September 14, 2002 vs Lady Patriots at Warwick  -  W 8-0

    The first step on the road to Nationals in April 2003 was taken by the Delco Phantoms on September 14, 2002. The days of off-ice sprints, running the Sun Valley High School stands and stick-handling in the parking lot are gone. Now the eyes of the young ladies on this team are on the prize, just six months away.
    The first test of head coach Craig Campagnolio was an old Phantom rivalry. The Phantoms headed to Power Play rink to face the new Lady Patriots, many of which were former Glaciers. And as the pre-game meeting progressed, it was easy to see that the team was anxious to demonstrate the value of the hard work all summer.
    In the first period, Jackie Snickeris took to the ice in her first game as a Phantom. She faced few shots in the first period as the Phantoms offense controlled the play, but she looked solid. J.C. Cowperthwait began the scoring off a scramble with the assist going to Gina Kearns. In the second period, Kirsty Schoeninger scored off a nice feed from Allison Murray after the Phantom's dominated the face-off. The third goal was tallied by Ashley Koltenbach off a scramble in front of the net for another power play goal. 
    The Lady Patriots built momentum throughout the second period, gathering nine shots on Jackie, as well as Allie DiRico, who was tested in the middle of the period. True to form, Allie stood tall and continued the shutout. The Phantoms continued to add to the scoreboard with Allison Tyndall firing a rebound off a Jeannie O'Neill shot into the top shelf. Nice shot Allison! To finish off the period Gina worked the puck to Ashley Koltenbach for a give and go resulting in Gina's first goal of the season. The scouting report says that this will be the first of many for Gina this year.
    In the third period the Phantoms out shot the Lady Patriots 13 - 6, and put three more markers on the score board. First was a nice goal by Jeannie on a pass from Allison Tyndall. Next Ana Steel-Norton broke from her own defensive zone for a wire-to-wire pretty goal while the Phantoms skated on a two man advantage. The final Phantom goal was registered by Gina with an assist going to J. C. Cowperthwait.
    The Lady Patriots not only extended their ice time, but also put out an impressive spread after the game so all the girls could socialize. A classy gesture on their part, as many of these girls have shared ice together many times in the past. Let's hope there are many more Phantom -Lady Patriot games in the future, as each team embarks on their path to the 2002-03 season.    

September 26, 2002 vs Wilmington Typhoon Bantam Boys at The Pond  -  L 0-3

     It was an unusual Thursday night, as the Phantoms did not head to Iceworks for practice, but rather to the Pond for a preseason game against the Wilmington Typhoon bantam boys team. With both coaches agreeing to a non-check game, the Phantoms took to the ice with an air of hesitation. Certainly the girls matched up well with the boys physically, but the question was could they match up with the pace of the boys' game.
     In the first period there was no score as the defense and goaltending played well against the Typhoons. Rachel Hauser was paired with Ana Steele-Norton, captain Kate Hein and assistant captain Emily Clark, and Jess Bryan with Christine Harris. This group of six played smart hockey as they adjusted their defensive gap to protect Jackie Snickeris in the first period, and adapted their breakout patterns to thwart the swarming Typhoon 2 - 1 - 2 forecheck. 
     Jessica Cowperthwait hustled all game long, as she knew she was playing against her brother, Clay and his teammates. Ana Steele-Norton also had special motivation to perform well as one of the Typhoon boys goes to her school. The girls seemed motivated to speed up their game, in particular Allison Murray, Kirsty Schoeninger, and Jeannie O'Neill. Jeannie was a standout as she had several plays when she maintained the puck deep in her offensive zone, cycling away from pressure to set up a play. Perhaps it was her past experience playing on a boys middle school team that helped her.
     In the second period the Typhoons scored a goal as a third man came through the high slot, but the girls were not willing to cave after a single score. Jackie Snickeris made several key saves before turning the duties over to Allie DiRico in the middle of the second period. Kate Hein had a nice point shot, as the physical play between the teams was clearly even.
     In the last stanza, Bridget Clearly had a nice shot early. The defense was asked to step up to become more a part of the offense to try to get a goal on the scoreboard, and the corps responded well. Emily Clark had a nice high slot opportunity, and Ana Steele-Norton carried the puck the length of the ice on an impressive rush. Megan Mosenson had a great shot at 3:57, but the best scoring chance for the Phantoms was Jeannie O'Neill and Allison Tyndall who streaked past a Typhoon defenseman for a 2 on 0, but the shot unfortunately went wide.
     Allie had several fine saves on quick Typhoon shots in the third period, as the Typhoons continued to cycle in and out of the slot, much like many of the better 19U girls teams that the Phantoms will face this year. And while the Typhoons scored twice in this period, the Phantoms actually out shot them by a total of 8 to 6. The coaches for both teams agreed that this was a good match up for the two teams, and perhaps the two squads will meet again in the near future.

October 3, 2002 vs Wilmington Typhoon Bantam Boys at IceWorks -  L 1-4 

     The rematch pitting the boys Wilmington Typhoon bantam team against the Delco Phantoms Girls AAA team was held at Iceworks on October 3rd. The girls had a desire to avenge their previous loss, and were looking to improve their game speed, establish a quick forecheck, and use the weak side when crossing through center ice.
     Kirsty Schoeninger led the way with a nice shot on her first shift. But it was the boys who countered with a goal of their own on a 2 on 1. Also in the first period Jeannie O'Neill had a nice shot crossing across the high slot, but was denied on the opportunity. At the end of the first the Phantoms had outshot the Typhoons 9 - 5.
     In the second period the Typhoons scored from a play out of the corner, but it was Kirsty Schoeninger who tallied the first marker for the Phantoms after Emily Clark took a nice shot and Allison Murray went after the rebound. Shots on goal after the second were 13 for the Phantoms and 15 for the opponent. Coach Campagnolio became concerned about the appearance of a trend of letting the opposition take control of the game in the second period after the Phantoms got off to a good start.
     In the third period the girls looked good on their one power play opportunity. They established solid possession and created some good puck movement, which will be necessary as the team gets into league play. Unfortunately the Phantoms did not score again. The final shots were 24 to 18 in favor of the Typhoons.
     A special salute to the entire Typhoons boys' team for a disciplined series, where the play was fast paced, forcing the girls to play at another level. Also a nod of the cap to the Typhoon's coaching staff for a well played game, and complimenting the Phantoms for a hard fought series. Next up is the Colonials. 

     On Saturday October 5th the Phantoms faced off against the New Jersey Colonials at Iceworks. A natural rivalry is forming between the two teams, based on the success of the Colonials squad in the recent past, however the Phantoms have been formidable opponents of the Colonials since joining the AWHL. 
     Jackee Snickeris was between the pipes to begin the game. Bridget Cleary opened up the scoring on a pass from Jeannie O'Neill and Megan Mosenson. She sent the rebound shot top shelf and the Phantoms had the lead. Also in the first period, Jess Bryan jumped into the offense and sent a puck sliding across the crease. However, it was not destined to cross the line. The Colonials, led by their dominant offensive force, Gina Arnone, had a pair of goals in the first period. The Phatoms scored again with the clock winding down on a rocket of a low shot by Ashley Koltenback. Ashley has proved early in the season that she is a sniper when she unleashes her cannon of a shot.
     It seemed a day for the defense to step into a scoring role as Emily Clark cut across the top of the circles and ripped a slapshot low. As Emily, Jess, Rachel Hauser, Ana Steele-Norton, Christine Harris, and captain Kate Hein attack from their point positions, the attack of the Phantoms will be even more potent. Congratulations to the many forwards who see these plays develop and cover for their teammates. At the end of the second period, the Phantoms led in shots by a total of 9 to 3. Jackee held the Colonials scoreless in the middle period by taking control of the crease and with the help of her defensemen, denied any good scoring chances. Coach Campagnolio was pleased to see the Phantoms outshoot the Colonials 9 to 3 in this period. 
     Michelle Panella scored at 3:59 of the period to tie the game, but that would not last for long. Ashley notched her second goal of the game off a nice feed from Jess Cowperthwait to put the Phantoms ahead by one. In the closing minute, the Colonials pulled their goaltender, and Ashley streamed down the wing and launched it to the open net for the hat trick. But destiny was not on her side, and the puck slid to the boards as the buzzer sounded. Final shots were 25 to 16 in favor of the Phantoms.

     No one was overjoyed at the time switch for the next Phantoms game, for it involved a hike up the New Jersey Turnpike to Twin Oaks for a 9:15 A.M. match. The Phantoms barely had any time to savor their victory on Saturday when they took to the ice for this game on Sunday October 6th. Coach O'Neill addressed the team in the locker room beforehand, urging the Phantoms to concentrate on puck control. Coach Schoeninger and Coach Hein emphasized the need for the defense to make quick reads, and avoid hesitation as they began the breakout. 
     Allie had the start, and looked impressive in the first period. She showed quick reactions as the Colonials tried to float wingers and centers into the slot for quick shots. Gina Kearns had a nice 2 on 1 in the first period with Stevie Doyle. Nice pass Gina, but this time the puck did not pass the goaltender. After one, the Colonials had 5 shots to the Phantoms' 3.
     It was nice to see Mariel back with the black, purple and orange, and she led the team with one of the best offensive plays of the second period. It was a nice breakaway, but the Phantoms couldn't punch one home. Another highlight was Gina Kearns who took an impressive shot, only to have it ring off the post. The Colonials scored twice to open a two goal lead. The Phantoms passing did not look as crisp as the previous day, and that concerned the entire Phantoms' coaching staff.
     In the third period the Phantoms attempted to regain their offensive capabilities. Ana Steele-Norton accepted the challenge and was the one who finally put the Phantoms on the board with a nice rebound goal. Nice job Ana! By the end of the game the Phantoms had been out shot 21 to 11. Now the team must address the continuing concern about allowing the other team to take control of the game in the second period. With each game being a learning experience, the Phantom girls are quickly seeing that there are no freebies on their schedule, and that they must be on the top of their game every time they pull on their jerseys. Next up is the Colonials on October 19th at Iceworks. Let's show them our home rink advantage.

    On the 19th of October the New Jersey Colonials reported to Iceworks for the third meeting of the preseason versus the Phantoms. With the series tied at one win each, it was sure to be a spirited contest. In the first period, Megan Mosenson scored to put the Phantoms up by one. Megan had several high quality shots in the period, and scored this one off a rebound. But the Colonials contributed one of their own on the power play to tie it up at the end of the period. At the end of the first period the Colonials had outshot the Phantoms 7 to 5. Despite being outshot, the team played well defensively.
    Coach Campagnolio urged the team in the meeting before the game to step up the pace, control the puck, and play disciplined hockey. As the Phantoms embarked on this mission, the first opportunity of the period instead went to the Colonials on a breakaway, which Jackie Snickeris made a nice stop on. Next it was Megan again who was out for the penalty kill. She went forehand to backhand for her second of the day. Perhaps this was to be Megan's breakout game against quite a formidable opponent. The Colonials then scored, again on the power play, but the Phantoms would soon take charge of the game. The third Phantom goal was scored by Kirsty Schoeninger after she shot on the power play and converted the rebound to put the Phantoms ahead. The line of Megan, Kirsty, and Ashley seemed to be winging all game long.
    To end the period, Gina broke the curse while moving backwards and scored off the goal post, with assists going to Jeannie O'Neill and J. C. Cowperthwait. No matter how it went in, Gina surely was relieved to be on the scoresheet. At the end of the second period the Phantoms were outshot again 8 to 6, but led by two goals. It should also be noted that the defense was confidently stepping up into the offensive zone more than in recent games. Particularly, Ana Steele-Norton, Kate Hein, Emily Clark and Jessica Bryan led rushes into the zone, while their defensive partners and other forwards covered for them. This certainly intensified the offense of the Phantoms, and seemed to cause the Colonials to have to alter their game plan.
    In the third period Jeannie was on a breakaway trailed by Gina. Gina punched the rebound home for her second goal of the game. Then, behind by 5 - 2, the Colonials pulled their goaltender to try to score once more. Instead, none other than Gina Kearns intercepted the puck, skated across the blue line and buried it with 24 seconds left. Coach Campagnolio had said that this was the type of game expected when playing the Colonials, and the girls surely came through. Next up is the Sound Shore Warriors.
    On a sad note, Allison Tyndall went down after a collision with Gina Arnone, and there was great concern on the bench over Allison's knee. She had to be escorted off the ice, and left the rink hobbling and did not return. We are happy to note that after being checked out Allison only bruised her knee, and will have to be off the ice only a week before she returns. That's good news indeed.

    After a long drive up the New Jersey Turnpike and a long wait for the Zamboni, the Delco Phantoms AAA 19u ice hockey team took to the ice at the Ice Hutch to meet the Sound Shore Warriors for their season opener. It didn’t take 15 seconds for the action to begin as Gina Kearns rushed from the opening faceoff on an exciting breakaway. While it brought the team to its feet, Gina actually didn’t score until 8:36 of the first period as she crossed in front of the net from right to left. She waited for the goalie to make her move and lifted it top shelf- on her backhand- sweet goal!
    Megan Mosenson also scored in the first period after she won a faceoff and crossed the high slot and unleashed a high shot that hit nothing but twine. Shots after 1 period were 16 to 3. In the second period Jeannie O’Neill had a goal waved off because it hit her in the leg, but soon after Emily Clark unleashed her shot and beat the Sound Shore goalie to the low glove side. It might not have been Emily’s typical laser, but it counted on the scoreboard. Next it was Kirsty Schoeninger who was sent on a breakaway with a beautiful saucer pass by Ashley Koltenbach. Kirsty then centered the puck and Rachel Hauser deftly tucked it in. To end the period, Emily Clark blistered a wrist shot from the top of the circle to give the Phantoms a 5 - 0 lead after two periods.
    One might notice that Coach Campagnolio’s strategy of asking all forwards and defenseman to work the Russian stickhandling exercises at practice seemed to really be paying off in this game. At this point in the game three of the Phantoms’ goals were from defenseman. It was clear that the defense was following the coach’s philosophy of defending to attack. Kate Hein, Ana Steele-Norton and Emily Clark all felt the confidence in their ability to rush the puck, and were quite effective. Also, forwards were supporting their rushes allowing the team to attack with five instead of three players.
    Allie DiRico got the nod between the pipes for this game and was perfect with every save. Allie was tested with only 6 shots in the first two periods, but faced 7 additional shots in the third period as the game became more physical. She gobbled up rebounds, and smothered any puck that strayed near her net. Also a nod to Bridget Cleary whose hard work along the boards attracted the attention of quite a few of the Warriors’ defenseman. 
    In the third period it was Jeannie O’Neill who found the back of the net after a nice hard high shot. Jeannie had just been stopped on a breakaway, but you knew she wouldn’t be denied for long. Finally J. C. Cowperthwait and Gina attacked a loose puck in front of the Sound Shore net, with J. C. poking it home to end the scoring. It was an uplifting 7 - 0 shutout win for the Phantoms with the next game coming at home on Sunday November 3rd against the Tiger Lilies.

    After an exciting win the previous night, the Delco Phantoms girls crawled out of bed early to meet the challenge of the Princeton Tiger Lilies. It was to be a real challenge for the Phantoms as the coaches noticed the speed of the Princeton girls during warmups. The game was destined to be fast paced. 
    Both teams came out skating hard. Jackee Snickeris was in net for the Phantoms and faced 11 shots in the first period alone. The Tiger Lilies did sneak one by, but the crowd noticed that Jackee was a willing participant, and willing to challenge all of the Tiger Lily shooters. 
    In the second period Jeannie O’Neill was poking the puck in front of the opposing net, trying to dislodge it. Then it was Megan Mosenson who popped it into the open net for a Phantom power play goal. Also assisting on the play was Kate Hein. This offensive burst seemed to motivate the team to get out of simply watching their opponent and skate the puck hard. Proof of this was Allison Tyndall who began to drive skate out of her zone. Before anyone knew it, Allison turned the defenseman and was in alone. She buried the puck in the twine and the score was tied. The assist on the goal went to her linemate Stevie Doyle, who worked hard on every shift, along with her other linemate Mariel Marchand.
    To end the period, Jeannie O’Neill shoveled off a beautiful pass to Megan Mosenson, again on the power play. Jeannie crashed the net and scored to put the Phantoms up by two. Shots after two were Princeton 20, Phantoms 18. Also of note was the play of Allison Murray. Allison was noticeably making strides to carry the puck through traffic, and she showed some pretty fancy moves. Nice job Allison.
    Christine Harris and Rachel Hauser had strong games, along with Jess Bryan. The defense consistently tied up the Tiger Lily forwards as they crossed the blue line. There was no backing in for the defense in this game. One memory of Jess comes to mind as a Tiger Lily forward broke in 1 on 0 on Jackee. Jess was not about to allow this, and wrapped her stick around the player and hauled her down to eliminate the opportunity. Sometimes a penalty is the last resort to stop a goal, and that was what needed to be done.
    The final goal of the game was scored by Jeannie O’Neill who broke down the far side, beat the defenseman and tucked it in for the fourth Phantom goal. The Phantoms’ girls showed true character in this game and showed that they can play the up tempo type game and still come out ahead on the scoreboard. Congratulations girls- next up is the Rochester Tournament.

Friday, November 8, 2002 vs Dundas - W 6-1 

    The Delco Phantoms 19U AWHL girls' team headed north to the Rochester Tournament on November 8th to test their abilities against teams from across the United States and Canada. While the girls were excited to miss some school of Friday, they knew they would face opponents who were stronger than any they had faced this season.
    In the first game, the girls faced off against the Dundas Cyclones from Canada. Jeannie O'Neill led the scoring off by stepping past the defenders and shot top glove side for the first Phantom goal. Allie played impressively in the first period and shut down the Cyclones' shooters. Jeannie opened the scoring for the second period as well with a nice short handed goal. As with the first goal, Gina Kearns assisted on the play. The goalie went down in front of Jeannie and she faked and put it into the open net for her second goal of the game. 
    Next it was Emily Clark on a delayed penalty call who received a pass from Ashley Koltenback. Emily made no mistake and buried it. After that it was Gina who jumped into the goal scoring column as she showed great discipline as she cut in front of the net and held the puck until the goalie made the first move. Nice unassisted goal Gina! At the end of two periods the Phantoms lead by four goals thanks to the wall put up by the defense and Allie.
    In the third period, Jeannie earned the first hat trick of the year. It was quite a shot, coming from the middle of the face off circles. Jeannie certainly proved herself this weekend as a force in the 19U division even though she is only 15! This was followed by a second goal from Gina who jumped into the zone and shot high glove side. What made it even more special was that it was shorthanded. That certainly proves the value of an effective forecheck on the penalty kill!

Saturday November 9, 2002 vs Chatham - L 2-3 

    The next day the Phantoms skaters faced another team from Canada- the Chatham Ontario Outlaws. Jackee took her position between the pipes and the Phantoms took the early lead. This one was Gina's on the power play. Emily took the shot and Gina hunted down the rebound and put it over the goal line. Jackee shut the Outlaws down and despite being out shot 12 - 7, the Phantoms had a one goal lead.
    In the second period the Phantoms went on a 5 on 3 power play. There was a scramble in front of the net and Gina muscled her way to the puck and scored again. Assists went to Megan Mosenson and Emily Clark. As the tournament progressed, it was more and more evident that our defense is an important component of the offensive attack.
    In the third stanza Jackee made several acrobatic saves, but the Phantoms had a hard time adjusting to the constant attack. Chatham stepped up the level of play and scored three times to take the lead. The Phantoms tried to counter but were not effective and the score ended Chatham 3, Phantoms 2. A lesson was clearly learned about protecting a lead and not allowing the opposition back into the game once they are behind.

Saturday November 9, 2002 vs Rochester - L 1-5 

    The third game of the tournament was against the host team- the Rochester EDGE. Having watched this team play in an earlier game, the Phantoms knew they must play their best hockey if they were to defeat this opponent.
    Allie took her position between the pipes and the Phantoms all dug their skates in. Rochester scored first, but the Phantoms did not give into the pressure. The first ended with a one goal EDGE lead. In the second period the Phantoms seemed to lose their concentration as penalty after penalty was assessed to the purple, orange, and black. The Rochester squad seemed to pick the pace up even further on the power play, and proceeded to lead the game by three goals after two periods.
    In the final period the Phantoms continued to struggle against this strong opponent. Two more penalties were assessed to the Phantoms and Rochester buried two more goals. The lone bright offensive moment was Bridget Cleary who scored with 1:29 to go in the game. She worked hard on the far boards, drove to the net and snuck one in on the low glove side.
    After the game Coach Campagnolio addressed the team and reinforced the need to elevate the teams' play in each and every game. The talent is impressive on this young squad, but mistake proof hockey must be played against teams like Rochester in order for this team to find a way to emerge victorious.

Sunday November 10, 2002 vs Dundas - W 9-0 

    In locker room before the consolation game the coaching staff reiterated how far the team had come and how they needed to show their best skills in this rematch game against Dundas. This time it was Bridget Cleary who again scored with an assists going to Gina and Jeannie. It was a nice shot from the top of the circle and showed the value of a quick release. In the second period the Phantoms scored again, this time from Kate Hein on a nice point shot with assists going again to Gina and Jeannie.
    Goal number three for the Phantoms began with a Megan Mosenson shot. Kirsty Schoeninger scooped up the rebound and shot over the goaltender's glove. Next it was Jeannie all alone in front on the power play and she drilled it past the netminder. After two periods it was Phantoms 4 Dundas 0. The offense was certainly clicking.
    The next goal was special, tallied by none other than Christine Harris- way to go Bean! It was a five on three advantage for the Phantoms and Bean went five hole for the goal. It was also a nice payoff for Rachel who had the assist, as the defenseman continued to jump into the play. For example Ana Steele-Norton had several end-to-end rushes showcasing her speed, but she saved her best rush for thirty seconds after Bean's goal and stuffed one in herself. A minute and a half later Gina scored on a 4 on 3 penalty as she lifted the puck on her backhand. 
    Just 15 seconds later Gina danced around the opposing center on the faceoff and shot. Jeannie located the rebound and scored again. The final goal was an impressive effort from Jess Bryan jumping into the offense. She looked like she had gotten on the scoreboard until it glanced off Emily Clark's shoulder. It was a nine goal lead for the Phantoms and Jackee held the Outlaws off the board for a shutout.
    The Phantoms were tested in Rochester and learned what they had to do to compete on the national level. At this point in the season, the offense has proven they can put the puck into the net, having scored 18 goals in the tournament. The goaltenders both showed their talents and allowed only nine goals, with the help of their defensemen. Now it is time to take our game plan to the next step and prepare for our divisional opponents and the Connecticut Polar Bears Tournament.

    It may have seemed like this was the tenth meeting of the season between the Phantoms and the New Jersey Colonials, but this one counted in the points standings as these two teams resumed their budding rivalry at Iceworks on November 16th. Allie DiRico skated to her crease to begin the game, not knowing how much she was to be counted on that afternoon. The Phantoms got off to a slow start, but it was Allison Tyndall who opened the scoring for the orange, purple, and black. The puck, all of a sudden squirted loose in the offensive zone, and Allison quickly jumped on it, deked the defenseman and sent it top shelf to tie the score at 1. Next it was Jeannie O'Neill who expertly drilled a shot past the Colonial netminder after a blast from the point by Emily Clark. A second assist was awarded to Megan Mosenson on this power play goal. The shots favored the Phantoms after one period 8 to 7.
    As the second period began, the Colonials drove three forecheckers deep in the zone, attempting to pin our defenseman and force turnovers. They were successful as they threw 8 shots at Allie. But as quick as the Colonials were, Allie was quicker. She displayed outstanding reflexes as she turned each puck aside during this period. Also a nod to the defensemen- Emily Clark, Kate Hein, Ana Steele-Norton, Rachel Hauser, and Christine Harris for making sure they stayed goalside and cleared any rebounds that lurked in our crease area.
    In the second period the Phantoms added another goal thanks to Kirsty Schoeninger who drew a Colonial hooking penalty. It was late in the period, with only 12 seconds left when Gina Kearns took the shot, and there was Megan Mosenson crashing the net. Megan scooped up the rebound and was wide open in front and buried it for the power play goal.
    In the final stanza, Ashley Koltenback padded the Phantoms lead off a scramble in front of the Colonial net. The Colonial goaltender was on her back, as Ashley captured the puck and lifted it over her. The goalie made a valiant attempt to block it, but the puck crossed the goal line for a 4 - 1 Phantom lead. The Colonials are not opponents who cave in to pressure, and they scampered back for a goal of their own. then, as the clock wound down, they pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker.
    Gina Kearns stripped a loose puck away, in her own zone, and found Jeannie O'Neill breaking away from the Colonial attack. Jeannie smartly carried the puck over the red line to avoid any possibility of being called for icing, and sent it into the open net for a 5 - 2 Phantom victory. Again, throughout this period Allie kept the team in the game, especially with one impressive shoulder save halfway through the period. Final shots on goal were 25 for the Colonials and 23 for the Phantoms. 

    The Long Island Waves headed south to Iceworks for the matinee game. To say they ran into an offensive explosion was an understatement. Before getting to the highlights, let it be known that the Phantoms outshot the Waves 45 - 6 and dominated in every period.
    Leading the way in the first period was Megan Mosenson who scored on a chip shot in front after 25 seconds played- with the assist going to Ashley Koltenback. Next was Megan again after she faked the shot and then lifted it over the goaltender for a two goal lead- with a nod to Kate Hein for the assist. Rounding out the first period scoring was Mariel Marchand after a pass from Allison Murray.
    In the second period the Phantoms really took charge, outshooting the Waves 18 - 0. The first goal of the period went to Christine Harris on a wrist shot- way to go Bean, with the assist going to her friend, Bridget Cleary. Nice power play work ladies. Next it was Ashley Koltenback steppping it up at 11:42. Ashley released that gun of hers and scored on a wicked slapshot from ten feet out. Next on the scoreboard was Captain Kate Hein. Kate's shot has been a force all season long, and she buried this one top shelf at 10:41. The final goal of the period belonged to Allison Tyndall. From eight feet out Allison fond nothing but net with assist going to Gina Kearns and J. C. Cowperthwait.
    Four more goals were tallied for the Phantoms in the third period. First was Gina Kearns from six feet out from a pass by Vicky Graham. Next was J.C. on a deflection to give the Phantoms a nine goal lead. Twenty-seven seconds later Jeannie O'Neill fired a wrist shot from close in and scored, with Allison Murray getting her second assist of the day. Last to notch a goal was J.C. again, who scored shorthanded. Nice offensive displays were also exhibited by Jess Bryan, who joined several rushes into the offensive zone and used her size and speed to find open ice. Also Ana Steele-Norton showed off her offensive capabilities on several occasions, and was rewarded with an assist. Allie protected the shutout, as the Phantoms started to look ahead to Tuesday's game against the Tiger Lilies.

    On Tuesday November 26th the Phantoms headed north to Iceland, for a rare away game in the middle of the week. Traffic was snarled for most of the team, making it quite difficult to get to the rink for the game preparation one hour before each game. The game was physical from the start, but in the first period neither team could grab the lead. In net for the Phantoms was Allie DiRico, who stopped all of the six shots against her.
    In the second stanza, Jeannie O'Neill found Vicky Graham cruising in front of the Tiger Lily net. Vicky was just waiting for the juicy pass and Vicky put it through the crowd in front of the net. Immediately the Phantoms began to surge- as they have done all season long when the girls have taken the lead. But the Tiger Lilies stymied this effort and forged back and scored at 8:27 to tie the game.
    Shots after two periods favored the Phantoms 20 - 13. In the third period- the Kearns-Graham-O'Neill connection came through again. Vicky skated across the top of the circles on one of her patented rushes. She shot back to the far post and scored the second Phantom goal of the game. It looked like the Phantoms were going to finish on top of this one, but the Tiger Lilies were about to have the final say on that. They countered with a goal at 8:04 and that was to be all of the scoring for the game. Even with 2 seconds left and Allie pulled, the Phantoms couldn't find one more goal on their sticks. Perhaps some Thanksgiving rest will help get the girls ready for the next game against these same Tiger Lilies.

    The trek up to the Mennan Arena in Morristown was to be an exciting one. The Phantoms took to the ice with the 15U New Jersey Colonials. To be honest, the coaches asked the team to keep three goals in sight and they would wind up being successful. It was up to the team to carry these goals out on their way to lifting their play to the caliber we will see in Connecticut after Christmas and at Nationals.
    After the first period, Jackee had shut out the opponents, but the Phantoms did not have a single tally on the scoreboard. After an unusual Colonial goal, the Phantoms went into the final period behind by one. What was interesting was the shot totals. The Phantoms outshot the hosts eleven to one in the first period and seven to six in the second period. It took a pass from Gina Kearns to a waiting pointman- captain Kate Hein who wristed it toward the net at the 6:28 mark and deadlocked the score. Nice wrist shot Kate- quick release pays off!
    The team fed off this momentum and scored again at 4:53. This time it was Jeanie O'Neill who crossed in front and shot low. Megan Mosenson had the assist on the play. Jeannie scored again, this time 43 seconds later off a scramble in front of the net. Clearly the Phantoms had taken charge, and finished off the scoring with another Kate Hein shot that was blocked, then clearly sent behind the goaltender by that fixture in front of the Colonial net- Gina Kearns.
    Next up was the Sound Shore Warriors at home.

    After being successful up in Sound Shore, the Phantoms had a lot of confidence going into the game. Coach Craig Campagnolio urged the team in the locker room to continue the momentum built the previous day. Coaches O'Neill and Schoeninger spoke about the need for D to D passes- and Coach Hein spoke about the need to use the weak side.
    Allie took her place between the pipes, and the Phantoms took the early lead. Ashley Koltenbach scored after she dished off to Ana Steele-Norton who returned the pass for a backhand goal. Nice shot on the power play Ashley! Also scoring in the first period was Megan Mosenson. Meg won the faceoff to Christine Harris- back to Megan for a lightning shot and two goal lead.
    The Warriors played strong defense throughout the game- but it was the Phantom defense who shined. Ana Steele-Norton, Kate Hein, Emily Clark, Rachel Hauser, and Christine Harris worked their points quite well, and really tried to utilize the D to D passes to open up space and gain time. You may be wondering- what about Jess Bryan- well she moved up to wing for the game. There she was a force, creating several scoring opportunities. But try as she may, she was kept off the scoreboard this day. But to be honest, there wasn't much more Jess could do to put the puck into the net other than tie a rabbit's foot to her shaft. Hard work will pay off.
    The final goal of the game was Kate Hein's- the second for her on the weekend from the point position. Some in the crowd thought it was Al MacInnis dressed in uniform number 15- but to be truthful, it was hard work on her shot that has brought Kate the goals in the last few games. Next up is a trip to Connecticut. 

    Early December in Connecticut turned out to be an exercise in patience and determination. On December 14th, the Delco Phantoms squared off against the Southern Connecticut Stars in Milford, Connecticut. Much to the Phantoms surprise, the Stars jumped out to an early lead, but thanks to Megan Mosenson, the game was tied by the end of the first period. Megan's blast to the high glove side at 4:10 was exactly what Coach Campagnolio had been preaching. When we fire from the high slot and converge on the net, our team is tough to stop. It seemed as if the Phantoms were building momentum, but the Stars were keeping them in check.
    Thirty seconds into the second period, the Phantoms dug deeper and took control of the game. First off was Stevie Doyle with a nice deflection off a blast from Emily Clark. Kirsty Schoeninger was awarded the other assist. Seconds later Jeannie O'Neill rifled one high after a nice pass from Gina Kearns. Next it was Emily blasting one from the point for the goal, with the assist awarded to Allison Tyndall. The fourth goal of the period was an Ana Steele-Norton special. The points seemed to be given extra time high in the zone, and Ana cranked one of her patented slapshots and the Phantoms were ahead 5 to 1.
    With Allie holding the fort down in our own end, the scoring continued in the third period. Next was another goal by Jeannie- who was wide open in front of the Stars net. She lifted the puck high to the glove side, with an assist from Gina Kearns and Emily. All of these five goals were scored in a span of six minutes. But that was not all- Megan scored again at 3:18 on the doorstep, with the assist awarded to the new forward- Jess Bryan. The final Phantom goal for the period (that would be the seventh) was another bullet from the point by Emily Clark- unassisted. All in all eleven Phantoms registered points in the period. Another example of, "Hard Work Pays Off". Now if only the team can bottle the energy and determination shown in the second period- the Phantoms will be a unstoppable force in the Polar Bears Tournament after Christmas.

    When the Phantoms 19U girls reached the Northford Connecticut Rink twelve months ago, they were determined to put a damper on the undefeated season of the Polar Bears. We achieved that goal last year with a 3 - 3 tie. But after picking up some momentum gained against the Connecticut Stars, this year the Phantoms were looking for the full two points.
    But you have to give credit to the 15U Polar Bears squad. They weren't going to surrender easily to the older and more experienced Phantoms. It almost seemed as if this Connecticut team was seeking revenge for the blemish on their record last year.
    As the Phantoms' coaches watched warmups, it seemed as if these two teams were closely matched. Each possessed speed as well as players with effective shots. The question was, "Can the Phantoms dip down deep into their souls and find a way to overcome this challenge."
    In the first period Polar Bears scored first. This was countered by Ashley Koltenbach who fired one of her lasers at the Polar Bear net. The save was made, but the rebound landed square on Bridget Cleary's stick. She made no bones about it, and punched it home. Nice quick release, Bridget.
    The home team scored again, and it was up to the Phantoms to counter. One player who was willing to accept the challenge was Jackee Snickeris. She wowed the crowd on several plays- making some patented glove saves. She also seemed to have a knack for when the team needed to stop play in their defensive zone, and Jackee was there to tie up the puck. In the second period Gina scored through the five hole, on a nice 2 on 1 with Jeannie O'Neill. That tied the score, and the two teams seemed to draw battle lines.
    The Phantoms were outshot twenty to six in the third period, but the Phantom defense continued to bottle up traffic in the middle, and Jackee kept up the acrobatics. Overall, Jackee made 41 saves, compared to only 21 for the Polar Bears. The team left the ice with a tie, but unlike last year, the feeling was that we can and should beat this team. Next up is the Tiger Lilies on December 21st.

    It was just before Christmas, and the Phantoms headed to Iceland for a league game against the Tiger Lilies. This series has become a real rivalry, with the Tiger Lilies upbeat transition game matching up against the Phantoms positionally sound, take advantage of opportunities style of play. The Phantoms played the Tiger Lilies well early in the season, but it had been the Tiger Lilies who had surged lately. The Phantoms took to the ice with Jackee in net still undefeated in league play.
    Jeannie O'Neill lead the way by working behind the net, to Gina Kearns out front and Jeannie finishing with the rebound. This line continues to dominate in front of opposing netminders. The second goal of the period was attributed to Gina, who performed one of her classic "lean on the defenseman" moves, then cut in front for the shot.
    The second period was evenly matched until late in the period. Megan Mosenson blasted a shot, and Bridget Cleary was right there for the rebound. Two minutes later Emily Clark deked around the defender, then shot high for the fourth Phantom goal.
    Solid backchecking and sound positional play of the defensemen kept the Tiger Lilies from getting many scoring opportunities. Jackee was also playing well, tying up pucks when the Phantoms were having a hard time clearing the zone, or when they were in need of a line change.
    In the third period, Jeannie made a sweet move on a rebound after J. C. Cowperthwait took the shot. Gina also assisted on this, the Phantoms fifth goal. Finally, this line scored for the fourth time, as Gina sprinted to a breakaway. She deked to her forehand and went five hole to finish the job. It was an impressive 6 - 0 Phantom victory, just the kind of game necessary to get ready to go to Connecticut for the Polar Bears Tournament.

Connecticut Polar Bears
Eighteenth Annual Holiday Tournament
December 27 - 30, 2002

December 27, 2002 vs Canton Silver Blades - W 2-0

    No matter which route you take to Hartford, Connecticut, the day after Christmas, you are guaranteed a lot of traffic and a long wait. But as the Phantoms headed north, they dreamed of games in April on a National Championship stage. And this tournament was to be one step toward their eventual goal.
    The first game featured a game against a team from Potsdam, New York. Gina Kearns scored the first goal of the game when she popped the puck over the goalie's shoulder. This goal held up until late in the game when Vicky Graham grabbed a puck off the faceoff and shot from the top of the circle. It was the second Phantom goal, and the last of the game. Jackee Snickeris was between the pipes, and looked strong as she shut out the opponents.

December 27, 2002 vs Scarborough, Ontario - W 3- 2 

    Game two in the National East division was against a team from Scarborough, Ontario. The Scarborough Sharks jumped off to an early lead, and the Phantoms looked sluggish. But the black, purple and orange squad rallied in the second period. There was great offensive pressure from Mariel Marchand's line, made up of Bridget Cleary, Kirsty Schoeninger, and Mariel. Kirsty grabbed the puck and fed it carefully to Mariel who sent it into the twine. Next it was Vicky Graham, who pokechecked the puck and danced around the defenseman. She shot high, and scored a clean goal to snag the lead 2 - 1.
    Next it was Emily Clark jumping into the offense. As she approached the net, the save was made, but the puck landed on Gina's stick. Without hesitation Gina roofed it for a two goal lead.
    In the third period, the Phantoms lost their momentum. The Scarborough team retaliated with a single goal. But with help like J. C. Cowperthwait doing some excellent backchecking, the game was clinched for the second Phantom win in Hartford. The team knew that they had not taken advantage of all of their opportunities, and with Belle Tire next, they would have to step it up.

December 28, 2002 vs Michigan Belle Tire - L 0- 1

    Game three was against Belle Tire, who had won their state championship three years in a row. Their squad is composed of players from Kansas, Michigan, and Ohio. Clearly this was a top quality team, and the Phantoms needed to show their tenaciousness early in the game. 
    Jackee Snickeris clearly came with her mind set on stoning every Belle Tire shooter. The first twelve minute period ended in a 0 - 0 tie. What was impressive was that again and again Phantom forwards supported their defenseman by backchecking hard and eliminating odd man rushes. On the other side of the coin, the defenseman were making smart decisions about when to pinch and when to retreat to support their partners.
    The Michigan team scored with 1:46 to go in the second period, but the Phantom's spirit would not be broken. In the third period the Phantoms rushed furiously, but couldn't bury a puck in the net. The action was impressive, and the Phantoms showed every person in that rink that they belonged on the ice with this Belle Tire team. Kudos to the offense, the defense, and especially to Jackee who had quite a few scouts in the stands writing in their notebooks. Even though the Phantoms suffered their first loss of the tournament, everyone knew that this was one of the best games played by the Phantoms, not only this year, but in their history.

December 29, 2002 vs Team Illinois - T 1- 1 

    Taking the momentum from the Bell Tire game into the fourth game, the Phantoms mathematically still had a chance to advance out of their division. They needed to win every period and win the game outright to make this possible. This game featured Team Illinois against the Phantoms. This team plays in the same division as Belle Tire, and both teams looked evenly matched as they skated out for warmups.
    Team Illinois scored first at 8:42. So the Phantoms needed to match that effort to stay in the race for a wild card opportunity. It was Gina Kearns who took the bull by the horns, and launched a shot after receiving a pass from Vicky. It gave the Phantoms a tie at 1 - 1, and momentum was created late in the period. This time it was Kirsty Schoeninger who skated to a breakaway with nine seconds left, only to be denied.
    In the second period Gina surged to a breakaway, but her shot was denied, leaving an easy rebound, but Team Illinois made sure that didn't happen. Late in the period it was Jackee's turn to shine with a classic glove save on number 16- Daley Kirby. As it turned out, no goals were scored in this period or the next, even though there were some good opportunities for both teams.
    Since the teams tied, the Phantoms ended the tournament with two wins, one loss and a tie. It was the hope of the coaching staff that the improvement seen in the last two games will be carried into 2003. It seemed as if most players left the rink disappointed about being eliminated, but proud that they played in the top division in the biggest tournament for girls in the world. And they had shown the parents, scouts, and opposing teams that they are a force to be reckoned with when they play their system with confidence, composure and intensity.

    When Coach Campagnolio addressed the team before the January 11th game against the 15U New Jersey Colonials, he expressed an interest in maintaining the level of play established in Connecticut during the Polar Bears tournament. As he spoke, he asked the team to institute a puck possession offense, and to play the system throughout the game. If we are successful, he added, then we should control the scoreboard.
    The Phantoms came out flying in this game. In the first period Megan Mosenson found a wide open Allison Tyndall in front of the net for a tap in. Next, just after a power play, Megan passed to a wide open Jess Bryan who was charging down the slot. With legs chugging and stick ready she beat the goaltender cleanly to the low glove side. Interestingly enough, Coach Schoeninger had discussed this cycle with the defenseman as a play which will be effective in the future. Megan and Jess clearly showed it should be a part of our offense. The third goal of the period belonged to Jeannie O'Neill. She stormed down the left wing on a 2 on 1 with Gina. She roofed it with a carom off the crossbar and the post before the referee signaled the goal.
    In the second period Allie DiRico controlled play in front of her net. She was aggressive on the puck whenever it neared the crease. Late in the period Ashley Koltenback found a wide open Megan Mosenson in front of the net. Megan shot, but the goaltender made the save. Then on her knees Megan chipped in a shot over the netminder to give the Phantoms a four goal lead.
    In the third period Jeannie O'Neill scored off a scramble with the assist going to J. C. Cowperthwait. And the final goal went to Megan Mosenson, again. Allison Tyndall drew the defenseman over and fed it to Megan. It was Megan's fourth point of the day, and it sealed an impressive Phantom victory. Allie protected the shutout thanks to a defense that denied all but eleven shots. The coaching staff is now looking for the girls to have a similar performance against the 19U Colonials next weekend.

    Since the beginning of the season, the Phantoms girls have played the New Jersey Colonials four times. Three times the Phantoms were the victors, all of which were at home. But the one time the Phantoms traveled north to Twin Oaks, back on October 6th, they lost 3 - 1. So, after a cold ride to northern Jersey on January 19th, would the Phantoms be able to capture the "home magic" and continue to be undefeated in league play? Or will the home advantage favor the Colonials?
    After midway through the first period- it looked like the Colonials had the home ice advantage. They had scored two goals, both by Gina Arnone- a player Coach Schoeninger had mentioned we should cover carefully in the locker room before the game. But this was to be a character test for the Phantoms, and it was J.C. Cowperthwait who began the comeback. Still in the first period, J.C. launched a roller toward the Colonial net, and low and behold the referee signaled it a goal. Just remember, girls, it doesn't have to be pretty to count.
    By the end of the period, the Phantoms had begun to control the puck. The second goal for the orange, black and purple was Jeannie O'Neill's. J.C. feathered a nice pass from the corner and Jeannie made sure it hit the back of the net. The shots after one period were Phantoms 15- Colonials 8.
    The third Phantom goal was Gina's first of the day. She came smoking in from the left wing, cut across and went five hole. The fervor spread to the entire team as the Phantoms now had the lead. Next was Allison Murray who found a wide open Ashley Koltenbak in the slot- and it was another five hole goal for the away team. 
    The scoring was not over yet, thanks to Gina, again. She shot from high in the slot, while the Colonial goaltender was screened to complete the hat trick. The goalie never saw it, and it was 5 - 2 Phantoms. The last Phantom goal completed the hat trick for Gina. It was like watching Vicky Graham on the faceoff, Gina simply danced around the opposing center and shot quicky- through the five hole. Thanks to some impressive defensive work in the final two periods by Kate Hein, Emily Clark, Christine Harris, and Ana Steele-Norton, along with the solid goaltending by Jackee Snickeris, the Colonials did not score in either of the final two periods. Also it should be noted that Kirsty Schoeninger played well, despite fighting a bad cold, Jess Bryan looked very solid as she moved to the wing, and hats also off to J.C. who garnered three assists on the game for a playmaker award.
    As Coach Campagnolio stated, the momentum gained in the last few games needs to sustained and taken to the next level. The Phantoms continue to hold a perfect record in league play, and next face off against the Philly Chiefs on January 25th. Through hard work in next few practices perhaps the team can elevate their game to a even higher level in the weeks to come.

Local female youth hockey team takes on big city cops and firemen to support volunteer fire police.  It's David vs. Goliath... only David wears a pony tail.

The "Philly Chiefs" are a hockey team made up entirely of Philadelphia policemen, firemen and paramedics. They play games to help raise money for charity or fund raising events. They do this for the fun of it. All proceeds of this game go to the Delaware County Fire Police to help them purchase an enhanced emergency communications system in return for their help during Nationals.

    On January 25th, the Phantoms skated out onto Olympic Rink at Iceworks for a charity game against the Philadelphia Chiefs. Girls from each of the four Phantoms teams purchased tickets to assist this worthwhile cause. But before the game began no one knew exactly what caliber of play should be expected.
    From watching warm-ups, the Chiefs appeared to have a short bench, but they could skate and they could shoot. This was to be a good test for the Phantoms. In talking with some of the folks from the Chiefs- there were men on this team who played in Division 3 and one who had played in Division 1.
    Well, as Allie DiRico took her place between the pipes, the Phantoms matched the Chief's skating ability throughout the first period. The Phantoms had to adjust to the quick transition game- as they had done when playing the Typhoon boys team. Then, to open the scoring it was Kate Hein who took a great shot from the left point- and Gina timed her rush to the net perfectly in order to screen the goalie. The puck entered the net and the Phantoms were on top. After one period the shots favored the Phantoms 6 to 5. The Chiefs were keeping their blasts down, but Allie surely was tested.
    In the second period the Chiefs seemed to increase their speed. They scored twice, and snagged the lead. But there were some fine plays by Kirsty Schoeninger and Ashley Koltenback. Kirsty stole a puck and broke free, trying to turn the much taller Chief player to the outside. She was successful, but was at a bad angle when she was finally able to unleash her shot. Ashley was working the slot-- and found herself wide open- the puck on her stick. But as she shot, it sailed high and over the net. But truth was that opportunities were there. Also J. C. Cowperthwait had a fine game. She had many fine offensive opportunities, and broke free of the Chiefs' back checkers on several occasions.
    Jackee Snickeris came in for her turn halfway through the game. After two periods, the shots were 16 to 15 in favor of the Chiefs. The Phantoms were looking to turn the game in their favor in the third period. The thinking was that their conditioning level and deeper bench would be a factor.
    But the Chiefs started to run and gun. They scored three in the third period. Their energy did not seem to wane. Must be the conditioning program of these policemen, paramedics, and firemen. However, Emily Clark scored a second goal for the defensive corps with Kirsty screening in front. As Coach Campagnolio preaches- create traffic in front of the net on the shot and good things will happen. Then Gina took three straight shots, and when it squirted to Mariel Marchand, she buried it. With the clock winding down, Megan launched one from the faceoff circle for a goal, and just before the buzzer, with quite a few Phantoms storming the offensive zone, Jess Bryan scored to even the scoreboard at 5 - 5.
    The Chiefs were great opponents- polite and gracious. $971 dollars was raised, and the girls and men congratulated one another after the game. The girls respected the up tempo game of the Chiefs- and the Chiefs were inspired by the play of the girls.

    The girls from Gilmour Academy rolled into the Iceworks parking lot for a three game stand on February 1st. The Delco Phantoms squared off for the first faceoff against these prep school girls from Ohio with a look of determination and from the first drop of the puck the action was fast paced. 
    Gilmour scored first, but then the Phantoms took matters into their own hands. Megan Mosenson shot a bullet into the top right corner of the net. Nice job on the 2 on 1, with the assist going to Ashley Koltenback. The shots favored the Phantoms after the first period- 9 to 7.
    In the second period, Allie DiRico stood firm between the pipes, eliminating any scoring possibilities for the visitors. Meanwhile, Gina Kearns was skating at a torrid pace throughout the game. On the power play, at 11:45 of the second period, Gina stormed down the left wing. She strong-armed her way to the front of the net, deked the goalie and scored. The assist went to Jess Bryan. Also in the second stanza, Allison Murray took a shot which caromed out to Jessica Cowperthwait. J.C. pounced on it from her knees and scored the third Phantom goal. Next, at 5:20 Jeannie O'Neill cycled around the boards as she loves to do. She took the shot which left a nice rebound for a waiting Gina Kearns who sent it into the back of the net. Shots for the period were Phantoms 13 Gilmour 9.
    In the third period it was Ashley Koltenback's turn to shine. She charged the net and sent it through the five hole for the fifth Phantom goal. J.C. was awarded the assist. Finally Christine Harris shot from the point with eight seconds left and Stevie Doyle banged the rebound home for a 6 - 3 Phantom victory.

February 1, 2003, 4:15 PM vs Gilmour Academy at IceWorks - L 1-4

    That afternoon the Phantoms met the girls from Gilmour Academy for the second time. Before the game Coach Schoeninger warned the girls to keep the shifts short- due to the lack of experience at playing two games in a seven hour time frame. Most fans, players, and coaches expected the Phantoms to come out flying, as they had that morning.
    But try as they may, the Phantoms could not put the puck into the net. Gilmour scored first, but the Phantoms countered as J.C. took the shot and Gina roofed the rebound. But that was it for the offensive highlights. Gilmour attacked with long outlet passes, and quick transitions. And while the Phantoms out shot Gilmour in every period, they could not defeat the visitors in this rematch.

    The following morning the Phantoms squared off against the Southern Connecticut Stars. The players and coaches knew they had to change the tone of the game from the previous day. In the locker room, before the game, it was noted that the girls are on pace to go undefeated in league play this year- a special accomplishment. But before this happens, we need two more wins.
    Unfortunately, the pace of the game was dictated more by the Stars than the Phantoms. While the Phantoms held the shot advantage 12 to 5, not a single goal was scored in the first period. Allie was taking care of business at her end of the ice, helped admirably by the defensemen. Before the game the coaches discussed the need for the defensemen to be involved in the offensive zone, but throughout the game the Phantoms just couldn't seem to take advantage of the open points.
    Between the periods Coach Campagnolio instructed the forwards to take the shots- even if they were not the picture perfect ones. But, it was the Stars who scored first, which had everyone on the bench shaking their heads. Ashley Koltenback evened the score at the end of the period and the Phantoms met in front of the home bench for the between the periods strategy session.
    Coach Schoeninger told the troops that now that the first goal is on the scoreboard, they will now come in bunches. And seconds into the third period, J.C. scored off a scramble in front of the net. Eleven seconds later Jeannie poked a puck across the goal line. Then at 12:34, Megan hit the goalie and the rebound floated right to Bridget Cleary. Bridget sent this puck into the twine for a power play goal. The assist went to Stevie Doyle and Megan. The Phantoms had preserved their streak, but had not skated at the pace they had against Gilmour on Saturday morning. Next up is the Long Island Waves in New York for the last league game.

    The last league game of the 2002-03 season brought the Phantoms to Long Island- just across the street from the 1964 World's Fair sight. When entering the rink, virtually every parent and player gazed at the rink and uttered, "This is really going to be different!"
    The coaches prepared the girls for the game by focusing on the wide ice surface, an easy way to enhance the East-West passing style that we have been practicing for the last two months. Also, mental preparation was needed to focus on this last league game.
    Jackee Snickeris dressed as a forward, and opened the scoring thanks to Kirsty Schoeninger who set her up for the one timer. This goalie also has some pretty good hands. Three minutes later Kirsty backhanded another pass to Jackee who buried it for her second goal of the game. Next it was a patented Gina Kearns move on the power play. She cruised around the back of the net, and just as the goalie moved, Gina shot it between her legs. 
    Goal number four of the period belonged to Christine Harris. She started to leave her point position to cycle into the slot when Megan Mosenson hit her with a pass. Bean shot and scored the fourth goal of the first period. Kate Hein, Emily Clark, Rachel Hauser, Christine Harris and Jessica Bryan did a fine job of joining the offense in this game.
    In the second stanza, Gina scored off a scramble, then Allison Tyndall spun around and deposited a backhand off of the goalie's foot. Next, Kirsty Schoeninger took the faceoff deep in the offensive zone. She shot off the draw and sent it into the net.
    Goal number eight belonged to Jackee Snickeris to complete her hat trick. It came off a a pass from Kirsty, and Jackee sent the backhander into the twine. Congratulations Jackee, now you have a hat trick patch to add to your shutout patch at the end of the season. Stevie tallied the ninth goal on a nice one timer, then Jessica Cowperthwait scored shorthanded as she wrapped the puck around the net. There were a total of six Phantom goals in the period- quite an offensive display.
    In the third period, J.C. scored off a shot by Bridget Cleary, who was playing defense. Then Emily Clark launched a shot from the point and J.C. captured the rebound. The eleventh goal for the team was Jeannie O'Neill's. It was a shorthanded goal, as she accelerated behind the net and wrapped the puck around the post. The scoring was not complete, as Bridget Cleary shot from the point and J.C. tipped it past the Long Island goalie. Then Gina completed her hat trick with a nice 5 hole goal. Lastly, Megan sent another shot through the five hole and the game was over- Phantom- 14 Waves- 3.
    After working since July, the Phantoms had achieved their first goal, an undefeated season in league play. Now that this has been accomplished, the team needs to dedicate themselves to preparing for the Syracuse Empire League Tournament and ultimately- the National Championships. It will require each and every girl to seek new levels in their game, and work on perfecting the systems that are now in place. There is no time to reflect on the past- it is time to realize the opportunity of the future.

EMPIRE LEAGUE SHOWCASE
Syracuse, NY, February 21st –23rd, 2003

Friday, February 21, 2003 vs the Tiger Lilies at Cicero - W 4-1

    The Delco Phantoms surged up to Syracuse, New York for the Empire League Tournament on February 21st. The first game was at the Cicero Twin Rinks, the home of the current National Champions for the 19 U girls division. But even though the team was five hours from home, the first opponent was a familiar one. 
    As the Tiger Lilies and Phantoms skated out for warm-ups, the fans in the stands could tell this rivalry was about to continue onward into its next chapter. Gina Kearns set the early pace as she earned a breakaway on her first shift through sheer determination. Nicki Werner made the save, but Gina would not be kept off the scoreboard for long. At 4:35 Jeannie O’Neill cranked a shot off, and Gina captured the rebound sending it just under the crossbar. After the first period the shots were 7 - 4 in favor of the Phantoms.
    In the second period Allison Tyndall found a wide open Megan Mosenson standing at the back door and Megan made no mistake about depositing the puck into the back of the net. The Tiger Lilies countered with a goal of their own, but Jackee was strong in the nets throughout the game. And Kudos must be sent out also to the defense- Emily Clark, Kate Hein, Rachel Hauser, Christine Harris and Bridget Cleary who made sure the opposing forwards were steered away from Jackee’s crease.
    The third goal of the game was Gina’s as she set up in her familiar place just outside of the crease. Low and behold she found the puck as it squirted out from the goalie’s pads and she sent it right back- through the five hole. Then Gina completed the hat trick for the day on a power play backhand that saw her stretch as if she had Go-Go-Gadget arms.
    That was to be all the scoring for the game, as the Phantoms out shot the Tiger Lilies 21 to 5. Gina Kearns was named player of the game, as she, Jeannie, and J.C. Cowperthwait were dominant every time they were on the ice. Then, in the locker room, Coach Campagnolio help up his dry erase board and crossed the first team off the list- one down three to go.

Saturday. February 22, 2003 vs Kingston, Ontario, Ice Wolves at Allyn - W 7-1

    In the second game the Phantoms went to Skaneateles, New York to face a team from Kingston, Ontario. In this outdoor rink, the ice was crisp, but filled with bumps. Combined with very tight boards, the puck was bouncing from the first face-off. Kingston scored first as Jackee was screened. But the Phantoms got stronger as the game went on and Ashley Koltenback buried one to even the score. It was off a nice feed from Megan Mosenson, while the team was shorthanded. The next goal was Allison Tyndall’s as Kirsty Schoeninger took the shot and Allison made sure to immediately convert the rebound into a goal.
    Next up was Gina Kearns as she danced around the opposing center and scored directly off a face-off. Goal number four for the Phantoms belonged to Megan Mosenson as she darted in from the blue line and roofed it. Goal number five was another from Ashley as she unleashed her slap shot from the boards and buried it. Nice shot, Ashley! As the game progressed it was all Phantoms, even though Kingston was playing hard. Jackee was everywhere she needed to be, controlling rebounds and sending them safely in the corners.
    The sixth goal was Megan’s after a nice shot by Ashley. Megan was in the perfect position for the rebound and sent it into the twine. The seventh and final goal belonged to Jeannie O’Neill. She was on a 2 on 1 with Gina. As Gina took the shot Jeannie carefully positioned herself for the rebound and sent it home. After the game, Megan Mosenson was named most valuable player of the game and Coach Campagnolio crossed off the second name on the list.

Saturday February 22, 2003 vs Sound Shore Tournament Team at Cicero - W 2-1

    Game three brought the Sound Shore Warriors Tournament team to the Cicero rink. While the entire team knew we had played well against Sound Shore- this was a different squad- with a different coach. And to be honest, the Phantoms had not traditionally played well any time they had a second game in one day.
    But thanks to Stevie Doyle, the Phantoms took the early lead. It was a picture perfect play as she raced down the left wing with the opposing defenseman. Stevie was not to be denied as she won the race to the puck and drilled it past the goaltender. Pure effort Stevie, nice job!
    The Phantoms looked sluggish as the game progressed. In the second period Jeannie O’Neill gave the squad a two goal lead on the power play. Jeannie was hunting around the slot after a scramble and sent the puck hurtling into the net. Sound Shore was not about to give up, and got one past Jackee late in the second period.
    Impressive in this game was Kirsty Schoeninger’s line with Stevie Doyle and Allison Murray. This line created several scoring opportunities and controlled play in front of their goaltender. It is most important that the Phantoms have a balanced scoring attack, and from the tournament score sheets, there are goals coming from every line.
    In the third stanza, the Phantoms out shot the Warriors 6 - 4, but the score remained 2 to 1. After this game, Coach Campagnolio eliminated the third line on the dry erase board, and the only words remaining were “Championship Game”. Jackee was named the player of the game for several unbelievable saves when the team needed them to stay in the game. In his post game comments the coach noted that good teams have to find a way to win, and the Phantoms had one game left to prove themselves.

Sunday February 23, 2003 Championship game vs Tiger Lilies at Cicero - W 4-1

    In the Championship Game, the rivalry with the Tiger Lilies was renewed one more time at the Cicero Rink. Obviously these teams know each other well, and bring the best out in each other. This game was not to be any different.
    The Phantoms took the lead as Jeannie O’Neill took a shot. The Tiger Lily goalie made the stop, but it dropped at her feet and Gina was there to send it into the back of the net. In the second period the Tiger Lilies fought back to even the score, and the game began to get even more intense.
    After an inspiring talk by Emily Clark and Kate Hein between periods, the mood of the game changed. Goal number two for the Phantoms came off the stick of Gina Kearns as she zoomed out of the corner, through the slot, and blistered the puck into the Princeton net. That gave Jackee some breathing room, and the Phantoms picked up the energy level. Goal number three belonged to the black, purple and orange as Jeannie showcased her puck possession skills behind the net and found Gina open for the quick shot. It went five hole as with four minutes left in the game the Phantoms had renewed energy.
    The defense shut down every rush at the Phantom net. This group of five young ladies, along with their goaltender, had allowed only one goal per game. their reputation was now at stake. Then, during a 4 on 4, Jeannie danced through the face-off and went 1 on 1 with the Tiger Lily goalie and hit pay dirt.
    All that was left was the chance to celebrate. The girls continue to showcase the skills they have been toiling with at practice since September, and it seems clear that they have not yet hit their peak. Congratulations to all members of the team for their contributions to this championship. Next up is the playoffs at Iceland- and perhaps another game against the Tiger Lilies!

AWHL Playoffs
March 1 & 2, 2003

Saturday March 1, 2003   Playoff  vs. Sound Shore at Iceland - W 6-3 

    The AWHL playoffs were held at Iceland, a familiar place for all Delco Phantoms 19U girls. Their undefeated streak was on the line, and the first opponent, the Sound Shore Warriors came to play from the opening drop of the puck. Jackee was between the pipes, and the Phantoms were determined to keep their winning streak alive from the previous week.
    The Warriors struck first on an even strength goal in the first period. But roaring back came Jeannie O'Neill. The Phantoms were shorthanded at the time. Jeannie stole the puck deked and lifted the puck into the net to tie the score. Next Gina fought off a backchecker and swooped into the slot for a backhand goal. At the end of the second period the shots on goal favored the Phantoms- 22 to 9. But the score was deadlocked at 2.
    Sound Shore was not going to let the Phantoms end their season easily. Ashley Koltenback who was wide open after a Megan Mosenson shot sent the Phantoms into the lead, as she was wide open in front of the Warrior net. Two minutes later Gina Kearns danced in off a faceoff and scored, followed by Emily Clark maneuvering in from the point just 25 seconds later. The short Warrior bench looked tired as Jeannie O'Neill finished out the scoring on a 3 on 0. The Phantoms finished with 30 shots, but had not dominated the entire game as many expected. Next up was the Tiger Lilies for the AWHL championship.

Sunday March 2, 2003  Championship Game  vs. Tiger Lilies at Iceland - W 3-2 

    Would the constant downpour on Sunday March 2nd be an omen of the Phantoms chances, or would the team dig deeper and find a way to overcome the Tiger Lilies quick transition? That was to be decided as Coach Campagnolio went over game strategy in the locker room. He stressed the need for proper defensive positioning and the need for forwards to open up for quick defensive passes.
    Even though the Phantoms had performed well against this team throughout the season, the Tiger Lilies had everything to prove in this game. It was the Phantoms who struck first as Megan launched a shot directly off the faceoff. She buried it into the back of the net and the Phantoms were up by a single goal in the first period. But even though the Phantoms outshot their opposition 12 to 4, the score was tied after the first period.
    Tension built, and the Phantoms had a hard time staying out of the penalty box. Over the course of the game the Tiger Lilies had only three penalties compared to the Phantoms 7. In the second period alone, the Phantoms had six penalties, showing why Jackee was peppered with shots (12) compared to the Phantoms who had only 8.
    Mariel Marchand took the lead for the Phantoms after great pressure in front of the Tiger Lily net. Mariel was right in the slot when the puck wandered into an opening and she scored on a backhand. Assists went to Jeannie O'Neill and Gina Kearns. You could feel the relief on the bench.
    But a minute later the Tiger Lilies showed some great character as they scored again to tie the score. Everyone in that rink then knew that this was going to be a dogfight until the end. The shifts got shorter, the breaths gobbled up whatever fresh oxygen the lungs would allow. The Phantom defense kept their stations at the point creating more offense. Shots in this period were 21 to 9 in favor of the Phantoms. Then as the clock drew under a minute, Gina, Jeannie and J. C. Cowperthwait took the ice and immediately created pressure. But the Tiger Lilies would not let the Phantoms find a chink in their defense. Then, as the clock counted down under five seconds, Gina lassoed the puck and wandered out from the corner and took the shot. There was a scramble in front, the goalie got a leg pad on the puck, but it dribbled across the goal line. The referee blew the whistle signaling the goal and the bench erupted in cheers along with parents and family members in the stands. All that was left was the celebration. Hats off to the AWHL champion Delco Phantoms- who have seemed to have the characteristic of many good teams- they find a way to win.

    When the Delco Phantoms trekked to Pittsburgh on the weekend of March 7th, little did they know it was to be a most memorable weekend. The three day excursion was to feature two games against the Amateur Penguins- winners of their division, and two games against the Ohio Flames- who finished second in the country during Nationals last year.
    The first game was unusual because there was no Jackee and there was no Allie. So, Coach Schoeninger grabbed the extra goalie pads from the back of his car and handed them to Jessica Cowperthwait, the goalie for the game.
    Jessica stood up well to the test in warmups, and used her athleticism to stop many of the Phantom shots. When the game began, Kate Hein led the way as she scored on a shot from the point. It also featured a nice pass from Megan Mosenson. When the Phantoms have the defense involved in the scoring, they are a real threat. Megan got the second Phantom goal later in the first period as she found a loose puck in front of the net and sent a high backhand into the twine. This gave the Phantoms a two goal cushion. Also of note was a Penguin breakaway. The puck was slipping down the far boards, when J. C. decided it was time to race the opponent for the puck. Goalie pads and all J.C. darted to the loose puck and foiled the Penguin opportunity.
    In the second period the Penguins came back as they scored four times. But countering this offensive attack was Jeannie O'Neill who stormed behind the net and passed to a wide open Megan Mosenson for the goal. Also during the second period Megan made a picture perfect pass to her linemate Jeannie. Jeannie was flying and shot it inside the far post for the fourth Phantom goal. The score was tied 4 to 4 after two periods.
    In the third period, Jeannie came through again as she went top shelf from the top of the circles for the fifth goal for the visiting team. Then it was left up to the defense and J. C. to hold the fort down for the rest of  the game. This was exactly what happened and the Phantoms had the first win  on the weekend.

Saturday March, 8, 2003 vs Ohio Flames at Kent State - L 2-4

    On Saturday morning, the Phantoms packed up early and tested the slippery roads of western Pennsylvania in order to travel to Kent State University. This is the home of the Ohio Flames, a team which had won Nationals two years ago, and was the runnerup last year.

    Clearly this was a test to see if the Phantoms can play with the top clubs in the country. As the Phantoms took the ice, there seemed to be a hesitancy in their play. Perhaps they were giving the Flames the respect that they deserved, and the Flames took advantage, scoring first. However, Gina Kearns countered that goal by getting her own rebound and sent it billowing into the Flames net. The Flames scored again to end the period up by a goal. But an interesting statistic is that the shots favored the Phantoms 10 - 4.
    In the second period, the game became more physical. The Flames players started to throw a blanket of coverage on any Phantom wandering in their slot. There were five penalties in this period, and no goals were scored.
    In the final period the Flames scored twice more- once while shorthanded. The Phantoms came back with a goal by Mariel Marchand where she turned on the jets. At the end of the game, tempers flared and six penalties were called with two ejections. It seemed as if the Flames had found a way to knock the Phantoms off their game.

Saturday March, 8, 2003 vs Ohio Flames at Kent State - W 6-3

    With cleared heads, the Phantoms had a second match against the Ohio Flames that afternoon. No one in the stands or on the bench knew what to expect. Certainly the hope was that the referees would take control of the game early and that the Phantoms would capitalize.
    Once again the Flames took the early lead. But the Phantoms roared back as Kirsty Schoeninger took a shot and Ashley Koltenbach was there for the rebound- wide open, and sent it upstairs to even the score- with Rachel Hauser getting the other assist. The Flames snuck another goal by Jackee to end the period 2 - 1 in favor of the Flames, just as the previous game had begun.
    But Jackee was to emerge as a leader in this game with a great save on number 9 for the Flames who stormed in on a breakaway. Then Allison Tyndall banked a puck off the crossbar after a pass from Kirsty and Kate Hein. This was the lone goal of the period, as the Phantoms were outshooting the Flames 17 to 14.
    With the Flames short bench, the Phantoms came alive in the third period. Emily Clark broke the game open with a shot from the point. Kate Hein and Kirsty got the assists, giving Kirsty a playmaker award for the game. The next goal was off the stick of Megan Mosenson, with the assist going to captain Kate Hein, her third of the game for a playmaker award for her as well. The fifth Phantom goal was from Gina Kearns who darted into the high slot on a breakaway and scored high into the net. Finally Megan scored her second of the game as she reached wide and picked the top corner for a 6-3 Phantom victory. There were 13 penalties in the game, but the Phantoms had emerged as the victors.
    There were many smiling faces as the Phantoms left the Kent State rink. Ana Steele-Norton, Christine Harris, Rachel Hauser, Emily Clark, Jessica Bryan, and Kate Hein held their heads high as they had tamed a powerful offense. Jackee had stood tall in goal, stoning breakways and controlling rebounds throughout the game. And the offense had put six goals on the board. It was a time to be proud of the girls' accomplishments.

Sunday March 9, 2003 vs Pittsburgh Penguins at Harmarville - W 6-0

    The final game of the weekend was back in Hamarville against the Penguins. With Jackee confidently between the pipes, Jessica Cowperthwait back with her line and Gina on offense, the Phantoms knew they were going to be a stronger force than on Friday night.
    From the drop of the puck the Phantoms did not sit back on their Saturday win against the Flames. They outshot the Penguins 8 - 1 in the first period. They scored only once, on a backhand shot by Allison Tyndall after Megan came out of the corner. In the second stanza Ashley Koltenback found a loose puck in the slot and sent it home after a scramble in front of the Penguin goalie. Next it was Megan on a backhand high to the glove side- nice shot Megan! And to round out the scoring for this period was Gina Kearns on a quick rebound shot, where Gina loves to be camped out- in the slot. The Assist went to J.C. Late in the period Megan came 2 on 2 with Jeannie O'Neill, flying into the zone. Jeannie dished off to Megan who let loose her cannon for the fifth Phantom goal. Two goals for Megan. Shots for the period were 16 for the Phantoms and 3 for the Penguins.
    The pressure was on for the Phantoms defense to step up and hold the shutout for Jackee. The Phantoms held the opposition to six shots on the period to keep the home team off the scoreboard. In addition, Ashley Koltenback shot low from where Coach Campagnolio calls "Heaven" and tallied her second goal of the game. There were only five penalties in the entire game, and the Phantoms headed eastward with a bit more confidence, and a sense that they still can elevate their game as they close in on the National Championships.