HUNTINGDON VALLEY — Lower Moreland’s captains can call timeout whenever something doesn’t feel right. Late in the second quarter of a scoreless game against Springfield Montco, Lions senior Roya Rosala decided they needed to talk things over.

The midfielder gathered her teammates and told them that they weren’t passing, working together or communicating at the level that’s expected.

The game remained scoreless through the end of the first half, but that changed quickly after the seven-minute intermission. Olivia Fey scored 63 seconds into the third quarter and Cara Torgan added another less than two minutes later and Lower Moreland cruised to a 4-0 Suburban One League Freedom Division win at Valley Center Park.

“We gave them a task,” Lower Moreland coach Deborah Lawlor said. “First two minutes, it was either a goal or a corner. We got it and we got another one in two minutes. They did double what they were asked to do.”

The passing was on display when Fey scored what proved to be the game-winning goal. After a few crisp passes inside the circle, Rosala had the ball up top. She sent a hard pass just outside the left post and Fey was there to put it away for the first goal of her varsity career.

“Before (the timeout) we were just hitting the ball,” Rosala said. “Once we were able to communicate with each other, see where each other were, we were able to pass it and get it into the net.”

Torgan doubled the advantage at the 12:02 mark of the third quarter. Her strong shot from the right side found the back of the cage to give the Lions (10-3, 6-1 SOL Freedom) a 2-0 lead.

“(Torgan) just has that finesse about her with possession,” Lawlor said, “being able to get through a double-team and still get a shot on goal. We’re adding something else to her bag of tricks and that’s a quick release in the circle. You saw it on that goal. It was pretty powerful for her.”

The 2-0 score held through the rest of the third quarter and Lower Moreland quickly added on in the fourth. Mary Skaziak’s strong shot from the left side gave the Lions a three-goal lead at the 13:24 mark and Alexis Macphee scored on a corner at 11:18 to make it 4-0.

Macphee’s goal came on the second of back-to-back corner opportunities. Before the first one was inserted, she turned to the sideline and asked Lawlor if they should switch sides. The coach directed them to wait for the next one to avoid a delay of game. When the next one came, inserter Maci London moved to the left side of the cage for the first time in the game and Macphee’s strong shot was a success.

Lower Moreland’s defense recorded its fifth straight shutout. The Lions entered Monday after beating Upper Moreland 3-0, Council Rock North 2-0, Cheltenham 9-0 and Jenkintown 3-0.

“We are mature (on defense),” Lawlor said. “We have seniors in the goal cage, our center back and our left back. You don’t even need to coach them. They’re just doing what they’ve been told by the past coaches. I rolled right in and didn’t even have to tell them much. That definitely goes to the previous coaching staff. Coach (Janet) Lutter did a great job with that.”

“(The defense) working together and being connected with the midfielders,” Rosala credited for the defensive success. “We have a great communication and relationship where we can get the ball up to each other.”

Lower Moreland is one game behind New Hope-Solebury in the SOL Freedom standings. The Lions will get a chance to avenge a 5-0 loss on Sept. 4 and create a first-place tie when the teams meet again on Oct. 6.

Lower Moreland 4, Springfield Township 0

Springfield Township 0 0 0 0 – 0

Lower Moreland 0 0 2 2 – 4

Goals: LM: Olivia Fey, Cara Torgan, Mary Skaziak, Alexis Macphee