Women’s Match vs Penn Fusion

The ladies were excited to play Penn Fusion after a loss in their last game. So, with one substitution and 100 degree weather the Torch took the field ready to brave the heat and put up a fight against a deep Penn Fusion team. Penn Fusion was first to open up the scoring early in the first half. From that point on the Torch was able to get a few good chances on goal but attacking moments were few and far between. Before the end of the half, Penn Fusion was able to net another goal causing the score to be 2-0 going into half. The second half was a similar story to the first. Penn Fusion possessed a majority of the ball and were able to put another one in the back of the net midway through the second half. While the Torch battled for 90 full minutes they were unable to capitalize on any of their chances throughout the half. To end the game, in the last few minutes, Penn Fusion was able to get a breakaway goal causing the final score to come to 4-0 Penn Fusion. From Kailey Neef, “It was enjoyable to see the grittiness of our girls through a grueling 100 degree match against a very quality opponent”.

From Head Coach, Jason Lollar, “As the result shows, it was a tough day for us. It was a tough day from a weather standpoint to only have one substitution, especially considering the fact that we were playing the best team in our division. I think the girls played hard and really gave everything they had. I would say some of our struggles we can chalk up to sheer exhaustion, but some of our struggles were the result of some things we did poorly and need to improve upon moving forward. I am grateful that our group is committed to the process and are excited to show up this week or another week of training. I have every bit of confidence that we will learn from our mistakes and continue to grow and improve moving forward. It can be a bit discouraging to come away without a win from our first three games, but I really am optimistic that we are going to have every chance to come away with a result in our remaining seven games. Games like this weekend can really reveal a lot about a group and I am excited to see what this week of training reveals to us”.

Make sure to support the Torch FC ladies in their next game at Lehigh Valley Tempest at 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 12th.

Men’s Match vs West Chester United

Coming off a tough loss the guys were determined to show that they do not fold easily. The guys came out with something to prove and that they did.  They showcased that they were a team that could work together and fight for each other and it resulted in an excellent first half of soccer. Their reward came in the first half when they scored a fantastic team goal. Aidan Link sent the ball back to Filip Burnett who sent it up to Nathaniel Mederos who then sent it in to Jonas Larsson who ultimately put the ball in the back of the net. Larsson on the goal, “It felt good that it finally went in after two games with some close ones. Nathaniel took it down the line and beat his guy and then gave me a good cross. Next game two goals!”. With fantastic first half play and a 1-0 lead going into half the Torch felt like things were finally clicking after the fluke loss last game. The second half starts and again the Torch come out strong. They dominated much of the second half until West Chester claimed the final 15 minutes. In the 83rd minute West Chester took a long range shot and were able to tie it up. A short six minutes later they are able to net another one causing the game to end in a 2-1 loss for the Torch.

From Head Coach, Rich Sparling, “We played 75 minutes of great soccer against a really good West Chester team. We wanted the conference to know that our last lopsided loss was a fluke and I think we did that. Unfortunately, 2 mistakes at the wrong end of the field in the last 15 minutes cost us a win that we really deserved but squandered. Ultimately, we accomplished why Torch exists when after the game, Filip shared his personal testimony along with a brief explanation of the Gospel”.

Make sure to support the Torch FC men in their next game at Electric City at 6:00 pm on Saturday, June 12th.

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Women’s Match vs Philly Fever

The women came out last night against Philly Fever and were able to get a result in their first game of the season. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and was a full 90 minute battle not only against the Fever, but against the heat of day. The Fever opened up the scoreboard with a first half breakaway goal. The Torch were able to answer shortly after with a goal from Bellarmine forward Zenia Nava assisted by Gabby Zalot. Nava on the goal, “I felt really good about the goal. It was a great team build up and I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Scoring the goal was the easy part, but how the team worked together to get the ball into the area is what made the difference”. Unfortunately, even with the Torch largely dominating the second half, in possession and chances, they were unable to get a game winning goal causing the game to end in a 1-1 draw. Nava on the game, “I believe the first game was a good eye opener as to what we need to work on as a team…As long as we keep working hard and putting in the hours we should be able to achieve our goals!”.

From Head Coach Jason Lollar, “You never know what to expect in your first game, especially with a group who have known each other for 6 days, have only trained together a handful of times, and more than a few who, because of the pandemic haven’t been able to play any sort of competitive soccer for quite some time. I thought we came out and played really well despite all of those challenges. I was really pleased in our build up play and thought we dictated the tempo of the game for the majority of the game. Philly Fever came out and pressed to start the 2nd half which caught us a bit off guard, I think, but after that, we settled down and finished the game well. I think we can do a bit better creating more dangerous goal scoring chances and that’ll be a focus this week in training, but overall, I was really encouraged by last night’s performance and thought there were a lot of positives to take away moving forward. Disappointed not to get the 3 points, obviously, but thought the girls gave all they had which is all you can ask for, at the end of the day”

Make sure to support the Torch FC ladies at Penn Fusion at 7:00 pm on Thursday, May 27th.

Men’s Match vs Electric City Shock

The men had a successful night last night after a somewhat back and forth match against the Shock. Both teams were able to create great scoring opportunities, but the Torch were able to control much of the game and pull out with the 2-1 victory over Electric City Shock. The Torch  opened up the scoring in the 2oth minute with a penalty kick goal scored by Noah Blodget. Blodget on the goal, “Honestly, I feel very blessed too score the opening goal of the season. Aidan Link did an excellent job drawing a penalty after what had been a dominant first 20 minutes for our boys, so I wanted to ensure that our hard work paid off by taking care of business. I noticed the keeper was a little hesitant to dive to his left during warmups, so I tried to use that to my advantage. He dove the right way, but thankfully I put it just out of reach. From that point, I felt like we took a collective step forward and managed the game well despite a few chances from Electric City”. That they did, as the Torch were able to put another one in the back of the net just 20 minutes later. The goal was an excellent shot from the top of the box and was scored by Aidan Link and assisted by John Eric in the 41st minute. Link on the goal, “The goal was fantastic! It was a great team goal starting rom the back, Filip made a great run, John Eric and Ethan combined to make it a straight forward finish for myself. It was really exciting and hopefully is only the start of more to come”.  A short three minutes later a communication error in the back line led to an Electric City goal. That goal would be the last of the game as the second half was a completely scoreless battle. Both the Torch and the Shock had their chances to score, but the Torch backline held strong and were able to keep an Electric City offense out of the back of the net. This caused the game to finish in a great first 2-1 win for the Torch.

Midfielder Noah Blodget on the game and upcoming season, “There is no greater feeling than starting the season with three points. It gives you something to build on and take into the next match week. As the season goes though, the competition only gets stronger. It can be easy to get caught up in one good result, and the Keystone Conference is one of the more competitive divisions in the NPSL. We have to make sure we stay focused on the match in front of us. However, I have every faith in the boys to deliver consistency. Having played against and now with the Torch, I know that Coach Sparling is a great motivator and will keep us accountable to the task at hand. The squad we have this season is as ambitious and inventive as we are pragmatic. As long as our work rate matches our faith, we are on track for a strong season with a playoff push well within our sights”.

Make sure to support the Torch FC men at Monmouth at 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 29th.

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Each summer, dozens of young people travel to Bucks County to help reach our community for Christ. You can serve alongside of them by being a summer host family. Host families provide a place for team members to eat, pray and rest each night, and many team members cite an experience at a host home as one of their favorite memories from their time with us. Our host families play a key role in our ministry and we are grateful for the willingness of those families who have been involved in this way! Allowing the Lord to use you in this way might make this one of the best summers you have had.

AGES  | Our players are college age and range from 18-24 years old.

NEED | We are looking for host homes that have a private bedroom available (this will be shared by two players). Additional private space, such as a bathroom or living area is a bonus, but most definitely not required.

DATES | May 15 through July 25th

TRANSPORTATION | At least one of the players will have his or her own car, and if not, Torch will provide a car for their use unless you have one you would be willing to let them use.

FOOD | Our host families are only responsible to provide 3 meals which are a wonderful time to enjoy time together as a family. We ask our host families to have a conversation with their players to set out expectations for the summer regarding food. Throughout the season, the Torch will cover some meals, and players often go out to dinner with each other and the summer staff.

For more info, contact us at torch@buxmonttorch.com.