girls were unfortunate to have the first goal of the game disallowed, and injuries and fatigue caught up to the team when they conceded a pair of late goals in a 2-0 loss to PA Classics.
• The 06 Girls were punished for some defensive frailties in a 4-0 loss to PA Classics. The Hounds had some decent passages of play, but the team will have some things to work on going forward into the year.
Saturday, Jan. 16
At the PA Classics Winter College Showcase:
• The 04 Girls were convincing double winners by topping Penn FC, 2-1, and FC Revolution, 5-1. The Hounds fell behind 1-0 to an early second-half corner against Penn FC, but Aleena Ulke leveled the score two minutes later from a Kendall Walton corner. Abby Weis then netted the game winner on an assist from Audrey Bianco, who played through contact to make the pass. The second match saw Bianco open the scoring and Walton score a hat trick while also assisting Londynn Gonzalez. Gwen Howell, Jessica Mihalik and Bianco assisted Walton’s three.
• Ava Boyd’s hat trick got things rolling in a two-win day for the 05 Girls, who beat Warrington FC, 4-2, and FC Delco, 3-0. Alexis Tylenda scored the other goal in the opener, in which the Hounds trailed 2-1 before rallying. The second match was an outstanding full-team effort, with Boyd, Lucia Wells and Tylenda scoring the goals. Fiona Mahan and Lola Abraham were superb in the midfield in front of a back line that was extremely good to earn the clean sheet.
• The 02/03 Girls started things off with a 3-1 win over FC Bucks after shaking off some adversity. The team fell behind and lost a major attacking option in Tessa Dellarose to injury after 10 minutes. Melissa Riggins picked up the slack by scoring twice, and Tatum Gretz also netted one in the comeback win. The side fell in their second game, 2-1 to FC Delco. Jayden Sharpless had the Hounds ahead 1-0 from a free kick, but the team faded in the second half and fell to a late winner.
• The 06 Girls had some highs and lows, starting with a 5-0 win over North Union United. Kristi Gorman scored twice in the first seven minutes, and Atleigh Ciprich scored before the break in her Hounds debut. Ava Brucker and Ally Ruiz finished the scoring from more great team combination play in the second half. The second match saw the side hit a roadblock, as a good FC Delco side handed them a 5-0 defeat. Despite being scoreless at the break, Delco punished defensive errors and then ran up the score as the Hounds were forced to chase the game.
• The 06 East Girls also were double winners, as they nipped Sting PA by a 1-0 score before running past FC Bucks, 4-0. Ava Yurko was the only player able to solve an excellent Sting goalkeeper, though the Hounds definitely had the best of play in the first match. The second win was earned with a mature team performance in which Robin Reilly scored twice, and Emma Stovar and Kierstyn Maxey also had goals.
• The 02/03 Composite Girls started slow but got better throughout in a 2-1 win over Hershey SC. Great combination play led to both goals, which were scored by Casey Breier and Mikaela Small. The team finished the day with a 1-1 draw against Philadelphia Coppa that featured the likely goal of the day by Reece Enochs. That strike secured a deserved point, as the team battled through tired legs late.
• Makenna Sansotta’s first-half goal was enough to get the 04 Regional League Girls a 1-0 win over Southern Chester County SA. Aleah Parison was very solid in net to record the clean sheet for the Hounds.
• The 05 Regional League Girls fell behind in the first minute and couldn’t find the net, as they fell to Lancaster Elite by a 2-0 score. Mariana Dorsch and Lilly Hillegas were strong on defense for the Hounds in defeat.
