Much more so than in the three prior years it has reached the Group 1 state championship match, the New Providence girls soccer team is learning a new meaning for the term game face.
Last week in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 final against Glen Ridge, New Providence senior sweeper Nicole Saitta collided with a forward and suffered a gash near her left eye which required 60 stitches.
Saitta was rendered unable to play in the state semifinal against Verona, requiring coach Scott Murphy to realign his team with several changes to make up for the loss of the program's only four-year varsity player.
Murphy said all those changes -- senior Tori Crisafi moved from stopper to sweeper, sophomore Casey Trezza moved from defensive center mid to stopper, dynamic sophomore striker Alex Schlobohm moved back into the midfield, and Murphy inserted a freshman up front -- may explain why New Providence found itself in a 2-0 hole in the first 20 minutes against Verona, a program enjoying a Cinderella season after winning its first tournament game earlier this month.
But the New Providence girls made it sort of a rally cry to win once more so that Saitta could possibly return to the lineup for a state final. And that may help explain why New Providence bounced back from that 2-0 gorge and secured a 3-2 victory in the 91st minute of overtime.
Once New Providence, which returned nine starters from last year's state championship team, returned to the final, the pressure was on to find a protective mask -- a ``game face'' -- for Saitta, so she may play in the Group 1 state final against Haddon Township, 5 p.m. Saturday at The College of New Jersey in Ewing.
Saitta has been cleared by her doctor to play, but it wasn't that simple.
New Providence submitted two types of protective masks to the NJSIAA for approval, and the state turned them both down.
Then on Friday, Murphy and the school trainer brainstormed:
Use a sticky gel pad with a hole cut out so the pad wouldn't stick to the stitches, then use tape to secure the pad to Saitta's face. Since the remedy isn't a mask, Saitta doesn't need NJSIAA approval, Murphy said, but the on-field official will still have the final say. And there is a very real chance the official will not allow Saitta to play with the gel pad on her face.
It's been a hand-wringing time for Murphy and his girls.
``It would be terrible if she couldn't play,'' said Murphy, The Star-Ledger's State Girls Coach of the Year in 2003. ``She's the only four-year varsity player on the team. She's been through four section titles and four state semis. She's a quiet leader. It's a big loss if she doesn't play for two reasons. One, she's our sweeper, and two, she is our rock. I think the girls made it something to play for in the state semifinals. Let's give her one more chance to play.''
As for the state final, Haddon Township is physical and speedy, and its fan base is notorious for bringing raucous crowds to big events. This is Haddon Township's first appearance in the Group 1 state final since tying New Providence in 2000.
New Providence is seeking its second straight outright title and fourth overall after beating Pennsville last season. New Providence tied Haddon Township in 2000 and tied Glen Rock in 2003.
New Providence is already the only Union County program with multiple state titles. Gov. Livingston (1985, Group 2), Westfield (1988, Group 4) and Cranford (2000, Group 3) are the only other Union County schools to earn a state championship.
Murphy said New Providence can ill afford to spend the first 20 minutes chasing a deficit like it did against Verona. This has been a common symptom for New Providence this season -- playing like their hair was on fire only after falling behind like they did against Oak Knoll (3-1) in the regular season and against Summit (2-0) in the Union County Tournament quarterfinals. New Providence beat Oak Knoll, 4-3, but lost to Summit, 2-1.
``I don't know what it is,'' Murphy said of the slow starts. ``Maybe they like coming from behind. Maybe they like the pressure, living on the edge. Maybe the girls are very comfortable exploring the other team before they begin trying to exploit them. Verona was all over the field right from the start, and we weren't ready for it.
``Whatever it is, we have to play on that edge right from the start.''
And that means New Providence must have its game faces on at the opening whistle.
And hopefully, that means Saitta will be wearing her game face as well.
Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerSweeper
Tori Crisafi, left, and goalkeeper Jill Ashinsky, center, shown here in the 2010 Group 1 state final against Pennsville, will once again be key players for New Providence in the NJSIAA Group 1 state championship match against Haddon Township on Saturday at The College of New Jersey in Ewing.
Star Ledger - November 19, 2011
Group 1 final: New Providence vs. Haddon Township Info
By Gregg Lerner/For The Star-Ledger
New Providence (17-1-1) vs. Haddon Township (19-5)
When: Today, 5 p.m.
Where: The College of New Jersey, Ewing
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Providence: Alex Schlobohm (Jr. F 16 goals, 11 assists), Emma Culleton (Sr. M 7 goals, 5 assists), Jill Ashinsky (Sr. GK 14 shutouts), Kelly Carroll (Jr. F 7 goals, 5 assists).
Haddon Township: Patrice Maro (Sr. F 18 goals, 10 assists), Nicky Cutera (Sr. F 10 goals, 6 assists), Kelly Roche (Sr. M 6 goals), Taylor Clarke (Sr. M 8 goals).
DID YOU KNOW: Defending champion New Providence is trying to join Robbinsville and Morris Catholic as the only programs to win consecutive outright Group 1 titles. Haddon Township is making only its second appearance in a state final, it played New Providence to a scoreless draw in the 2000 final.
Star Ledger - November 19, 2011
Post by rty on the South Jersey Forum
Group 1 -- Haddon Twp vs New Providence
STATE FINAL THOUGHTS/PICKS
Haddon Twp lead by coach Jim Kay who has done an incredible job this year and finally got the SJ title monkey off their backs can complete the improbable and amazing run with a win. They will need all 11 and the bench to play together in this one and Patrice Maro is a stud who will and can carry a team on her back as she has done many times over the years. What a way to go out in a state title game after all she has done for the program. But this team is only as good as all its parts and this team has the talent and ability to do it. New providence will counter with a BIG and I mean HUGE question. If the sweeper ALL EVERYTHING NICOLE SAITTA is not deemed able to play then this game changes drastically as she starts everything out of the back for them and she had a real bad collision which caused 60 yes i said 60 stitches in her head and she will require a mask or protective gear to play. I have been told she was cleared to play but the state says her masks are not allowed to be used. So Apparently the school trainer(might be a DR. Not sure but heard it 2nd hand is trying to get something done to be able to use). But if she is not in there then New Providence will have to make some big changes and that will favor HT even more. New Providence has been here the last 4 years and won last year in the final minute over Pennsville but I think this is how it goes.
I think Saitta does play and HT still does enough to win as Maro and company will settle a score 10 years in the making (These 2 tied 10 years ago in the final) and I feel that Haddon Twp will score 2 goals in this one and HT has a defense that in my mind will not allow more then 1 or 2 and in crunch time I think they will be ready and able to hold off NP and capture the state group 1 title. Jim Kay is a GREAT not good but GREAT motivator and he believes it and the kids believe it and I believe it ---- Haddon Twp wins 2-1 and wins the Group 1 State Title!!
Star Ledger - November 19, 2011
Haddon Township (0) at New Providence (4)
NJSIAA Group Tournament, Final Round
Group 1 - Girls Soccer
by Rich Bevensee
There were two major obstacles that the New Providence girls soccer team was facing heading into the NJSIAA/Sports Authority Group 1 championship game.
First of all, there was the humongous expectations piled upon New Providence, which returned nine starters from last year’s state group champion.
Then there was the matter of senior Nicole Saitta, the team’s sweeper who was severely injured in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 final over a week ago against Glen Ridge and was somewhat doubtful for action for the team’s remaining two games.
Both of those concerns were laid to rest on the artificial turf at The College of New Jersey in Ewing on Saturday.
Saitta was cleared to play with a simple gel-pack bandage covering the gash that needed 60 stitches to close, and New Providence rose above the pressure of expectations with one of its finest offensive performances of the season, a 4-0 victory over Haddon Township for its second straight Group 1 state title.
New Providence (18-1-1) scored once in the first half and connected three times in the second, but all that scoring did not come before Haddon Township (19-6) fired a warning shot with a flurry of chances in the 14th minute.
The Camden County school ripped off three shots -- two bounced off defenders and New Providence goalkeeper Jill Ashinsky made her one and only save for her 15th shutout.
``We thought this would be one of our toughest games of the year,’’ said sophomore Casey Trezza, who scored the team’s first goal in the 36th minute. ``Once they (Haddon Township) got close to scoring – that was an incredibly dangerous chance – we knew we had to get going.’’
Trezza’s goal stood for the halftime score, but New Providence poured it on in the second half. First, Ashley Evangelos converted a Ally Hartenstein corner kick with a header into an empty net for a 2-0 lead in the 53rd minute.
The team’s most dangerous scorer, junior Alex Schlobohm, got into the act in the 66th when she juked a defender and fired a strike from the right corner of the goal box. Schlobohm had spent most of the game serving crosses into the offensive third because Haddon Township kept a careful eye on the speedy striker.
`I don’t want to be an individual player. I want to get my teammates involved,’’ Schlobohm said.
New Providence put the finishing touches on the final margin when Paige Carleen eluded a defender, then turned and ripped off a 12-yarder with her left foot that nestled just inside the left post.
``This game was a four-year effort for our seniors,’’ New Providence coach Scott Murphy said. ``I think our Verona game (a 3-2 victory in the state semifinals) helped us out because that was one of our best games of the year. It definitely got us ready for today.’’
Player GoalsAssists
Casey Trezza 1
Ashley Evangelos 1
Alex Schlobohm 1
Paige Carleen 1
Ally Hartenstein1
Emma Culleton 1
GoalkeeperSaves
Emily Pooley1
Chrissy Ambrozy 9
New Providence's Alex Schlobohm, center, celebrates her goal with teammate Lucy Lavine as Haddon Township's Maggie Rust walks by.
NewJerseyPatch - November 19, 2011
2011 NJSIAA Tournament
Girls' Soccer Team Captures 2nd Straight State Championship
Pioneers boot Haddon Township 4-0 in
Group 1 title game
by JR Parachini
Faced with the reality of, perhaps, not returning to the state championship game earlier in the week, the New Providence girls’ soccer team had to dig deep to produce a comeback victory in the Group 1 semifinals.
However, once the Pioneers returned to the final, they made sure they would not be denied a first-time repeat championship.
Sophomore forward Casey Trezza scored to give New Providence the lead for good late in the first half. After that, it was goals by Ashley Evangelos, Alex Schlobohm and Paige Carleen in the second half that sparked New Providence to a dominating 4-0 victory over Haddon Township in Saturday’s Group 1 state championship game at The College of New Jersey in Ewing Township.
New Providence senior goalkeeper Jill Ashinsky was solid in net once again, coming up with five saves for a season-ending shutout.
The Pioneers fired plenty of shots in the first half, but did not reach the scoreboard immediately. With the score still 0-0, it was Haddon Township that almost scored first but eventually finished 19-6.
A ball got loose in the penalty box, with it bouncing back and forth before Evangelos, a sophomore defender, cleared it away. “I knew I needed to get to it,” Evangelos said. “There were a lot of people in front of the goal, so I just took a swing at it and, luckily, it went out.”
“I was on the goal line and kicked it and then [teammate] Jenna Madden kicked it again,” senior captain Emma Culleton said. “It was a scramble.”
“Ashley is one of our defenders that does not get the recognition she deserves,” said New Providence head coach Scott Murphy, who was named the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association 2011-2012 Coach of the Year. “She covered No. 22 [senior Patrice Maro], who will be playing at Philadelphia University, and the girl wasn’t able to do anything.”
With four minutes left in the first half, New Providence finally lit up the scoreboard. Trezza, a sophomore forward, took a left-footed shot from the left side that found the right side of the goal.
“After practice yesterday I knew we were going to be 100 percent ready,” Murphy said. “I knew the effort would be there. About 10-15 minutes in, I felt we were controlling the tempo. We needed to get one goal by halftime to validate that. Casey’s goal set the tone for the second half.”
Before New Providence was able to add to its lead, Ashinsky came up big with a diving save of a low shot, seven minutes into the second half.
Almost exactly six minutes later, Culleton took a corner kick from the left side that Evangelos was in perfect position for — from the middle of the penalty box — to head home.
“I was in shock,” Evangelos said of her third goal of the season. “I couldn’t believe it went in and that I actually scored a goal in the state championship game.”
That goal was enough to get New Providence and its fans excited about another state title.
“Ashley’s header [goal] sealed it,” Murphy said.
Not satisfied with just a two-goal lead, New Providence junior forward Alex Schlobohm, who managed four shots of her own in the first half, fired a strong shot with her right foot that beat the Haddon Township goalie and bounced off the left post and into the goal. Her team-leading and very sweet 16th goal of the season, assisted by senior Stephanni Perini, came with 15:09 left and all but put the game away.
After New Providence reserves were inserted, senior Paige Carleen produced a fine looking goal with 5:10 left. Carleen switched the ball from her right foot to her left to beat a defender inside the penalty box at the right and then lifted the ball over the goalie’s head and into the left side of the goal. Senior Brigette Mullins was credited with an assist.
“To be able to hold the trophy again is incredible,” said Murphy, who has guided New Providence to three of its four state championships in nine seasons as the head coach.
“By the way, we had to come back in our last game, we deserved this state championship,” Evangelos said.
“Our second goal cemented it and really relaxed us,” Culleton said. Culleton has now played on four state championship teams; two basketball and two soccer. “All were extremely satisfying,” Culleton said. “In basketball, we beat University two years in a row and that was incredible. In soccer, we just proved that last year was no fluke.”
NOTES: For the first time in program history, New Providence has won back-to-back state championships. The girls’ basketball program accomplished the same feat last winter.
The Pioneers, who were also lifted in this game by the return of senior back and captain Nicole Saitta, captured their second Group 1 title outright and fourth overall. Saitta, who did not play Tuesday against Verona, was coming back from a face injury that needed 60 stitches.
New Providence Athletic Trainer Karen Magliacano said that Saitta, who suffered the injury eight days ago in New Providence’s 2-0 home win over Glen Ridge in the North 2, Group 1 final, was cleared to play Friday for Saturday’s state final. Magliacano described the covering of Saitta’s face injury as a thick gel pad.
New Providence shared the 2000 title with Haddon Township and the 2003 crown with Glen Rock. The Pioneers defeated Pennsville 1-0 in last year’s final at TCNJ.
New Providence ended the season with a seven-game winning streak and finished 18-1-1. The undefeated Union County Conference-Mountain Division champions gave up only nine goals the entire season, with 15 of their wins coming by shutout.
The Pioneers blanked four of five state tournament opponents, outscoring them 15-2.
Courier News - November 19, 2011
New Providence girls defend their Group I soccer crown
by Carol J. Kelly | Staff Writer
EWING — In the NJSIAA Group I girls soccer battle between North and South, the North won.
North II champion New Providence High School totally dominated and shut out South champion Haddon Township 4-0 in the NJSIAA Group I girls soccer championship at The College of New Jersey on Saturday evening.
Defending champion New Providence (18-1-1) trumped Haddon Township (19-6), which last appeared in the state final in 2000, when it was co-champ with the Pioneers.
Junior forward Alex Schlobohm led the attack for the Pioneers with a goal and an assist, sparking her team with her aggressive play right from the start.
“I really don’t want to be an individual player on the field,” Schlobohm said. “I really want to incorporate plays and get other players through the box.”
New Providence head coach Scott Murphy was elated that he was able to bring back nine starters and win the championship again.
“First off, it’s incredible to repeat — and just to have that feeling again” Murphy said. “I think the expectation was warranted that we could come back here and stand here.”
In the first minute, Schlobohm made a breathtaking shot in full stride, but it was stopped by Haddon Township keeper Chrissy Ambrozy. Schlobohm continued to spark her team, creating scoring chances with her speed, skill and vision, as she fed the ball unselfishly to junior Kelly Carroll and a number of other teammates.
There was no real flow in the first few minutes of the half, though the Pioneers had more possessions than the Hawks. With 32:20 on the clock, Carroll made a spectacular shot and Ambrozy came up with an equally good save.
About four Haddon Township players were in a scuffle at goal in an effort to score with about 25 minutes to go in the first half. But the ball stayed loose, thanks to Pioneers’ senior goalie Jill Ashinsky.
Schlobohm, Carroll and the midfield continued to pressure the Hawks’ defense.
Sophomore Casey Trezza made a couple of aggressive runs, and on her third try, with 4:02 on the clock, she found the back of the net.
“I don’t really remember hitting it,” Trezza said. “It was really important to get one in the first half.”
Haddon Township didn’t have a shot in the last 20 minutes of the half, as New Providence held possession.
It was all New Providence from the start of the second half. The Pioneers’ offense continued to pressure the Hawks, and sophomore Ashley Evangelos scored on a corner kick by the outstanding striker Schlobohm with just over 27 minutes to play.
Schlobohm then scored the Pioneers’ third goal unassisted, with 15:09 to play, taking advantage of Haddon Township’s miscommunication at goal.
Five minutes before the end, senior Paige Carleen scored the Pioneers’ fourth goal.
New Providence's Alex Schlobohm jumps into the arms of team mate Lucy Lavine as she celebrates scoring her team's third goal. Lisa Caprara comes up to join the celebration and Haddon Township's Natalie Waligorski passes by silently.
New Providence's Ashley Evangelos heads in her team's second goal as she slips it past Haddon Twp's Chrissy Ambrozy.
New Providence's Jenna Madden battles Haddon Twp's Patrice Maro for ball during second half action.
New Providence's Ashley Evangelos is swamped by teammates as they celebrate her scoring their team's second goal of game.
New Providence's Stephanni Perini battles for headball against Haddon Township's Nicky Cutrera.
Picture Credit PETER ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Flowers were presented to each player for this team picture, which emphasizes back-to-back state championships.
Head coach Scott Murphy diagrams a play for speedy freshman Erin Fay (No. 9).
Head coach Scott Murphy, middle, has one more moment with his state championship team.
Here, the New Providence bench looks on during the beginning of the second half.
Junior forward Alex Schlobohm, right, is congratulated by a teammate after scoring her 16th goal of the season.
Junior forward Kelly Carroll applied plenty of offensive pressure during the Group I Final game on Saturday.
New Providence begins to celebrate a second straight state championship.
New Providence gathers in a circle after posing for team pictures with the Group 1 trophy.
Senior captain Emma Culleton, who earned one assist against Haddon Township, has now played on four state championship teams - two basketball and two soccer.
The New Providence girls' soccer team repeated as Group 1 state champions for the first time.
Picture Credit: JR Parachini
Members of the New Providence soccer team celebrate their 4-0 victory.
Haddon Township's Patrice Maro, left, fouls New Providence's Jenna Madden in the 1st half.
Haddon Township's Molly Barbieri, left, heads the ball away from Casey Trezza of New Providence in the 1st half.
New Providence's Ally Hartenstein, left, can't head the ball while being defended by Haddon Township's Corinne Clements, center, and Chrissy Ambrozy. New Providence won 4-0.
Kelly Roche, left, of Haddon Township goes up for the ball against Kelly Carroll of New Providence in the 2nd half.
New Providence's Ashley Evangelos, center, celebrates her 2nd half goal with teammates Lucy Lavine, left, and Casey Trezza.
New Providence's Stephanni Perini, left, battles for the ball against Haddon Township's Nicky Cutrera.
Haddon Township's Carlina Fuscellaro, left, and New Providence's Bridgette Mullins fight for the ball.
New Providence's Tori Crisafi, left, clears the ball away as Haddon Township's Patrice Maro presures.
Haddon Township's Erin Butrica, left, is defended by New Providence's Anna Crisafi.
Haddon Township's Natalie Waligorski, front, reacts to New Providence's Paige Carleen, top, scoring in the 2nd half.
Photo by (Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger)
To Purchase any Photos Below, Call THE STAR-LEDGER PHOTO LIBRARY AT 973-392-1530
New Providence's Cassey Trezza is surrounded by teammates after she scored in the 1st half.
Philadelphia Inquire - November 19, 2011
Haddon Twp. girls drop Group 1 final
A strong start wasn't enough for Haddon Township, which failed to score for just the fourth time this season in falling, 4-0, to defending champion New Providence on Saturday in the NJSIAA State Group 1 girls' soccer final at the College of New Jersey.
The Hawks (20-6), who shared the state title with New Providence in 2000, appeared to be on course for its second crown with an early four-shot barrage that included a rocket off the post in the 14th minute.
Haddon Township goalkeeper Chrissy Ambrozy also was in top form early, making a brilliant stop on a header. But Ambrozy's bid for her 13th shutout was dashed with four minutes to go in the first half, when Casey Trezza scored from 15 yards out.
After Township's Kelly Nelson nearly tied it seven minutes into the second half, New Providence (19-1-1) seized control when Ashley Evangelos headed in a corner kick six minutes later.
Alex Schlobohm beat two defenders to score from the right wing, boosting New Providence's lead to 3-0. Paige Carleen's leftfooted blast beat Ambrozy in the 75th minute, marking the first time this season that the Hawks had allowed more than three goals in a match.
New Providence goalie Jill Ashinsky kept the Hawks off the scoreboard for her 15th shutout of season.
The loss ended a highly successful campaign for Haddon Township, which included the South Jersey Group 1 championship after ending the last two seasons with a loss in the sectional final.
Goals: NP–Paige Carleen, Ashley Evangelos, Alex Schlobohm, Casey Trezza.
Goalies: NP–Jill Ashinsky; HT–Chrissy Ambrozy.
THE END
BACK TO BACK
Independent Press - November 21, 2011
New Providence Lady Pioneers capture
second consecutive state title
by By Jim Madden
This past Tuesday night, Nov. 15, the New Providence Lady Pioneers Soccer team was down 2-0 to a tough and ambitious Verona squad who had run through Section 1 like Cinderella, and had one shoulder pinned to the mat with the other shoulder precariously close to ending their season. Somewhere within themselves they collectively got up off the mat and decided as a team that their season was not going to end that night.
In a season full of clutch performances and team contributions, the Pioneers rallied to tie Verona as Stephanni Perini and Kelly Carroll scored to send the game to overtime as they played like a team possessed. In a fitting finish, Alex Schlobohm completed the comeback with a spectacular goal in the second overtime to send them through to the State Championship game. For without that amazing 35 minutes of soccer, the Pioneers may very well have been watching the finals from the stands or sitting home and thinking about what might have been.
The team made the trip down to Trenton Saturday with several questions to be answered. Could they get their defensive rock and captain in Nicole Saitta back for the game despite a 60-stitch cut to her face? Would they be able to solve the offensive juggernaut from Haddon Township who had steamrolled their way to the finals from South Jersey? Would Coach Scott Murphy’s team believe in the game plan and execute it from the opening whistle to defend its Group 1 title?
With a 4-0 victory, the Pioneers not only answered all of those questions in the affirmative, but they played perhaps a “perfect game” in completely dominating the Lady Hawks from Haddon Township before 1,000 fans at The College of New Jersey on Saturday to capture their second consecutive Group 1 State Championship.
Saitta returned in “Willis Reed” fashion sporting a jerry-rigged protective bandage and played a magnificent game at center back while her presence on the field inspired the other starting 10 as they completely controlled the match from the opening kickoff. Borrowing a page from the movie “Any Given Sunday,” Saitta and the other captains shared a rally point with the team the night before, compelling each player to fight for every inch on the field together. As a team they delivered those inches within every battle won as they secured the entire pitch and ultimately the game itself.
The Pioneers came out on the attack, but it was Saitta, along with fellow backliners Ashley Evangelos, Tori Crisafi, and Jenna Madden combining to smoother Haddon Twp’s dynamic duo of Patrice Maro and Nicky Cutrera who came into the game representing half of the Hawks offensive output. Their relentless play set the tone for the match as the Pioneers (18-1-1) registered their 15th shutout on the season in front of goalkeeper Jill Ashinsky, who was called upon to make just 3 saves.
New Providence went up 1-0 in the 36th minute as Casey Trezza fired in a shot from 15 yards off a Schlobohm pass as a swarming Pioneer offense peppered the Lady Hawks in seizing momentum and control of the match. It was on this field a year ago that Trezza fired in the game winner against Pennsville to clinch the Pioneer’s championship from nearly the identical spot. Trezza along with Anna Crisafi and captains Emma Culleton and Stephanni Perini held possession for the majority of the first half as New Providence headed into halftime brimming with confidence.
The Pioneers came out flying in the second half and took the match over as Carroll and Schlobohm continued to get open behind the Haddon Twp backline. In the 45th minute Carroll headed a chance just wide of the post, while Scholbohm continued to knife through the Hawk defense with surgical precision; creating space for the trailing midfield. But it was Evangelos who ran onto Culleton’s perfect service from the corner for a 2-0 Pioneer lead heading in her 3rd goal of the season in the 53rd minute.
While the Pioneers played keep away, the Hawks were unable to put passes together and their frustration was clear as Maro and Cutrera stood with hands on hips, wondering if they were going to see the ball again. Evangelos and Madden did a commendable job in denying them the ball; tackling when needed, while Tori Crisafi and Saitta cleaned up the loose ones to send the Pioneers in transition.
In the 66th minute, Schlobohm, the Pioneers leading scorer, shook loose from her mark and danced through a trio of Hawk defenders en-route to an electrifying strike off the far post for her 19th goal on the season which sent the Pioneer faithful into a frenzy. For Schlobohm, it was a just reward as she fought through double coverage throughout the game, but used her skill to distribute the ball to open teammates which Haddon Township was not prepared to defend.
The Lady Pioneers held Haddon Township without a shot over the final 25 minutes, Coach Murphy continued to roll his lineup and in the 75th minute, Paige Carleen made a brilliant move pulling the ball back to her left before curling a shot into the far corner from 12 yards out to complete the scoring. From there the crowd counted down the final seconds and Athletic Director Rob Harmer received the championship trophy and handed it to Coach Murphy.
For Murphy, the title was his third since taking the program over in 2003. “This game was a four-year effort for our seniors,” Murphy said. “I think our Verona game helped us out because that right there was probably our best game of the year”.
Few people who witnessed the performance could disagree with him.
New Providence Girls Soccer won the 2011 Group 1 State Champions with a record of 18-1-1. Team members included (from left),
in the front row:
Captain Nicole Saitta, Casey Trezza, Lucy Lavine, Jill Ashinsky, Brooke Carleen, Kelly Carroll, Alex Schlobohm and Lisa Caprara;
in the middle row:
Brigette Mullins, Ally Hartenstein, Erin Fay, Captain Tori Crisafi, Jenna Madden, Paige Kovacs, and Anna Crisafi;
and in the back row:
Assistant Coach Melissa Halpern, Hannah Lavine, Captain Stephanni Perini, Olivia Arent, Paige Carleen, Captain Emma Culleton, Ashley Evangelos, Alyssa Drews and Head Coach Scott Murphy.
Highlight Videos by Colin Culleton at Botton on Page
NJSIAA Group Tournament
Final Round, Group 1 - Girls Soccer
November 19, 2011
Live Play-by-Play
by Rich Bevensee
It's almost game time!! New Providence and Haddon Township for the Group 1 state championship in girls soccer. We're about to begin so stay tuned.
New Providence fwd Alex Schlobohm showing Haddon Twp her speed early; nearly turned corner on deep run
8th minute: Schlobohm serve to Kelly Carroll who can't get any mustard on a header inside the box.
13th minute: Schlobohm to Steph Perini back to Schlobohm, right at GK inside 12
14th minute: New Prov averts near disaster after Haddon hits near post and had about four shots
Hey mortman, New Providence's Nicole Saitta was allowed to play, starting at sweeper with a big ol' bandage on her cheek.
27th minute: No score thus far, 13 left. Haddon Twp been the most dangerous to this pt.
Schlobohm header inside 12, but right to HT keeper Chrissy Ambrozy
32nd minute: NP Casey Trezza gets off low bullet through crowd, keeper smothers 36th minute: New Providence goal! Casey Trezza scores from around 15 yds, Ambrozy out of box,
40th minute: And it's halftime. New Providence 1, Haddon Twp 0. Stay tuned.
Second half underway. Hang on to yer seats!
NP's Schlobohm wastes no time, shot on goal in first minute, wasn't able to get anything on it.
47th minute: Corner kick for New Prov, Cassidy McSorely there to clear away from far post
Corner for HT, Kelly Nelson nearly slips one by GK Jill Ashinsky in 47th, ball squirted out of bounds, HT unable to make anything of ensuing CK
53rd minute: New Prov goal! Ally Hartenstein corner, Ashley Evangelos easy header into empty net, 53rd, NP 2-0
NP goal! Alex Schlobohm fights two defenders for possession, turns and fires from right corner of box. New Providence leads 3-0
75th minute: New Prov goal! Paige Carleen eludes defender, turns and uses left foot from right flank, lofts shot over keep inside left post, 75th. New Prov 4-0.
90th minute: Final - New Providence 4, Haddon Township 0, New Providence successfully defends its Group 1 title
The Beginning
Courier News - December 8, 2011
CN Girls Soccer Notebook:
Pingry, New Providence highlight title chases
by Nicole VonGonten | Staff Writer
Two senior laden Courier News teams found their way through the state tournament this season to clinch state titles in remarkable fashion.
Both teams, Pingry and New Providence, had to get through some tough games to clinch the championship that they both desired.
New Providence was looking to remain Group I champions but faced a difficult task in the state semifinal game against Verona. The Pioneers were down 2-0 with 20 minutes to go in regulation, but they showed just what they were made of and rallied from two goals down to send the game into overtime, and Alex Schlobohm sealed the victory in the second overtime.
In the Group I championship game the Pioneers dominated Haddon Township by a score of 4-0 to win back-to-back group crowns.
