Dialog reporter
WILMINGTON – Charter of Wilmington goalkeeper Lydia McIntyre wears two zeroes on her jersey, and she was the main reason the score between the Force and top-ranked Padua on May 8 featured only zeroes for nearly three-quarters of the match. But the Pandas’ crisp passing could be denied only so long, and Padua captured a 2-0 win over their fellow Division I title contender.
Padua had scored 11 combined goals in its last two games, but McIntyre – with several assists from her teammates – changed that trend. The keeper was credited with 13 saves, several of which were very impressive. Her first notable stop came in the 15th minute, when Lindsay Machamer got loose near the top of the 18-yard box. Her shot was deflected, but McIntyre was there to make the stop.
The Pandas’ leading scorer, Emilia Ryjewski, sent a direct kick in on goal in the 20th, and five minutes later Cameron Scully’s drive was stopped by a diving McIntyre. Padua kept the pressure on throughout the first half, with McIntyre stoning Breanna Niggebrugge, and Arryana Daniels sending a header off a corner kick over the crossbar with three minutes to go before the break.
McIntyre was called on again shortly after the second half started, stretching as high as she could to snag a big blast from Anastasia Mavridis. She made a few more diving stops before the Pandas finally solved her.
In the 59th minute, Julia Detwiler outraced a Force defender to the ball to the left of the net. Detwiler sent a cross that Ryjewski caught in stride, and she buried it to give Padua the one-goal lead.
Charter’s defenders pushed a shot off the goal line a minute later, but the Pandas struck again in the 63rd. This time, Machamer tracked down a long pass along the right sideline. Her cross was in perfect position for Brush, who sent an unstoppable header into the back of the net.
Padua keeper Katie Szczerba was called on to make just one save. The Pandas improved to 10-2-1 and remained undefeated against in-state competition. They have two matches left, including Thursday’s senior night matchup with Delaware Military Academy at Baynard Stadium at 5:15 p.m.
Charter fell to 9-3, with all of the losses coming to top-five opponents. The Force travels to St. Mark’s on Wednesday for a 3:45 p.m. start.
