Camryn Zavacky (l), Salome Carr (m) and Kim Polefka (r) defending Easton’s Maddie Caffrey.
The #5 Lady Panthers traveled to Easton yesterday to take on the Lehigh Valley’s #3 ranked team. The Lady Rovers, earlier in the week, had crushed #1 Emmaus 21-12. It was an opportunity for the Panthers to make a huge statement to lacrosse fans across the Valley, but the Panther efforts came up just short. Easton gave up the lead late, but was able to rebound and hold off the Panthers down the stretch. The Rovers survived the Panthers 12-10. With the victory, Easton improved their record to 7-1 while the Panthers slipped to 5-3.
The Panthers and Rovers had to battle for each and every possession.
It only took nine seconds for the high-octane Rover offense to get their first point on the board. Easton followed up the quick strike with another goal about four and a half minutes later. Roughly five minutes into the game, the Panthers were down 2-0.
Saucon sophomore Siobhan Coakley broke the eight minute Panther scoring drought at 17:02, but Easton answered right back to make 3-1 at 12:16. The Panthers and Rovers alternated goals the final ten minutes of the first half. “Mad-Dog” Stump hit net at 8:59 and “Battle-Kat” Naiburg scored with only :47 seconds remaining in the half to keep the Panther deficit to only two. It was a 5-3 halftime lead for the Red Rovers.
Another day in the office for Battle-Kat Naiburg.
Easton started the second half just like they did the first. The Lady Rovers converted another quick strike just seconds into the second half and followed it up with another goal a minute later. A little over a minute into the second-half Easton led Saucon 7-3.
The Panthers, did not go away. They continued to battle and grind with tenacity and effort. Led by Audrey Holland’s goal-keeping, Saucon Valley’s defense stiffened allowing the offense to respond with a trio of unanswered goals by freshman Camryn Zavacky, senior Maddie Zyck and sophomore Katherine Naiburg. Naiburg’s “free start” conversion with 16:39 to play in the game clawed the Panthers to within striking distance at 7-6.
Panther goal keeper Audrey Holland was credited with 20 saves agains the powerful Rover attack.
After eight minutes of Audrey Holland’s “Just Say No To Goals” campaign, the Rovers responded with consecutive goals at 15:47 and 14:42 and extended their lead to 9-6 forcing the Panthers to call a timeout.
And, what a great timeout it was. Following the short break, Saucon Valley quickly shifted the momentum with a five minute scoring frenzy. Only :16 seconds after the timeout Maddie Zyck rolled a bouncer into the back of the Easton goal at 14:26. Then, eighteen seconds later, sophomore Megan Bredbenner found net. Next, Brooke Riefenstahl fired a crisp cross-crease pass to a cutting Maddie Stump who buried the ball in the back of the Red Rover net at 10:30.
Finally, junior Helen Kreshollek capitalized on a darn good lacrosse play to give the Panthers a 10-9 lead. Audrey Holland started the sequence from her goal-keeper position by outletting the ball after a fantastic stop on an Easton scoring attempt. The outlet led to slick Panther transition the length of the field in which Saucon connected on three or four clean passes. The skilled display ended with Kreschollek’s goal and a Panther 10-9 lead at 9:18.
The Panthers rally around Helen Kreschoolek and celebrate her go-ahead goal against Easton.
The defense was the story for the next four minutes. However, as the game wore on Saucon seemed to have run out of gas. Easton tied the score at 5:14 and then re-took the lead at 5:01. With just under two minutes left in the game the final goal and the eventual victory would go to Easton The Red Rovers outlasted the Panthers 12-10 in a spirited and skilled contest.
Lady Panther Goal Scorers v. Easton
- Sr. Maddie Stump (2)
- Jr. Maddie Zyck (2)
- So. Katherine Naiburg (2)
- So. Megan Bredbenner (1)
- So. Siobhan Coakley (1)
- Jr. Helen Kreschollek (1)
- Fr. Camryn Zavacky (1)
** Panther goal-keeper Audrey Holland was credited with 20 saves.**
Mad Dog Stump turns the corner in the crease looking for her second goal against Easton.
UP NEXT: 5-3 Saucon Valley is back in action today with a home contest against 3-5 Pleasant Valley at 4:30 p.m. The Bears own wins over Quakertown, Liberty and Northampton. Easton defeated Pleasant Valley 22-5 on April, 5. There is little doubt that these competitive Panthers will work the hardest to get back on the winning track.
Good Luck Panthers, the Source is with you!
