Manheim Township claims 2016 L-L girls' soccer title
LITITZ – Manheim Twp. won the Lancaster-Lebanon League girls' soccer title by taking control of the final in the second half, defeating Elizabethtown 2-1 Thursday night at Warwick.
The Blue Streaks (18-1), avenging a loss in the L-L final to the Bears (20-1) last season, started to apply consistent pressure in the offensive third about 10 minutes into the second half.
Manheim Twp.'s first couple of good looks were denied. Allison Heckman had an apparent goal after getting a shot into the top right of the net with 26:42 remaining, but it was waved off on a hand ball. Ninety seconds later, Briana Bracero played a loose ball away from a prone Elizabethtown goalie, but her shot went off the ankles of a Bear defender.
Aubrey Suydam was able to break the scoreless tie soon after that, scoring off of an assist from Cashlin Copley for a 1-0 lead with 23:58 remaining.
Elizabethtown was able to move downfield in its attempt to tie the game, but was not able to register many shots on frame. Though the Bears had six shots on goal in the first half, they had only three in the second half.
Heckman scored an insurance goal for the Blue Streaks with 3:40 left, with an assist from Copley.
The Bears got on the board with 18.4 seconds left, when Jaime Marsico put back a rebound off of Talia Grynkewicz's free kick.
That late goal may have spoiled Delaney McKnight's shutout, but she was key in keeping the first half scoreless. She made six saves in the opening 40 minutes. That included one stop of a nicely struck shot from 20 yards out by Grynkewicz eight minutes into the contest.
The Bears best chance came in the middle of the first half, getting back to back corner kicks after shots by Katie Anton. The last last of the corners resulted in a shot off the crossbar by Marsico.
The Blue Streaks had only one shot on goal in the first half, though they did have a few scoring chances.
Kiersten Scott had a header in the middle of the box with 29 minutes left in the half, but it just went over the crossbar. Six minutes after that, Bracero snuck through the Bears' defenders and was onside by about a foot, but Elizabethtown goalie Carlee Reed came out of the net and made a sliding save.
Manheim Twp. finished with four shots and two corners.
Elizabethtown had five corners. Reed made two saves.