Mount St. Joe's senior goalie, Gina Sassane, stretches out to make a save early in last week's match at St. Basil's. (Photo by Tom Utescher)

by Tom Utescher

While Villa Joseph Marie maintains its traditional place atop the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies soccer standings, Mount St. Joseph and other teams are jockeying for positions further down the list.

The Magic traveled to St. Basil Academy last Monday for their second-to-last league game, which was the final AACA contest for the host Panthers.

Nearing the end of the 12-game double-round league schedule (AACA member Sacred Heart Academy does not field a soccer team), both the Mount and Basil's had beaten Merion Mercy twice. With an earlier win over the Panthers, the Magic (3-7) were sitting alone in fifth place, while St. Basil (2-9) was hoping to climb into a tie for fifth with a win over the Mounties.

With a little under 20 minutes remaining, MSJ senior Madison Hornig scored off an assist from junior Brynn Lynch, and senior goalie Gina Sassane (14 saves) made the 1-0 lead stand up until the final horn for a Mount victory.

As in the 2018 season, putting the ball in the opponent's net hasn't been easy for the Magic.

As fourth-year head coach Bill Naydan noted, "We're playing well through the midfield and getting the ball up; it's finishing in that attacking third that's been tough. We've changed our formation during the season to try and generate a little more offense, especially from the wings."

The Mount attacked early at Basil's, with senior Kate Taulane sending one shot high and another a little wide of the goal. Later in the opening period, the Panthers made a determined attack along the right wing, and the Mount's Sassane had to made a diving save to keep the home team off the scoreboard.

One of the defenders playing in front of the Magic goalie is senior Caroline Kelly.

"She's been our rock in the back all season," Coach Naydan stated. "She can play the ball with either foot, and she's a player we rarely take off the field."

On a promising run by the visitors late in the half, junior Margaux Rawson fired the ball over the crossbar, and the tally was still 0-0 at the intermission.

Caroline Kelly (right), a Mount senior, contests a head ball with a St. Basil rival. (Photo by Tom Utescher)

St. Basil attacked for a stretch as the second half got underway, but the MSJ defense kept the Panthers' sheet blank. At the other end, Taulane hit a soft volley from the middle of the box outside the left post, and then on a free kick by Basil's up at the Mount 18, the ball bounced off the defensive wall and was picked up by Sassane.

The Magic keeper dashed out to kick the ball away from a charging Panther a little later, and another attack by the hosts was foiled by junior Alex Ritter. Naydan praised the efforts of Ritter and fellow junior Emily Jones as two-way wingbacks.

As the game entered its last 20 minutes, the Mount's Lynch transported the ball along the left wing and passed it in toward the near corner of the box. Hornig ran onto the ball and drove it into the far side of the cage. The resulting 1-0 score would be the final.

The Mounties had a chance to reinforce the lead on a corner kick from the right with about 14 minutes left, but after the ball flew into the box, a shot by junior Camryn Mailey tracked a little outside the far post.

With seven minutes left, the Mount's Sassane was shaken up in a collision but was able to continue playing. A little later, junior Ava Picofazzi left with an injury.

"Ava and Grace Thompson [a senior] have been doing a good job sort of switching off at center back," Naydan noted.

The visitors preserved their lead by attacking much of the time in the closing phase of the contest. With a little over a minute left, Taulane had a shot tipped wide by the SBA goalie, who then deflected a high shot by junior Emily Friel over the crossbar in the final seconds.

In the Mount St. Joe goal, both Sassane and reserve keeper Hannah Phelan are seniors, so the Magic will be looking to this year's JV goalies to step up next season.

Overall, Naydan said, "We're junior-heavy this year. A lot of players who are now getting experience will be back next year, and we'll have a big senior class."

UPDATE: In a non-league match on Thursday, the Magic defeated Marple Newtown High School, 3-1, getting their first goal from Friel and the other two from Hornig.