TOWAMENCIN- Coming off of a Suburban One Continental Conference Championship win the night before, the North Penn Men’s Soccer team (15-3)  knew they had to bring the same level of intensity to their afternoon game against the Phoenixville Phantoms (9-8-1). In fact, they brought so much intensity that they were able to gain an early lead, giving their starters some rest and their younger players more experience on the field. The Knights defeated the Phantoms 3-1 in a game that they controlled from the beginning.

“I think we played well enough [and] smart enough to take care of things today. Coming off of a game last night, I thought we played great,” said Head Coach Paul Duddy.

The Knights were the first on the scoreboard thanks to a quick goal by sophomore Luke McMahon (34:21). Senior Mike Kohler also found the net, scoring another goal to put the Knights ahead 2-0 (25:50).

“Mike and Luke’s goals started us off really early and gave us extra confidence in the game,” said junior defender Matt Murphy.

Junior Matthew Farrell joined in on the scoring trend as well, extending North Penn’s lead 3-0 before halftime.

“Scoring the first three goals was key to the momentum of the game for us,” said Farrell.

In the second half, North Penn’s defense was the main event, keeping the Phantoms from several scoring opportunities. Juniors Matt Murphy and Andrew McLaughlin, as well as freshman Carter Houlihan, led the defensive prowess.

“I think the whole team played really well. I’m just really proud of all my teammates for playing a great game and pushing through,” said Murphy.

Senior goalkeeper Tyler Rothman took command in the backfield, allowing only one goal off of a corner by Phantom Nick Sinapus. Senior goalkeeper Bobby Dean also played in the second half, saving a crucial penalty shot for the Knights.

“Bobby stopping that penalty kick was really good; it helped keep us ahead at the end,” said Duddy.

The Phantoms were in the game up until the final buzzer, but the early surge of the Knights was too strong for them to catch up to. Even though North Penn did not play a majority of their starters, the team still showed that they have depth with their talent.

“They younger kids definitely stepped up to the plate today. They work hard with us everyday in practice, and it’s good that they can get varsity experience, “ said Duddy.

The North Penn Knights are anticipating more information regarding their District Playoff schedule.