July 7, 2012 - Torch Score 4 in Win Over Tidewater
The Torch women's team was back in action against the Tidewater Sharks today. The last time these two teams met, the Torch won 2-0. Today both teams had to battle intense heat during the game. As the game got underway, Tidewater enjoyed most of the possession as the Torch sat back defensively. However, the Torch soon settled in, and their movement started to look dangerous, producing a few scoring chances. The first goal of the game came off a Tidewater turnover. A ball played into Kornock is laid off for Linton, who strikes the ball from 25 yards out. It was a beautiful rip that traveled to the far post that banked off the post and into the net. 1-0 Torch. Tidewater's only threat came from their forward, who got into some situations where she only had one defender to beat. Midway through the first half, play stopped for a water break due to the heat. After the break, Tidewater's forward continued to threaten; however, Crowell was able to shut her down several times. With just under a minute left in the first half, Tidewater's forward was able to turn her defender, and a covering Crowell was just unable to keep her from getting a shot off. The shot found its way to the back of the net, making the score level going into halftime. The second half was a case of Torch maintaining possession in the attacking half of the field. All this pressure was eventually able to break down Tidewater's defense. Kornock blew by a defender of the left side and drove a ball in across the box. A cutting Philbin was able to connect with the cross and bury the ball into the top netting. After a short water break in the second half, the Torch got their third goal of the game. Pinkney did well to showcase her speed as she pushed the ball behind a defender and was able to catch up to it. She then crossed the ball on the floor. A Tidewater defender was unable to deal with the cross, as she put the ball into the net for an own goal. However, Tidewater responded immediately as a Torch turnover ten yards outside the eighteen allowed a Tidewater player to hit a shot. The shot was a rocket that traveled into the side netting. The game was now 3-2 in favor of the Torch, although it wouldn't stay that way for long. Just a few seconds later, a long ball picked out Rebeccah Smith on the right side. She was able to cut her defender and get a shot off from just inside the eighteen. The shot took a little deflection on the way in but it was not enough to keep the ball out of the net. 4-2 Torch. With less than ten minutes left to play, the Torch almost added another one to the score sheet. Hoekstra received the ball with one defender to beat. She did well to create space for a shot and curled one far post. The shot came off the cross bar and fell to Brown. Brown was able to get a shot off, but the Tidewater keeper made a great save. The final score was 4-2 in favor of the Torch. The Torch plays their last game of the season tomorrow against FC Bucks. This is the last home game of the season for the women. It is also fan appreciation night, so hopefully there will be a big crowd to cheer them on!

July 1, 2012 - Women Fight Hard in the Heat
On an extremely hot afternoon, the Torch women took on the Maryland Capitals. The Capitols were leading the league going into Sunday's game. The Torch had several injured players going into the match, and as the game started, the Torch was down to only one available sub. Despite the temperature and lack of subs, the Torch started the game well. The Torch possessed the ball well, as the Capitols looked to force the long ball early. Hoekstra found plenty of space in behind the right back which the Torch looked to expose. The Torch got an early lead from a corner, as Kornock sent in a ball. Lisa Philbin was able to back-heel the ball beautifully into the goal. Even though the Torch was controlling possession and creating chances, a rare turnover in the midfield gave the Capitols a shot on goal. The shot sailed in just under the crossbar, as Pakhtigian was unable to get a hand to the shot. After a short water break during the first half, both teams returned to the field. A goal scored by Linton was disallowed due to an offsides called. Not long after that, Maryland came close to scoring as one of their shots hit the post. The score at halftime remained 1-1. The Torch looked to change their tactics in the second half as the heat and lack of subs were taking a toll on their bodies. Coach Rich Sparling went with a defensive 5-4-1 formation. Despite going defensive, the Capitals were able to open the second half scoring with a cross that was headed into the Torch net. However, the Torch response to the goal was an "anything you can do I can do better" attitude, as Kornock blew past her defender at the other end and served up a cross to Hoekstra at the far post. Hoekstra headed the ball in to level the score at 2's. The Torch seemed unlucky to go down 3-2 when a ball that looked like a cross found its way inside the far post. Literally seconds later the Torch answer with a goal by Philbin. Kornock played a beautiful ball through to Phiblin. The Capitols defender slid to prevent the breakaway. The lunge for the ball poked the ball to the side of the onrushing Capitols' keeper and Philbin was able to punch in the ball into an empty net. Just like the 2-2 score line, the 3-3 score line did not hold for long. A shot for the Capitals rebounded off the crossbar and was put into the net by a poaching Capital's forward. The Torch looked to respond to the goal after a short water break. Unfortunately, the Capitals were awarded a PK for a "foul" that they referee may have given rashly. The PK was almost saved by Barnhill, who got a hand to the ball and put it off the post. The ball trickled off the post into the net to give the Capitals a 5-3 lead. The PK call may have just taken the belief out of the Torch players who were exhausted from the heat and lack of subs, because minutes later the Capitals scored again. The Torch was not done fighting though! A volley by Roberts toward the goal was finished off by Philbin. However, a questionable offsides call disallowed the goal. The final score of 6-3 did not accurately reflect the quality play and heart from the Torch women. The Torch women are back in action next Saturday against Tidewater.

June 30, 2012 - Torch Control the Game in 3-1 Victory
The women were back in action on Saturday verses Binghamton. The Torch dominated the first half of the game and created several dangerous scoring chances. One of these came later in the first half off a Crowell free kick that was saved well by the Binghamton goalkeeper. In the second half, the Torch looked for their first half dominance to pay off in a few goals. They got their first goal just a few minutes into the half. A shot from Kornock was saved by the keeper; the rebound fell to Linton in front of the net. Linton attempted to get a shot off, but her touch fell to Kornock. Kornock blasted the ball into an empty net for her first of the game. Kornock seemed determined to add to the Torch lead as she showed great strength and speed to get off another shot on goal minutes later. Her shot forced a save and awarded the Torch a corner. Kornock took the corner and picked out Ashley DeNio with an in-swinger. DeNio's shot found its way to the back of the net; 2-0 Torch. Binghamton got a goal of their own later in the half. It was a rather unexpected goal as their seemed to be a mix-up in communication on defense. The Torch continued to control the game after letting up a goal. It wasn't much later that Kornock got her second goal of the game to make the score 3-1. Kornock blew past a defender and hit a left-footed strike that flew into the upper-90. The last ten minutes consisted of several other Torch chances; however, the score line finished 3-1 in favor of the Torch. The women are back in action tomorrow against league leading Maryland Capitals.

June 28, 2012 - A Strong Showing in the Second Half is Not Enough
The Torch women took on FC Bucks for the first time this season. The two teams were scheduled to play in the first game of the season, but the game needed to be rescheduled due to lightning. The game opened up with several early scoring chances. FC Buck nearly got on the score sheet with a shot off the post just minutes in. At the other end, the Torch couldn't capitalize on a ball that bounced around in the box. A good save by Pakhtigian on a one-on-one chance kept the game scoreless. However, a few minutes later, FC Bucks opened the scoring on a shot from outside the eighteen that rolled its way into the corner. The second goal of the game came just minutes later as a corner fell to a Bucks player. With her back to goal, she turned past a few defenders in the box and finished near post. The Torch needed to get something going offensively if they were going to stay in the game. They got the response they were desperate for from Rebeccah Hoekstra. She turned her defender and finished the ball in the far corner. Despite the 2-1, score-line FC Bucks controlled the flow of the game in the first half. The second half was a completely different story for the Torch. They came out with some heavy pressure that took away the possession that FC Bucks enjoyed in the first half. Torch's pressure also forced FC Bucks to make some careless mistake with the ball. The Torch capitalized on their pressure with a goal from Philbin. Kornock played a beautiful ball through to Philbin who buried the shot past the keeper. Even though the Torch looked more dominant in the second half, a ball played through late in the game found an FC Bucks player, who finished the ball past the Torch keeper. Final score 3-2 in favor of FC Bucks. The Torch responded well to fight and climb back into the game during the second half. The Torch take on Binghamton on Saturday at home. Game time is 4:00 PM.

June 24, 2012 - Ally Brown Scores 2 as the Torch Earn their First Win 
The offensive explosion the Torch had been waiting for all season finally burst onto the scene Sunday in a 2-0 defeat of the visiting Tidewater Sharks. The Torch dominated the time of possession during the scorelss first half, but couldn't find the back of the net. In the second half however, second year midfielder Allison Brown took over, darting through the Tidewater defense to begin to create offensive opportunities. Just nine minutes into the second half, a gorgeous cross by forward Rebeccah Smith was blasted home out of the air by the diminutive Brown for her first goal of the season. Her second came just minutes later, as a cross by center midfielder Karly Linton fell to the foot of Brown, who buried the shot in the upper right side of the net to put the Torch up 2-0 in the 63 rd minute. The Torch continued their relentless offensive attack, getting several more good looks at the net, while playing suffocating defense at the other end of the field. The 2-0 final was the team's first victory of the season, improving their record to 1-4 with five games left on the schedule. Buxmont returns to action this Thursday when they travel to Newtown to take on the FC Bucks.

June 23, 2012 - Torch Defense Looks Strong in Losing Effort
The BuxMont Torch looked to get their first win of the season against Penn Legacy, who they faced once before in the season. However, the Torch had to try to overcome an early deficit if they were going to get the win. Just six minutes into the game the Inferno took a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick. Forward Katie Lamm was hauled down from behind in the box by Torch defender Anna-Kate DePaulo. Lamm promptly blasted the PK past Torch keeper Gabrielle Pakhtigian to open the scoring. The two teams battled back and forth most of the first half until a lazy shot by Penn Legacy midfielder Leah Sipe trickled past Pakhtigian, bouncing off the far post and into the net for a 2-0 Inferno with five minutes left in the half. Pakhtigian thought the shot was going wide. The Torch opened the second half right where they left off in the first half—on the attack. They produced three quality chances in the first ten minutes. Meanwhile, the Torch held Inferno to zero shots which briefly turned the momentum in the favor of Buxmont. However, as the half went on, offensive opportunities became fewer and further between for the Torch, as they were outshot 8-1 the rest of the game. Neither team was able to find the back of the net. The Torch defense looked very strong, who shut down Inferno's threat, number 6, the entire game. Final score 2-0. Penn Legacy outshot Buxmont 18-5 in the shutout. The loss drops the Torch to 0-4 on the season with six games left on the schedule. Buxmont returns to action on Sunday, when they play host to the visiting Tidewater Sharks at 4 p.m. Tidewater is also winless on the season, so the Torch will look to win this game!

June 19, 2012 - Torch Leave a Lasting Impact in a Loss to the Magic
The BuxMont Torch women's team looked to get their first points of the season after a strong showing against league leading Maryland Capitals. The Torch took on the Milburn Magic. Game time was scheduled for 6:30 PM. The game got off to a flying start for the Magic as an early cross lead to a goal. The cross picked out an unmarked Magic forward who headed the ball in off the far post. Just a few minutes later, the Magic failed to capitalize on another great scoring opportunity. Number 23 from the Magic missed a wide open shot. The Torch had a great chance of their own at the other end as a Magic defender failed to clear a ball which fell kindly to Rebeccah Hoekstra. Unfortunately her shot was just over the target. Substitutes were used early and often by the Torch; however, despite the fresh legs, the Magic were able to get their second goal of the match off another ball sent from the left side. The Magic headed it goal-ward and Melissa Fawcett was unable to get enough on the ball to keep it out. The game was still not out of reach for the Torch as they responded with a quick goal. A shot from a few yards out by Kornock was too much for the Magic keeper to handle as the ball deflected into the air. Erin Barclay headed the ball easily into an open net. The majority of possession went to the Torch as the first half came to a close. Rebeccah Hoekstra was unable to get her second of the season. A ball played over the top of the Magic defense put her in with just the keeper to beat. Unfortunately, the keeper came out quickly and made herself big. Halftime score was 2-1. The Torch came out in the second half flying. Kornock nearly got an early goal as her shot narrowly missed sneaking in the near post. The game was somewhat similar to last game where the Torch looked dangerous going forward but couldn't pick out the final ball. Torch coach, Rich Sparling, continued pouring in the subs in the second half. Once again the fresh legs for the Torch could not keep the Magic off the score sheet. A ball played over the top of the Torch defense picked out a Magic player who finished the break. The score was 3-1 Magic at this point. In a game where the midfield was wide open for both teams, the Torch was unable to capitalize on some strong counterattacking play. Final score ended 3-1 in favor of the Magic. Despite the loss, the Magic coach praised the Torch women for their tough play and their ministry mindset. The Torch women will face a rematch against Penn Legacy on Saturday in Lancaster, PA. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 PM. 

June 16, 2012 - A Late Goal for the Torch is Not Enough
The BuxMont Torch women's team were back in action on Saturday against the Maryland Capitols. The Torch came out possessing the ball well in the first half. Both sides had a few shots off target to begin the game. As the game went along, the Torch continued to dominate possession especially in the attacking third. With just less than 20 minutes left in the first half, Rachel Shive just missed the near post with her shot. A few minutes later, a ball out of the back played through to Julie Ruhe finds its way to the back of the net as Julie takes a shot from the right side and beats Torch keeper who was a little off her line. The goal was a result of sister-to-sister combination as it was Amie Ruhe gets the assist. Rachel Shive almost immediately responded, but unfortunately her volley was hit right at the Capitols' keeper. Gabrielle Pakhtigian came up big late in the first half as she stuffed a one-one-one chance. The score was 1-0 Capitols going into the half. The Torch looked to capitalize on their possession in the second half. The second half summary is a bit like the first. If the game was won on amount of possession, the Torch would have surely won this game. Unfortunately, all of their possession, particularly in their opponent's half, did not pay off in quality scoring chances. The Torch had their fair share of shots in the second half, most of them coming from Melissa Kornick; however they hardly tested the keeper. Forward Rebeccah Hoekstra had maybe the best chance of the second half as she turned a cross that came in on the floor, keeper kick save. With less than fifteen minutes to play, the Capitols got their second of the match when a long ball fell to number 21 who finished over Torch goal keeper, who was off her line quickly to try to save the shot from just inside the eighteen. Again the Torch nearly responded as Melissa Kornock was unable to push the ball past the Capitols' keeper a she had a breakaway chance of her own. The Torch do get a late goal as Pickney outruns the Capitols defense and laid a ball in to Rebeccah Hoekstra who taps the ball in for the Torch's first goal of the season. However, the goal was a little too late as the score ends 2-1. The Torch women look to rebound from the tough loss as they take on the Millburn Magic on Tuesday, June 19 th . Game time is scheduled for 6:30 PM. 

June 9, 2012 - Women fall to Penn Lagacy Inferno 
The BuxMont Torch women were in action on Saturday against the Penn Legacy Inferno for their home opener, and their first official game of the 2012 season. Game time was scheduled for 4:00 PM. The game got off to a very slow start with both teams just trying to feel each other out. A few minutes in, the inferno had a great chance on goal that came off a cross; however, Torch keeper Melissa Fawcett made a great save to keep the ball out of the net. After a couple of shots from both teams, the Inferno got a couple of chances in a row on goal. Fawcett and the Torch defense did a great job keeping the ball from hitting the back, but the peppering of shots proved too much to handle as the ball eventually found its way into the net. After the goal, both sides struggled to maintain procession and create quality chances. The score remained 1-0 going into the second half. Forward Melissa Kornock had the first real chance of the second half, but her shot was easily saved by the Inferno keeper. A few minutes later, the Inferno doubled their lead when a shot from number 20 squeaked just under the outstretched hand of the Torch keeper. The Torch keeper kept the hope of a comeback alive by saving a one-on-one break just a few minutes after the second goal. However, the Torch women looked no threat moving forward, and the Inferno got their third of the match. The goal was scored by number 7, assisted by number 6. The Torch had a couple of chances of their own to bring the game within two goals, but the Inferno defense was able to hold their ground against a barrage of shots from inside their own eighteen. The game finished with a score of 3-0. The Torch women are back in action against the Maryland Capitols this Saturday. The game is the Torch’s second home game. Kick-off begins at 4:00 PM.

June 3, 2012 - Women's game cancelled due to lightning...
The BuxMont Torch women's team was in action against FC Bucks Sunday night. Game time was scheduled for 6:00 PM. Neither side looked to be more dominant during the 30+ minutes of play. Both teams had their share of possession, but both team failed to create any real scoring opportunities. The best scoring chance came midway through the first half from a cross that fell to FC Buck's right outside midfielder. She had time to settle the ball inside the eighteen and attempt a shot from seven yards out. However, the shot was right at the Torch goalkeeper, Gabrielle Pakhtigian, who saved the ball comfortably. Then the rain started roughly halfway through the first half, but had little impact on the style and speed of play. With eleven minutes left in the first half, the game was paused due to lightning. After a half-hour wait to determine if the lightning had passed, the decision was made to cancel the game. The game has been rescheduled for June 28th. Time and location to be determined.