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GIRLS' SOCCER: Elizabethtown rolls Lampeter-Strasburg, 5-0


ELIZABETHTOWN - While one side of Elizabethtown girls' soccer team was a wall, the other side was breaking-through.

On the strength of its veteran back-line and a career-high five goals from forward Talia Grynkewicz, the Lady Bears blew past the Lampeter-Strasburg Lady Pioneers 5-0 on a breezy Saturday afternoon to remain undefeated in the Section Two standings.

With Grynkewicz tallying a hat-trick in the game's first 20 minutes, Elizabethtown (7-0 Section Two, 8-2 overall) erased the memories of Friday's nonleague defeat at Hempfield by blitzing Lampeter-Strasburg (4-3, 4-6) up the middle early and often.

"I think it was just because yesterday we had a tough loss to Hempfield and we just kind of wanted to come off strong again," Grynkewicz said of the fast start. "We're trying new things on forward, trying to do a lot more moving around and switching and I think that really worked out."

What isn't new is the Lady Bears' willingness to spread the ball, each first-half goal assisted by a different player.

Four minutes into the contest, freshman Sierra Reed crossed into the box for Grynkewicz's finish off the right post, the ball deflecting over Pioneers' keeper Bella DeCamillo and into the net for the game's first goal.

At the 17 minute mark, Maddie Mohr's 10-yard touch pass up the gut fed Grynkewicz, who outworked L-S defender Ellie Straus for the finish.

Three minutes later, it was Jamie Marsico with the long assist into the box, Grynkewicz going top-shelf for her fourth hat-trick this season, not to mention having scored her previous career high four goals in last season's PIAA quarterfinals.

"Most of the girls besides Sierra, we've been working with each other the past two years," Grynkewicz said of all the friendly assists, "but Sierra came in and she was ready, and yea, I think she's getting along with all of us and we're all working well together."

Likewise working well together was the Bears' backline of Elise Forry, Kendra Herr, Megan Stolzfus, Katie Anderton, and sub Samantha Bostdorf, holding L-S without a shot on-goal in the first half.

"We've definitely been a wall this season," said Forry, who ended the Pioneers' lone first-half scoring chance when she cut off L-S striker Kendal Ream eight minutes in. "We've been working well with each other for a whole two years."

The defense has also been integral in the Bears' offensive success, feeding the ball to midfielders Mohr and Hannah Keener for the fast-break opportunity.

"Instead of making a bunch of little passes," began Forry, "we're trying to work it straight forward and connect with the offense as much as possible.".

After Grynkewicz darted up the middle just 1:08 into the second half for her fourth goal and a 4-0 lead, the Pioneers mounted some offensive pressure of its own. But Bears' goalkeeper Joy Hileman (3 saves) denied L-S forward Kristen Worry, subsequently punching away an ensuing L-S corner.

Pioneers' keeper DeCamillo made several similar-type plays, although Grynkewicz would score her fifth goal - and 17th of the season - at the 49-minute mark by drawing DeCamillo out of the box, weaving to the right and powering the ball into the wide-open net. "Honestly, I haven't been finishing well recently but I was just kind of relaxed today," Grynkewicz said, the junior going 5-for-5 in shots.

It probably helped that the entire Elizabethtown side was playing well, too.

"We just want to play well as a unit," Forry said about the team's mindset. "It's not about one person, it's all of us together because if we're not, if one of us is off than everyone is, so it's just important that we play together."

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Girls' High School Soccer

L-L Section Two

Elizabethtown 5, Lampeter-Strasburg 0

LS 0 0 - 0

ET 3 2 - 5

Lampeter-Strasburg Scoring: NA

Lampeter-Strasburg Assists: NA

Elizabethtown Scoring: T. Grynkewicz 5 (4:00, 17:00, 20:00, 42:00, 49:00)

Elizabethtown Assists: S. Reed, M. Mohr, J. Marsico

Corners-Shots on Goal: LS 3-3, ET 3-6

Saves: LS B. DeCamillo 0, ET J. Hileman 3