Spring-Ford Field Hockey: Hat Trick and Shutout Advance Rams
Elise Reagan scored three times while Norah Kirsch posted her eighth shutout of the season, leading Spring-Ford past Springfield-Delco 4-0.
By James Mitchell ·
Spring-Ford field hockey needed a fast rebound after losing last week’s PAC championship game to Boyertown. The No. 5 seed Rams delivered on Wednesday night, defeating No. 12 Springfield-Delco by a score of 4-0 at Coach McNelly Stadium.
The game remained scoreless until midway through the second quarter. Elise Reagan converted a penalty stroke with 7:16 remaining in the period to break the deadlock. She added her second goal exactly one minute later using a low shot into the corner of the cage. A third goal followed ninety seconds after that, giving Spring-Ford a 3-0 lead in a three-minute span.
Addie Striffler scored the third goal after Mia Keating delivered a corner insert. The Cougars attempted to stop Reagan near the top of the circle, which left Striffler open to finish the play. Reagan completed her hat trick six minutes into the second half on another corner kick. The Rams earned 10 corner kicks on the night.
Norah Kirsch recorded eight saves to secure her eighth shutout of the season. The senior goalie committed to Northwestern University described her approach as holding opponents off the board. She noted that the rapid succession of goals created momentum for the team.
“I always want to hold the opponents off the board,” Kirsch said. “Not so much for the stats, but goals create momentum. We did that offensively tonight, where one goal turned into two, then three, so quickly.”
Coach Jennie Anderson praised the leadership of Reagan and Kirsch. She described Kirsch as functioning like an additional coach on the field due to her ability to direct the defense. Anderson also highlighted Reagan’s finishing ability, noting that the team relies on these seniors to perform in high-pressure situations.
Springfield-Delco finished its season with a 15-5 record. Seven seniors played their final game, including goalie Riley McGowan, who made six saves. The Cougars will not return to the field this season.
Spring-Ford, which improved its record to 16-4-1, advances to Friday’s quarterfinals. They will face No. 13 CB South at 3:45 p.m. at Coach McNelly Stadium. CB South earned its bid by defeating No. 4 CB West. District One receives seven of the 16 bids to the PIAA Tournament, meaning only one quarterfinalist will be eliminated from the state tournament field.
