Bonduce steps up as Scullin and her Great Valley team mates fire 40 shots at Unionville net By Dave Conard Sports Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com
Annabeth Donovan battles the Patriots attckers in a 17-4 loss
EAST MARLBOROUGH—Great Valley head coach Joe Tornetta, whose Patriots club is ranked by many as one of the top two teams in the state, wasn’t taking any chances as Great Valley made the trek down Route 202 and US1 to take on Unionville.
In preparation for the show down between two of the Ches-Mont titans, neither of which had suffered a defeat coming into the tilt and combined to mount an 11-0-1 record thus far in the season, the veteran coach pulled out some video from 2005 and 2008.
In the footage pulled from the “vault”, players like senior capatain Cat Shaughnessey and junior attacker Emily Scullin witnessed the Indians taking it to the Patriots, who are in search of their first state title, and Tornetta’s message apparently was received with zero distortion as Great valley rolled to a 17-4 Ches-Mont win.
If the two squads meet somewhere down the road in the post season, one Indian who will not need to watch video of Saturdays game to get fired up is junior goaltender Nikki Bonaduce, who had seen just about enough of the Pats attackers for her liking by mid way through the second half.
“I won’t forget this game,” said Bonaduce, who had an outstanding game in net despite what the scoreboard might indicate. “I don’t like losing and this sucked. We will flush this one away and get back to work on Tuesday night trying to get another win.”
Unionville net minder Nikki Bonaduce out duels Great Valley forward Brittany Edwards
Bonaduce (17 saves for the game) was sensational through the first fifteen minutes enduring the Great Valley onslaught that has run over such District One contenders as Boyertown, Spring-Ford and Downingtown East in the two weeks, preventing the Pats from jumping out the an early big lead.
Scullin, who netted five goals on the day, got the scoring started at the 20:08 mark of the first half, but was quickly equaled less than two minutes later, when Unionville’s Kelly Close scored the first of her three goals, knotting it at one.
“We knew Unionville is probably our biggest challenge in the league,” said Catherine Shaughnessey who has committed to William and Mary on a lacrosse scholarship. “Earlier in the week we watched taped of 2005 to get ready for today, they have always played us tough, this was a huge win for us.”
Great Valley middie Ali Karwoski put the visitors back on top with the first of her three goals on the day with 18 minutes remaining in the first half, but again the Indians answered right back as Close posted her second tally less than 30 seconds later.
“Our defense has really been working well together all year,” added Bonaduce. “Today is not us, that is not how we play, we just didn’t adjust well, but it is no reason to get away from what we do well, I hope we see them down the road somewhere.”
The Patriots (7-0-0) took the lead again at the 16:04 mark as Karwoski got her own rebound after a remarkable save by Bonaduce, with out who’s outstanding play the score may have 30-4, to give Valley a 3-2 margin.
Scullin’s goal with seven minutes remaining in the opening half, on an over the head with her back to the net shot, opened the floodgates as Great Valley scored 14 of the games last 16 goals en route to running clock win.
The game got physical between Unionville and Great Valley
“My teammates call it making a “lay up”,” said Scullin of what has become her trademark scoring play. “Goalies are not usually looking for me to shoot with my back to them, it’s juts something I tried once and have been successful with it. We have really come together as team this season and beating a great team like Unionville can only boot our confidence.”
By all accounts, Saturday’s loss was not indicative to the level of play that the Indians have become accustomed to under head coach Wendy Landry and will more than likely be just a speed bump in the road to the post season for Unionville (4-1-1).
“For some reason we just came out flat today,” said Landry. “I don’t know why but we just weren’t ready for a game like that and they (Great Valley) came in fired up. Going forward, I just told the girls to remember how they are feeling right now. I don’t want us ever to accept a loss willingly. We have a big week to get ready for now, so we flush today and move on.”
Great Valley 9 8 -17
Unionville 3 1 – 4
Unionville scoring
Kelly Close 3 goals
Kris Abens goal
Bonaduce 17 saves
Kelly Close scored three goals but was also a force back checking defensively
