No Slowing Stoga: Pioneers Roll to 14-6 Win Over Penncrest

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A lot of credit can be given to Penncrest (Pa.) for their performance on Tuesday night against Conestoga (Pa.). The final score does not represent just how close this game was for the first three quarters of play. Penncrest found themselves within striking distance until the fourth quarter, when Conestoga's offense found another gear and pulled away from what had been a neck-and-neck contest. Fueled by a dominant showing in the draw circle from [player_tooltip player_id='70678' first='Lucia' last='Misener'], Conestoga controlled possession down the stretch and eventually rolled to an eight-goal win. All told, six different players found the back of the net for Conestoga, but it was [player_tooltip player_id='70678' first='Lucia' last='Misener'] and [player_tooltip player_id='71775' first='Maggie' last='Neary'] who dominated from the opening draw, combining for 10 of Conestoga's 14 goals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are five standouts from Tuesday night's game, including the aforementioned [player_tooltip player_id='71775' first='Maggie' last='Neary'] and [player_tooltip player_id='70678' first='Lucia' last='Misener'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["71775"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e007ba58b55"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='71775' first='Maggie' last='Neary'] was all over this game from the very beginning. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) commit piled on five goals by game's end, but it was her off-ball ability on Tuesday night that was a major factor in her own success and that of her team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neary's ability to weave through opposing defenses is textbook, and she found herself on the receiving end of a [player_tooltip player_id='70678' first='Lucia' last='Misener'] pass in front of the cage on numerous occasions. She is an exceptionally smart player (and if that is not obvious by her college choice, it certainly shows on the field), and she understands how to exploit defenses and get high percentage shots off in front of the goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For a Conestoga team with state championship aspirations, it will be seasoned veterans like Neary who give them the best chance to get there and win it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["70678"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e007ba58bdf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">If there was any indication of whether [player_tooltip player_id='70678' first='Lucia' last='Misener'] would lose a step after her ACL injury a season ago, those doubts have been quickly answered. Misener is back and playing her best lacrosse in 2026, and on Tuesday night, she proved once again why she will likely be playing at the Division I level after high school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensively, Misener was perfect, five goals on five shots, and she had her way with the Penncrest defense. But it was Misener's dominance in the draw circle that was truly head-turning. Conestoga won 16 of 23 draw controls, and it was Misener who led the way with 11 of those, simply outmatching every opponent she faced in the circle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Misener is a player that opposing teams have to gameplan for. She affects play on every part of the field and can take over a game single-handedly. Her move set is rapidly evolving, and it was on display on more than one occasion on Tuesday night. She fights through contact well, and her height allows her to get tough shots off even with a defender in her face.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["71796"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e00810746b2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='71796' first='Reese' last='Nepereny'] was the last person a Penncrest attacker wanted to see on Tuesday night. Nepereny was a defensive menace, taking away passing lanes, causing turnovers, recovering ground balls, and ultimately playing a large role in shutting down Penncrest's offense over the second half of play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She was everywhere defensively, and her physicality was simply too much for the Penncrest offense to overcome. Nepereny caused four turnovers and recovered a pair of ground balls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For much of the second half, Penncrest could not get a clean look at the cage, in large part because of the physical brand of defense that Nepereny and her Conestoga teammates take pride in playing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In one instance on Tuesday, Nepereny perfectly timed a Penncrest pass, jumping the lane and snatching it away before taking off in transition. The sequence ultimately led to a [player_tooltip player_id='70678' first='Lucia' last='Misener'] goal, yet another Conestoga possession that started defensively and on the stick of [player_tooltip player_id='71796' first='Reese' last='Nepereny'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["71797"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e0081074781"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In a game where Conestoga did not have its best offensive performance early, it was [player_tooltip player_id='71797' first='Courtney' last='Smock']'s play in net that kept the Pioneers in the driver's seat for the entirety of Tuesday's game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of, if not the strongest, goalie in the class of 2027, Smock, who is committed to the University of Colorado, is the vocal leader of Conestoga's defensive unit and does an exceptional job of making sure her defense is properly aligned.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In the second half of Tuesday's contest, Smock allowed just one goal over 24 minutes of play, and it did not come until late in the fourth quarter, by which point Conestoga had long put the game out of reach. She stopped numerous Penncrest free position attempts with stick-side saves, and her clearing pass is among the best in the nation. With each save on Tuesday night, you could visibly see Smock's confidence growing in goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["71795"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e011f41ce38"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Regardless of the final score on Tuesday, this is a game that [player_tooltip player_id='71795' first='Campbell' last='O'Neill'] should be proud of. The Vermont commit did a little bit of everything for Penncrest and was a large reason why they found themselves in this game until the end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A true two-way midfielder, O'Neill is an exceptionally smart player who will not force shots offensively. She is a patient ball handler with excellent stick work, and defensively, she is a player who causes chaos. She understands her defensive assignments well, and her help-side defense is second to none.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">On Tuesday night, O'Neill finished with a pair of goals and was an eye-catching presence on the field for the way she impacted both ends.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->