Conestoga prevails on own goal

It might have been a fluke, the product of pure luck. It might have been the slick turf field, the result of a constant drizzle that sprinkled the pitch while winds blew heavily for the entire 80 minutes of play.

It could have been, however, the ball pressure, the rewards reaped from a deft game plan.

When the Conestoga Pioneers switched fields with a diagonal cross from midfield and into the attacking third against Lower Merion late in the first half Thursday afternoon, three of their own rushed to a ball met by Aces defender Mark Abi-Khatar.

Confronted with three impending attackers, Abi-Khatar buckled, the ball taking a bounce off his head and over diving goalkeeper Connor Yu. The ball, dribbling ever so gently, tumbled into the net for an own goal 30 minutes into the first half.

That ultimately decided the outcome, as Conestoga defeated Lower Merion, 2-1, in a clash of Central League boys' soccer powers.

"That own goal was on a switch," said Conestoga coach Dave Zimmerman, adding that the game plan coming in was to switch fields diagonally with crosses to keep the Lower Merion defense off balance. "It's not the way we diagrammed it, but we were very fortunate overall."

Though the miscue was the difference, Conestoga (5-0 overall, 3-0 league) certainly isn't apologizing for it. After all, it was Lower Merion that defeated the Pioneers in last year's District 1 Class AAA title game. And it is Lower Merion (4-1, 2-1) that again provides their stiffest competition in the rugged Central League as Conestoga looks to defend its crown.

The Pioneers, who lost all of three games in 2010, have avenged each of those defeats in beating Central Dauphin, Penncrest, and Lower Merion to begin the year. A season ago, too, however, the Pioneers triumphed in their league match with the Aces only to fall in a game of greater gravity at districts.

And that's the message Aces coach Nico Severini wants to preach to a team that entered the week ranked 37th in the nation by ESPN Rise.

"Last year, we lost early in the year [to Conestoga] and we ended up winning the district championship," Severini said. "I think what is important is what ends up at the end of the year.

"It's one game of 11. For us, every game is important and not one game is special."

Conestoga's T-Ben Donnie gave the visitors the lead with a goal in the fourth minute. Lower Merion countered three minutes later when junior striker Kenny Lassiter served a perfect cross that Roberto Bonilla finished for the equalizer.

That was the Aces' sole shot on goal in the game. Conestoga put four on net. Aces goalie Yu played superbly, making several sharp saves to keep his side in the game.

Conestoga   2 0 – 2

Lower Merion   1 0 – 1

Goals: C-T-Ben Donnie, own goal; LM-Roberto Bonilla.

Saves: C-Clarke Fox 1; LM-Connor Yu 3.

Contact Evan Burgos at rallysports@phillynews.com.