Field Hockey: Phantoms Get Point Across to Golden Panthers With Big Win

Phantoms senior Chandler DiFebbo and her teammates had some free time last week.

That was thanks to a “unique,” for lack of a better word, tie-breaking system that the Pioneer Athletic Conference employs, which left Phoenixville as the odd man out of last week's Final Four fray that saw Owen J. Roberts win a third consecutive championship.

She didn’t use that time to catch up on her Facebook friends, or go to the mall to hang out. Instead she and her fellow Phantoms have been patiently waiting for their chance to erase the bitter taste in their mouth when Pope John Paul II supplanted them in the Final Four brackets.

Phoenixville wasted no time in getting the message across as they ran the Golden Panthers into the synthetic turf at Washington Field Tuesday posting a 6-0 rout in the opening round of the PIAA class AA district playoffs.

“We were upset to put it mildly,” said DiFebbo. “We showed today who was the better team. I couldn't be prouder of the way we played today. We came out with a lot of energy and wanted to leave no doubt about who deserved to be here. We kicked butt.”

Kicked butt was an understatement. The Phantoms held an 18-2 edge in shots on goal and used 17 penalty corners to keep the field tipped in the direction of the PJP2 net as DiFebbo got Phoenixville on the board with 25:47 left in the first half.

Phantoms net minder E.J. Werner could have caught up on some light reading during the game as she was forced to make only one save for the entire tilt, thanks to an amazing defensive effort by Melissa Rutherford, Bridget McLoud and senior Sarah Hammaker, along with the forwards getting back to help out in the defensive zone.

“It was important that we got a lead early,” said junior Megan Loughery, who posted two goals and an assist. “This was such a big game for us. We know we can play with anyone and if we continue like today we can beat anyone. This was the best all-around team game I remember playing. We had one mindset as a team today and proved that we deserved to have a chance last week in the PAC-10s.”

Loughery followed up a goal by Ali Meszaros with back-to-back goals off her stick to close out the opening half with a 3-0 lead and boost it to a four-goal edge just three minutes into the second half.

DiFebbo added her second goal of the game to go along with a goal from Rachel Boone and Phoenixville kicked into high gear, closing out the game and getting ready to travel to number two seeded Gwynedd Mercy Academy, who got a good look at the Phantoms as the entire team was in attendance on Tuesday.

“I don’t blame them for being here,” said head coach John Tornetta. “We would do the same thing. That’s the advantage of having the bye. We took care of the ball well today and played like I know we are capable. I am very proud of the way the girls responded. They were disappointed about last week and really came out with a chip on their shoulders.”  

Seventh seeded Phoenixville (11-7-0 overall) will invade Lower Gwynedd on Thursday as they battle the Monarchs in front of their home crowd with a chance to advance to the District One semifinal against the winner of the No. 3 Upper Perkiomen vs. (11 Sacred Heart/ 6 Merion Mercy) match-up.

“Last week was tough for us,” added DiFebbo. “We wanted to be playing and had no choice but to sit by and watch them play in the Final Four because we let them beat us the second time we played. I think we got the point across today. I am so psyched to keep going. Now we have to focus on each game."

Pope John Paul II          0            0            -0

Phoenixville                  3            3            -6

Scoring

First half

25:47   PX            DiFebbo from Loughery

22:08   PX            Meszaros from Boone

10:12   PX            Loughery

Second half

22:22   PX            Loughery from DiFebbo

14:27   PX            Boone

  8:54   PX            DiFebbo