Lower Merion girls advance in soccer

Julie Reiff wasn't satisfied with her 22 goals this season, so she decided to add another, then top that off with an assist.

The Lower Merion sophomore forward wasn't about to let her season end with a loss to Mount St. Joseph's Academy yesterday. So, she took matters into her own hands, leading the Aces to a 2-0 victory and sending them to the second round of the District 1 tournament against Downingtown East tomorrow.

"She generates a lot," Lower Merion coach Kevin Ries said after the game. "She does all our corner kicks, all our pre-kicks; most of our assists are mostly from her on the left side."

Reiff, who was named first-team all-Central League at the end of the regular season, hasn't slowed down in the postseason. Against Mount St. Joseph's, Reiff headed a ball into the goal off a corner kick in the first half, then added an assist to forward Patricia Neckowicz later in the game.

"I dribbled it toward the far post and shot it," Reiff said, describing Lower Merion's second score. "I'm not sure if it hit the inside post or the outside, but my teammate was there to hit it back in."

While Lower Merion's second goal drew some controversy over whether or not it was a hand ball, it was representative of the attack the Aces displayed throughout the game.

Led by Reiff and Neckowicz, Lower Merion controlled the ball for most of the game. On occasions when Mount St. Joseph's went on the attack, the Aces' defense, anchored by goaltender Rachael Newman and freshman Kiersta Daly, stifled the Magic and returned the ball to Reiff and company.

"Our defense is solid," Ries said. "Daly played at a very high level of club soccer for her whole life. I knew she was going to come in and start for us the moment I met her."

While Lower Merion controlled the action for most of the game, Mount St. Joseph head coach John McGlade said his team played hard despite being the 12th seed.

"I thought it was a pretty even game," he said. "They did contain . . . the ball down here, but I thought the defense was pretty good today and it was just a shame we walked away with a loss."

Ries said he knew Mount St. Joseph would pose a strong challenge, despite being a No. 12 seed.

"Obviously we have the better seed," Ries said. "That means nothing. We were the [No.] 20 seed last year and beat the 13, so I kind of said that to the girls."

Ries noted the physical game that Mount St. Joseph played.

"It's not mostly our game, but we don't back down," Magic coach McGlade said. "We give it back when girls give it to us. That's what I pretty much tell them. You can't get pushed around on the field. I think we proved that today, that we're not going to take that."

Lower Merion will take the day off today before traveling to Downingtown East tomorrow to play the No. 5 Cougars.

They will need the rest. Reiff left the game yesterday with 14 minutes left with an ankle injury, but is expected to play tomorrow.

"We just need to play hard," she said. "We've never gotten past the second round of districts, so we're trying to do it this year."

Mount St. Joseph 0 0 - 0

Lower Merion 1 1 - 2

Goals: Julie Reiff (LM), Patricia Neckowicz (LM).