WILMINGTON – Saint Mark’s put the heat on Tower Hill from the start, scoring four times in a five-minute span in the first half on the way to a 5-0 girls soccer win on May 3.
The Spartans had a goal disallowed in the eighth minute, but that was about the only thing that didn’t go their way in the first half. In the 10th, Whitney Evancho sent a long through ball toward the Hillers’ defensive end, and Ava Danese caught up to it and was one-on-one with Tower Hill goalkeeper Sienna Nygard. Danese went low and to the right for the 1-0 lead.
Saint Mark’s got the ball back quickly, and this time, Evancho was the scorer. She was open in front, and the inbounder hit her with a pass for a shot to the left side of the net. Spartans goalkeeper Emma Gibbons had to make a few saves immediately after that, and after the second, Saint Mark’s countered. They moved the ball upfield to Danese, who drilled her second of the afternoon.
Finally, the Spartans earned a corner kick in the 15th and turned that into their fourth goal. The inbounds pass soared high through the 6-yard box, and the tallest Spartan, Ava Frohnapfel, went up and headed the ball over the line.
Both keepers made some good saves as the first half moved on, including a lunging stop by Gibbons on a free kick from the Hillers. Possession was even throughout the second half, but scoring opportunities were minimal. Joy Baffone wrapped up the scoring in the 72nd minute
Final statistics were not available Sunday afternoon, although Gibbons had three saves. Saint Mark’s (9-1) travel to Ursuline on May 7 at 4 p.m. before hosting defending Division I state champion Middletown the next day at 3:45 p.m. The Hillers (6-6) visit St. Andrew’s on May 5 at 4 p.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
