Immediately will function probably the most anticipated regular-season scholastic subject hockey recreation in 10 years.
The defending PIAA Class AA champions, Malvern Villa Maria (Pa.), No. 3 within the TopOfTheCircle.com Prime 10, welcome No. 1 Pottstown Hill College (Pa.) the present Mid-Atlantic Prep League champions.
Why is that this match important? As was the case when Newtown Sq. Episcopal Academy (Pa.) traveled to Voorhees Jap (N.J.) this week in 2014, the discuss was not solely concerning the two groups’ histories, however the expertise on the sector. The matchup was between two Youth Olympic Video games teammates, Austyn Cuneo and Margaux Paolino, who each matriculated to the ACC for school.
Immediately’s match options two evenly-matched groups and a raft of fascinating matchups. The rosters of each groups have gamers who prepare with the famend WC Eagles membership aspect, and the mixed faculty commitments record reads like a rostrum of Prime 25 Division I faculty groups — Maryland, Syracuse, Connecticut, North Carolina, and the Loyola (Md.) ladies’s lacrosse staff.
Hill and Villa Maria are at present enjoying extraordinarily good hockey. Hill is 11-0 on the season and is coming off an eight-day break after its final recreation, a 9-0 win over Hightstown Peddie College (N.J.). Villa Maria is 16-0 on the 12 months, and coming off a 15-0 win over Kingston Wyoming Seminary (Pa.).
Each groups have been examined of their schedules by regional powers. Hill beat Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) 2-1 this 12 months in addition to North Caldwell West Essex (N.J.) 1-0. The Rams swept each of their video games on the Nationwide Excessive College Invitational final month, beating Houston Kinkaid (Tex.) 3-0 and Virginia Seashore First Colonial (Va.) 5-1.
The Hurricanes, however, bested Villanova Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Pa.) 2-1 to open the season, and swept Flourtown Mount St. Joseph Academy (Pa.) of their AACA season collection. On the Nationwide Excessive College Invitational, Villa Maria beat Houston St. John’s (Tex.) 3-1 and Ashburn Independence (Va.) 4-0.
When Hill has the ball, control midfielder Aubrey Turner, ahead Mae Dixon, and Riley Savage. On corners, Opal Sparling is generally the primary choice, however the important thing shall be on how the staff is ready to work the variations within the circle. Villa Maria shall be countering with good defensive midfielders in Gabby Balzano, Alexandra Coupe, and Ella Cellini.
When Villa Maria has the ball, Caitlyn Connell is a key scorer and distributor for the Hurricanes alongside Lauren Kurek. Sophomore Jack Shaw is an excellent midfielder, and first-year Georgi Kondrath is exhibiting herself to be a key subject participant. And if the latter surname sounds acquainted, she is the youthful sister of Duke’s Maggie Kondrath, who graduated from The Hill College. Hill will counter defensively with Clare Turner, Sofia Ferri, and Macy Rehak. Ferri is one to be careful for on the transition recreation from protection to offense.
There’s a whole lot of anticipation and emotion coming into at this time’s match, which ought to have the entire ardour and abilities of a grand ultimate.
