Lady Aces Tame Lions, 2-1

For the second time in as many home games, the weather was bad. This time though, the Aces weren't, as they hung on to beat the Penncrest Lions 2-1.

Playing through cold, wet conditions at Arnold Field Stadium – it drizzled throughout the game and poured occasionally; all with a temperature in the low-forties – the Aces were dominant defensively and just good enough on the offensive end to eek out a win against their league rival.

Lower Merion went up 1-0 on a Maria Petrie goal early in the game, then added another when Becca Winkler punched one in later in the half. Penncrest snuck one by goaltender Rachel Newell to cut the Lower Merion lead in two going into the half.

In the second period the play tightened. The Aces spent the first thirty minutes of the frame controlling the ball, and occasionally attacking the Lion goal, though not successfully. The Aces, despite only holding a one goal lead, slackened a bit in the final minutes.

The Lions got several shots on goal, held the ball a lion share of the time, and spent a disproportionate amount of time on the Ace side of the pitch. A Lion forward broke past the first line of Ace defense, lost her handle temporarily, regained it in a centered position, and fired a clean shot on goal. The ball slid through a handful of white jerseys, took an oblique bounce off the wet turf, and landed, insecurely, in the arms of Newell.

It was wince inducing, but it was the last scoring chance the Lions got. Time expired with the Aces up 2-1.

The Aces staff was happy with the win. Considering the circumstances, the girls performed.

"We possessed the ball really well," said assistant coach Tara Shaw, alluding to Lower Merion's apparent "the best defense is a good offense" philosophy.

"We played well together as a team, and we hung together in this weather. When the conditions are like this, it's always a test."

This time, it was a test the Aces passed.