Carlisle waited out the elements before jumping quickly on Mechanicsburg and cruising to a 4-1 nondivision girls' soccer victory Tuesday night at Northside Pitch in Mechanicsburg. Rain and lightning delayed the start of the contest by approximately one hour.

Senior Erin Hench tallied two goals and added an assist to lead the Herd. She had scored three goals in the season opening 5-1 win over Elizabethtown last Friday.

“The kids played very well. This was a good team effort," Carlisle head coach Greg Clippinger said. “Erin gives us so much energy up top and the second half I thought Cassie (Armold) and Taylor (Suskie) did a good job on their midfielders. Alex (Brandt) is so dangerous and Mechanicsburg is so dangerous, especially when they have nothing to lose and can throw players forward, especially if you give them space."

Hench almost broke the ice in the opening five minutes when she split the defense and blasted a shot just wide of the net in the opening minute.

Moments later, she split the defense and tried to slot a ball past Wildcats keeper Nicole Keiser. Keiser got a foot on the ball, but Hench beat her to the rebound, but her shot hit the post and ricocheted out onto the field of play. Keiser scrambled to cover the ball before Taylor Suskie could knock it home.

Hench finally opened the scoring as she split the defense and drew Keiser out to the left. She slotted a ball past her into the net. Paige Alexander almost caught up to the ball before it rolled into the net as Carlisle led 1-0.

“You have to contain Hench the entire game," Wildcats head coach Tony Lougee said. “I thought we did a good job of moving the ball the second half and got the goal to give us some momentum. We created some stuff offensively. ... You have to be able to match up with Hench and we don't have that person who can match up with her the whole game, but overall the kids played well."

Mechanicsburg's first real chance came at the 15-minute mark when it earned a direct kick from just outside the 18. Alex Brandt drilled low liner that squirted through the box before anyone could put a foot on it.

Carlisle (2-0) got its second goal moments later as Hench beat the defense and drew Keiser out. Keiser got her body on the first shot but was in no position for the follow-up, a blast from Taylor Suskie. Suskie's shot from the edge of the penalty box was clear and true for the two-goal advantage.Mechanicsburg's backfield, led by Alexander, Jen Siler, Karissa Saultz and Lauren Sunday, was in position to clear chances but also to force Hench wider on the field.

“This group is still learning and we'll get better," Lougee said. “We lost our scoring and our defense from last year so we have some kids that haven't played a lot together. We came out slow but we played better the second half. Elle, Val, Jordann, Alex and Megan gave us some good effort tonight and created some opportunities."

The rock solid defense of the Herd, anchored by seniors Bletz and Samantha Bova inside and Kelsie Merwine and Lauren Crumb on the flanks, just did not break. They gave Brandt very little room to work, which allowed other Wildcats to create some chances.

Mechanicsburg (0-2) cut the margin in half when Sarah Simonic pounced on a loose ball and knocked it past Bressler. The Wildcats picked up some energy and started challenging the Herd all over the field. Elle Sypek and Alexander, along with Jordann Smak and Val Sauers, created some opportunities, but Bressler was able to smother everything the rest of the contest.

Hench tallied her second goal late as she again beat the defense and drew Keiser out and slotted the ball past her. She took a nice diagonal pass from freshman Emily Martin, who was credited with her first varsity assist on the tally.

“Alecia (McConnell) played very well and I was pleased with Rachel (West)," Clippinger said. “She was able to control the ball and gave us some chances. The freshmen just gave us great energy. That is fresh for us. Erin and Molly played great and our unsung heroes on the outside Lauren (Crumb) and Kelsie (Merwine) just played well."

This is cache, read story here