LM vs. Harriton

When these two "Sister Schools" get together on the soccer field you can throw the records, rankings, & common sense all out the window. This one game is for bragging rights in Lower Merion Township. Always was, and probably always will be. The Aces coming in with an 11-1 mark, and the Rams sitting at 5-5-1, means absolutely nothing. So does the fact that in the 25 times these 2 schools have played each other the Aces record is 15-0-10.

Before a packed stadium last night at Harriton H.S. LM jumped out early in the game to take a 1-0 lead. The Rams tied it up later in the 1st half and at halftime it was 1-1. Midway thru the 2nd half Harriton's Zico Gaeffke (son of LM soccer alum Guido Gaeffke '78) gave the Rams their 1st lead of the evening, scoring on a penalty kick resulting from a handball in the box. With a little over 8 minutes remaining the Aces got a free kick opportunity from about 20 yards out. Matt Lindheim ripped a shot over the Harriton keeper and into the net for the equlaizer, but one of the referees called offsides and the goal was nullified. That took all the air out of the Aces baloon and the game ended with a 2-1 Harriton victory, the first time ever that the Rams have defeated the Aces in boy's soccer.

With Conestoga beating Haverford yesterday 2-0, and only having games with Ridley & Garnet Valley left, it's very doubtful that LM could have caught the Pioneers in the Central League title race anyway. So, with a strong finish by the Aces in their final 4 regular season games, they should still have a good chance to grab a 1st round bye in the District 1 playoffs.

Tomorrow at 3:45 PM the Aces host Garnet Valley, and Saturday they host Great Valley at 11:00 AM. They finish up their regular season schedule next week with Springfield on Tuesday (away at 3:45 PM) and on Friday they travel to Unionville (7:30 PM).