It was a win two years in the making and the Pirates enjoyed this one a little more than most as they took down Delran 3-1 Wednesday.
“It took us a while to get our team chemistry this year, but this game proved that we’ve got it down now,” Serafina Kennedy said.
Cinnaminson is now 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot. Delran falls to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Patriot.
“We wanted to fix things that didn’t go our way the last time we played them,” head coach Gina Quaranta said.
“Everyone was at the top of their game today and we knew that was what it would take to beat them. Everyone really did their job, which helped to get the win today.”
The Pirates came into the game fresh off a 3-0 loss to Rancocas Valley on Monday looking for answers on offense.
The Bears entered with a 5-0 record in the Patriot, having already beaten Cinnaminson once this season.
Delran opened the game with a goal just 22 seconds in when Lauren Wszolek deposited a rebound into the cage.
“It was very frustrating on the sideline after that first goal came so early,” Quaranta said.
It would be the only goal Pirates keeper Lauren Friedrich would allow on the day as she made 11 saves in the winning effort.
“I was really proud of them to get that goal to tie it up,” Quaranta said. “It was back to the start, all even, and it could’ve been anyone’s game. To fight to get the second and third goal was huge.”
Cinnaminson tied the game nearly nine minutes later when Kennedy took a rebound and slipped it past keeper Jessica Szymanski for her fifth goal of the season.
“We wanted to go as hard as we could, look for the open passes and get past their defense,” Kennedy said of the game plan. “We just didn’t have those connections in the first game.”
Szymanski stopped five shots in the loss.
It was the first goal scored by the Pirates against the Bears since a 1-0 win in the second meeting between the two teams in 2014, which was also the Pirates last win against the Bears.
With 1:10 before the half, Maura Tumelty notched her first goal of the day and eventual game winner.
Kennedy with her second with 1:10 before half. Pirates lead 2-1. @CinnAthletics @CinnaFH pic.twitter.com/R48O6F6cV8
— Cinn City News (@CinnCityNews) September 28, 2016
Tumelty secured the victory with her fourth goal of the season with 13 minutes remaining in regulation.
The three goals allowed today by the Bears matches a single-game season high. Both instances occurred in 3-1 losses (Collingswood).
“We thought of the games we’ve had against them in the past and allowed them to fuel our fire,” Quaranta said. “This was really a great way to come back and show what this program can do and what I’ve believed they can do for a long time.”
Kennedy leads the team in goals with six.
Field hockey hosts Bordentown Friday, September 30 at 3:45pm for a Patriot contest.
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