Radnor rally made possible by Solomon’s clutch saves

MIDDLETOWN >> The final horn had just sounded at Penncrest Tuesday afternoon when Radnor defender Kerry Hammill sprinted across the turf and hit goalie Alexa Solomon with an open-field tackle that would’ve been the envy of many an Eagles secondary coach. The celebratory dogpile — much like the sensational comeback that propelled Radnor to a 10-9 shock of Garnet Valley in the PIAA semifinals — started right then and there, with Solomon and her defense. There are two sides to the comeback narrative for Radnor, which trailed the reigning state champs 8-2 with 7:17 left in the first half, but somehow summoned the resolve to produce eight of the game’s next nine goals.

The run reflects the resilience of Radnor’s attack. But it was made possible by Solomon’s steadfast play at the other end of the field. The junior goalie made five saves, four in the second half as she regained her footing after a rampant start by the Jaguars. And the final stat line — that Solomon and the Radnor defense allowed Garnet Valley just one goal in the final 32 minutes of the game — is utterly astounding.

“In the second half, we were really able to step up our defense,” Solomon said. “That’s what really helped me out. It helped me gain my confidence back. I was able to make one save and then build off of that.”

Solomon’s day was a matter of quality over quantity, and the shots she denied after halftime came at critical junctures where Garnet Valley could’ve snatched Radnor’s runaway momentum back with a goal. Solomon started the half with a denial of Emily Mathewson from eight meters. After Michelle Koscinski stopped the bleeding with a goal at 17:34 to bump Garnet’s lead to 9-5, Solomon fought off a Koscinski attempt from eight meters.

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Radnor goalie Alexa Solomon, left, makes a stop on Garnet Valley’s Michelle Kocinski, one of several vital second-half denials. (Digital First Media/Robert J. Gurecki)