WILMINGTON – Archmere visited Padua for the Pandas’ senior night under the lights at Abessinio Stadium on Oct. 26, and the teams put on a performance suitable for prime time. Lauren Wenger scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, and added an assist as the Auks completed the comeback for a 3-2 win.
After a scoreless first quarter, the teams brought a more aggressive approach to the contest. Padua took the first shot, rushing up the field toward Auks goalie Hadleigh Shaw. Shaw came out of her crease to poke the ball away from the Pandas, then retreated in time to make a diving stop.
Padua kept the heat on for the remainder of the half. A steal resulted in a shot that Shaw stopped, and a Pandas pass went through the crease with just over a minute to go. The Pandas earned three penalty corners in the final minute of the half, including two that occurred with no time left on the clock. On that final corner, Shaw made the initial stop, but Emily Hill (St. Gabriel’s Parish, Norwood, Pa.) was there to collect the rebound about 12 feet in front of the cage, and she hit the open net.
The momentum stayed with the Pandas into the third quarter, but Archmere turned the tide as it went on. An Auks penalty corner with 10 minutes to go was deflected a bit wide, but the Auks struck a few minutes later. A Wenger steal at midfield was sent toward the net, and Juliet Polsky (St. Anthony of Padua Parish) caught up with it and slapped a backhanded shot through Pandas goalie Mollie Murphy with 6:53 to go in the third.
A Pandas steal in the closing minutes of the third resulted in Hill’s second goal. Shaw made a sliding stop of Padua’s first attempt, but Hill found an opening on the rebound to make it 2-1 with 2:30 left in the quarter. Murphy (St. Patrick Parish, Kennett Square, Pa.) kept her team on top with a save on a penalty corner as time expired.
The Auks kept the offensive pressure on as the fourth quarter began, and they earned another corner a minute in. A Padua player deflected the shot over the end line, resulting in another corner opportunity. This time, Wenger set herself up at the post to Murphy’s left. She took a pass from Elaina Ditty and tapped the ball in to knot the score, 2-2, at the 13:08 mark.
The offenses both had opportunities to end the game in regulation. Padua sent a shot off the side of the cage at one point, and Murphy came up with a save at another. The Auks controlled possession for the final six minutes or so of the fourth quarter, but the Pandas’ kept them at bay until the final minute, when Murphy stopped one shot on a penalty corner, and one of her defenders stopped another shot.
Playing seven-on-seven in the 10-minute, sudden-victory overtime session, the offenses went after it from the start. Shaw made a save on an early Padua penalty corner, and the Auks missed just wide on one of their own.
Finally, Anne DeLuca (St. Mary of the Assumption Parish) intercepted a Pandas pass and began the decisive drive. Three passes later, Polsky had the ball far to the left of the goal. She rolled a crossing pass into the scoring circle, where Wenger grabbed the ball away from a diving Murphy. Wenger wound up with a backhand and slammed the ball into the cage to end the game.
Padua outshot the Auks, 11-7, although Archmere had the advantage on penalty corners by the same count. Shaw had 10 saves. The Auks (10-4) wrap up the regular season on Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. against Delaware Military Academy.
Murphy stopped seven Auks shots. Padua (11-3) will face Odessa on Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at Kirkwood Soccer Club in their regular-season finale. Both the Pandas and Auks should be in their respective state tournament fields, which will be announced on Nov. 2.
