There is only so much that can be done with a limited number of players.

Palmerton has been forced to face that adversity all season, and Wednesday’s matchup against Pen Argyl was no exception.

To their credit, the young Bombers kept the score tight, but an abundance of defensive corners eventually became too much to withstand. The Green Knights capitalized on two of those opportunities and locked things down defensively for a 2-0 win as they continued to roll as one of the top field hockey teams in the Colonial League.

“I think they played together,” Pen Argyl coach Meghan Kutzler said. “We passed the ball to each other, we talked together, we played like a team. Communicating, being together on and off the field, practices, games, all having one common goal for the end of the season.”

On top of being a young team with only two seniors, Palmerton has also been navigating the season with just one substitute. Those factors have put the Bombers in less-than-ideal situations against teams with greater depth.

“We have a lot of younger girls on the team this year,” Palmerton coach Jillian Frank said. “Most of them didn’t play at the varsity level last year. Defensively we’re not the strongest. We have a lot of midfielders and forwards that are very strong. But for our defense, we are younger back there. So we’re kind of still developing it.”

Despite the Green Knights generating most of the offensive opportunities, the Bombers did well preventing Pen Argyl from creating chances on rushes. The trouble came once the ball entered the circle in front of the Palmerton net, where the Green Knights’ pressure made clearing attempts difficult for the Bombers’ defense.

Pen Argyl earned 14 corners throughout the contest, creating another challenge for a young Palmerton team with limited depth.

The Green Knights first capitalized in the second quarter when Leah Apostol’s shot off a corner deflected off a Palmerton defender to open the scoring.

Pen Argyl doubled its lead in the third quarter when Sadie Davis redirected a long shot from Gianna Martini.

The Green Knights’ defense took care of the rest.

Palmerton’s best opportunity came in the final two minutes on its only shot on goal and corner of the game. Outside of that late push, the Bombers expended most of their energy defensively, and the offense they were able to generate was quickly smothered by Pen Argyl.

“They have to stay back (and) stay on a body,” Frank said. “They can’t exhaust themselves chasing after that ball. If they keep chasing the ball, they’re not going to have the full ability to get back to help the team. If I see someone struggling, I’ll throw that body in, get fresh legs, and pull them out for a 30-second break.”

Despite the adversity Palmerton has faced this season, the Bombers remain in contention for both the Colonial League and District 11 Class 1A playoffs. Frank believes that even when her team comes up short, its ability to compete is a testament to what the players have accomplished despite their limited numbers.

“We’ve only won three games, but they’re hanging with teams,” she said. “We just suffered a big loss yesterday to Southern Lehigh, so to go out versus the number one seed (in 1A) and only lose 2-0, it shows that these girls have potential.”

NO TIME TO REST … Palmerton is in the middle of playing four games in four straight days. Its next contest will be the third of the four, on the road against Bangor — another one of the top teams in the Colonial League — before finishing the four-game stretch at home against Liberty on Friday.

Pen Argyl gets several days off before hosting Northern Lehigh on Saturday.

Pen Argyl 2, Palmerton 0

Pen Argyl 0 1 1 0 - 2

Palmerton 0 0 0 0 - 0

Goals: Pen Argyl - Leah Apostol 1, Sadie Davis 1; Palmerton - None; Assists: Pen Argyl - Gianna Martini 1; Palmerton - None; Saves: Pen Argyl - Jaelyn Smith 1; Palmerton - Julia Maupin 5; Shots: Pen Argyl - 7; Palmerton - 1; Corners: Pen Argyl - 14; Palmerton - 1.

Records: Pen Argyl (7-1-1; 5-1-1); Palmerton (3-7; 3-5).