WEST ESSEX (3-1) 0 0 1 0 — 1
NOTRE DAME (3-1) 0 1 1 1 — 3
ND: Reese Milone (Kiera Sack), pc, 18th minute
WE: Sophia Sisco (Julia Conforto), pc, 33rd
ND: Kiera Sack (Reese Milone), pc, 38th
ND: Carina Demczyk, fg, 59th
Shots — WE: 4; ND: 12. Saves — WE: Katie Moran 7, defensive 2; ND: Avery Ruggiero 3.
POSTGAME Story to follow
POSTGAME Still some aspects of the game for both of these teams to work on, but both are going to be in the hunt for state championship glory in November
POSTGAME Given the achievements of 2023, both teams are trying to find their footing with seniors graduated and new players in the lineup
PREGAME That being said, Notre Dame was clean in its possession and did very well executing inside the circle
POSTGAME It is notable just how much attacking pressure West Essex brought to bear in the second half while chasing the game. West Essex was unlucky to have not had at least a draw from today’s game
FULL TIME The horn sounds with Notre Dame winning 3-1
58:20 NDPC Sack shoots; whistled down for danger
57:23 ND GOAL But just like that, it is Notre Dame with the goal. Carina Demczyk, a back with a big-time shot, is able to lift the hosts to a 3-1 lead
57:00 Three minutes left; can the Knights equalize? They have tilted the field the last 15 minutes or so in their favor
51:30 WEPC Sack with another intervention to stop the West Essex play
51:00 WEPC Option left broken up by Sack
49:00 Sisco wreaks havoc in the attacking D but the ball falls unkindly for the Knights, who are getting the better chances in this phase of the game
46:10 WEPC Sisco’s first shot is saved; rebound whistled down for danger
45:00 This should be a great fourth quarter; let’s see what develops
END THIRD The horn sounds with Notre Dame leading 2-1
44:59 WEPC Knights with the shotgun to the dashed line and the resulting pass is cleared out, ending the half
44:00 WEPC Adelaide Minnelli has her shot hit a couple of sticks on the right post; ND clears
43:15 Sisco with a burst into the circle and is tackled; a corner is the result
41:15 Timeout, West Essex
37:30 NDPC Sack’s shot hits her own player in the leg; 16Y free out for the Knights
36:36 NDPC and GOAL Kiera Sack blasts the 1-Up and Notre Dame leads 2-1
34:30 Irish try the right wing; tipped over the end line and a 23M is the result
32:33 WEPC and GOAL Sophia Sisco with the 1-Up and we are level at 1-1
31:50 WEPC Option left is tackled, but we will rerack
30:00 The second half is under way
HALFTIME Notre Dame had the “look what I found” penalty corner goal from Milone in the second quarter but each team has found ways to build attacks into the final third
HALFTIME These two teams are playing good fundamental field hockey but you get the feeling that there are some more opportunities in this game
END HALF The horn sounds with Notre Dame leading West Essex 1-0
20:00 NDPC shot saved off the line by Ava Russo; what a play!
19:20 Alarm bells for West Essex as the Irish bolt upfield; a corner results from the tackle
17:30 NDPC and GOAL Reese Milone scoops up an opportune rebound and deposits it into the goal; ND leads 1-0
15:00 The second quarter begins
END FIRST The horn sounds with the sides goalless
12:00 Good shot from the outside by Notre Dame flies wide of the far post
10:50 WEPC Long shot defended by Helen Coogan
10:30 WEPC Shot is defensed, but with a foot. Will rerack
6:45 NDPC Option left is saved by West Essex goalkeeper Katie Moran
1:30 Alex Agostini of West Essex with a hopeful foray on the left wing, but an unfortunate foot
0:00 The game is on
PREGAME Notre Dame is in the white with blue numerals and gold trim; West Essex is in the all-black with red numerals and white trim
PREGAME The teams are warming up on the turf with sunny skies and temperatures at 81 degrees
PREGAME Notre Dame was our TopOfTheCountry trophy winner last year, thanks to an unbeaten record and great scoring up and down the lineup. But as PAISAA champions, every team on its schedule will offer their best game. The Irish already have a loss to Malvern Villa Maria (Pa.), another championship team
PREGAME West Essex is led by junior Adelaide Minnelli, sophomores Julia Conforti and Alex Agustin, and senior back Sophia Sisco
PREGAME Notre Dame is led by Kiera Sack, Maeve McGinley, and Reese Milone
PREGAME West Essex is 3-0 this season, Notre Dame is 2-2
PREGAME Hello and welcome to Burns Field in Villanova, Pa. for today’s interstate matchup between last year’s PAISAA champion Notre Dame and last year’s NJSIAA Group II champion West Essex
