High School Girls Lacrosse: Gansz Nets 100th Goal as Vikings Beat Golden Panthers

Perkiomen Valley senior Amber Gansz recorded the 100th goal of her outstanding career in an 18-7 Pioneer Athletic Conference victory for the Vikings over Pope John Paul II.

Gansz, who will attend Rensselear Polytechnic Institute next fall to pursue a career in biomedical engineering, scored six goals that night. It was on a feed from longtime friend and teammate Andrea Berenato, with 8:16 remaining in the first half, that she eclipsed the century mark.

“I was on the sideline, and I told the coach that I was going in and going to have the assist on Amber’s 100th,” said Berenato, who posted six goals of her own Monday night. “We have played together since we were in seventh grade; it will be so hard when we take these jerseys off for the last time. We are like sisters, and I am so glad I got to feed her the ball on her 100^th goal.”

“I could not have gotten here with out teammates like Andrea,” said Gansz. “We have all come together so much in the last couple of years. I love playing with Andrea and all of the seniors. It will be so sad to have it end, but tonight was really cool. Everybody was really excited for me.”

The Vikings (4-8) got off to a great start, posting a nine-goal flurry to open the contest as Berenato, who scored four goals in the first 10 minutes of the game, and fellow senior Alexa Webb (four goals, three assists) relentlessly peppered the goaltending duo of Jackie Bowe and starter Octavia Dolci with a barrage of vulcanized rubber.

The Golden Panthers (0-13 league) got on the board with 15:24 remaining in the first half as freshman Olivia Torres ripped the ball past Perk Valley net minder Kate Jacobson.

The goal off the stick of the talented Torres opened the floodgates as PJP2 posted six of the next seven goals heading into the intermission, cutting the Vikings lead to 10-6.

Torres scoring two goals in a three-minute span, along with single tallies by Lex Versak (one goal, one assist) and Monica Blakel to compliment back-to-back goals by senior Amanda Fedak (two goals, one assist), really swayed the play in the Golden Panthers direction.

“I was impressed with they (PJP2) battled when we got off to such a good start,” said Vikings head coach Katie Bradley. “We have had moments this season where we just play outstanding. (Then) there are times when we had had lapses, and that is what has made us a little inconsistent, which can be frustrating at times. I was very happy for Amber tonight, and the girls were really into it. (I hope) some of the younger girls see her success and want to have the same thing.”

There is no hiding the fact that there were much higher expectations for Perkiomen Valley as the senior-led squad came into the Pac-10 season. Despite a non-winning season, it has not dampened the spirits of Gansz or her fellow senior teammates.

“We wanted to win more this year and make the final four,” said Gansz. “We let a couple of games get away early in the season, but we have still had so much fun playing with each other. Our team motto this year was 'Winning is fun,' and we have had a great season and know that we will be even better next year as a team.”

The “fun” continued in the second half as the Vikings regained control of the play, outscoring the Golden Panthers by an eight-to-one margin in the second half to seal the win.

Gansz followed up her century breaker by posting three more goals in the second half, bringing her season total to 53, as Berenato, Webb, Bloomsburg bound senior Grace Malizia (one goal, three assists) and senior Taylor Hazard found the twine.

The Golden Panthers may have yet to grab their first league win, but being led by the freshman duo of Torres and Monica Blakel, and junior Lex Versak, it won’t be long until that first victory is celebrated. The future looks bright for the rising stars of Pope John Paul II. 

Perkiomen Valley will host Pottsgrove in a rain makeup game today at 6 p.m. at Thomas J. Keenan Stadium.

Pope John Paul II          6            1            -7

Perkiomen Valley   10            8            -18

Scoring

First  half

24:20   PV            Gansz from Malizia

22:54   PV            Berenato from Malizia

21:27   PV            Gansz from Webb

21:05   PV            Webb from Valerio

17:50   PV            Berenato from Gansz

16:45   PV            Hazard from Berenato

16:34   PV            Berenato from  Malizia

14:54   PV            Berenato from Webb

13:40   PV            Webb 8 meter shot

13:24   PJP            Torres from Shollenberger

12:46   PJP            Versak  8 meter shot

11:07   PJP            Torres

  8:16   PV            Gansz from Berenato (100^th career goal)

  7:08   PJP            Fedak from Torres

  1:16   PJP            Fedak from Versak

    :36   PJP            Blakel from Fedak

Second half

21:07   PV            Gansz

20:24   PV            Berenato

18:38   PV            Berenato from Webb

16:57   PV             Webb  8 meter shot

14:35   PJP            Gina Benevoe  8 meter shot

13:21   PV             Gansz

10:42   PV            Webb from Valerio

  8:18   PV            Gansz

  5:47   PV            Malizia  8 meter shot

Goaltending

Jacobson (PV)  9 saves

Bowes (PJP)  7 saves

Dolci (PJP)   6 saves