On a brisk evening, with the field and bleachers still dampened by a rainfall from the night before, the Lady Aces beat their cross-town rival Harriton Rams under the bright lights 3-1.
The match was a close one throughout. The first half was played to a 1-1 tie, though neither team was without opportunities to break it. The defenses were stout though.
The Aces had a near-score at the twenty-five minute mark of the first, but were turned away from an empty net by a Ram backfielder. They got another open look –albeit a distant one– six minutes later, but sailed a kick over the net. The visiting team missed another opportunity to break the tie with a touch under seven minutes remaining in the first half when Callie Page split two Harriton defenders, but couldn't quite outpace them enough to get a clean kick and lost the ball out of bounds.
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The Aces were more effective after the break. This may have something to do with the fact that the Aces spent it recuperating and strategizing, while their opponents gathered at mid-field to pay tribute to their seniors and weather the humiliation of youthful public speaking.
Whatever the cause –Lower Merion, at 7-2-2, is just better, being another viable explanation–the Aces outplayed them. After a barely-wide-left free kick by Kiersten Daly, the teams exchanged fruitless surges up the pitch for thirteen minutes or so before Laura Peterson put the Aces in the lead for good with a goal at the twenty-minute mark of the second half. Julie Reif had missed a on a centering pass intended to be headed in by a too-short teammate, but Peterson was perfectly position to field it and punch it in.
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"I just bobbled it and kicked it in," said the reticent Peterson after the match.
Five minutes later Moira Petrie added to the lead with a corner kick that appeared at first blush to have deflected off the far-crossbar of the goal, but was ruled, after a few beats to have found the net – 3-1 Aces.
Though they failed to score, the Aces threatened several more times before the final whistle blew. The Rams didn't.
"They played extra defenders early," said Head Coach Kevin Reis, explaining his teams early offensive struggles. "But we were able to penetrate."
