Lisa Caprara scored four goals to lead New Providence over North Arlington, 7-0, in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 tournament in New Providence.
Maggie Roughley had a goal and an assist. Anna Crisafi and Nicole Dillon scored the other two goals, and Erin Fay had three assists. Goalkeeper Jen Maluso saved one shot to record the shutout. North Arlington goalkeeper Lorraine Lichtenberger made 14 saves.
Glen Ridge is the reigning Group 1 champion, and has shown signs this year that it could make another tournament run. With a pair of losses to ECT champion Montclair by a combined two goals along with wins over Caldwell, Millburn and Nutley, the Ridgers have shown flashes of great ability.
CONTENDERS
Brearley won 11 of 12 games in the middle of the season, including an 8-1 victory over Hillside and a 1-0 defeat of Dayton. Dayton hasn't lost in five matches and has 10 victories on the season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alexa Colangelo of Hoboken has the most points in the bracket with 52 (20 goals and 12 assists). Danielle Matos of Brearley has 20 goals of her own to go with 10 assists. Tomison Kennedy has been the offensive leader for Glen Ridge with 15 goals scored.
Other players: Gianna Izzi, Dayton. Joanna Seca, North Arlington. Morgan Etlinger, Brearley. Taylor Barth, North Arlington.
THE PICK
Glen Ridge.
The Courier News - Novemebr 5, 2013
NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 - Quarter Finals
New Providence 7, North Arlington 0:
Lisa Caprara lit it up for four goals, while Erin Fay dished out three assists and fourth-seeded New Providence cruised into the semifinals. Maggie Roughley chipped in a goal and an assist and Anna Crisafi and Nicole Dillon each added a goal for the Pioneers, who will face top-seeded Brearley or eighth-seeded Hoboken next Monday.
The Star Ledger - November 11, 2013
2013 NJSIAA Tournament
Group 1 - Section 2 - North - Sectional Semi Finals
New Providence 2, Brearley 0
Maggie Roughley and Casey Trezza each had goals as New Providence defeated Brearley, 2-0, in the semifinals of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 tournament in Kenilworth.
Anna Crisafi had an assist, and goalkeeper Jen Maluso made five saves to record the shutout. Brearley goalkeeper Leanne Bastos stopped 12 shots.
Goals Assists Saves
Maggie Roughley 1
Anna Crisafi 1
Casey Trezza 1
Jen Maluso 5
Shots on Goal 12
The Courier News - Novemebr 11, 2013
NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 - Sectional Semi Finals
New Providence 2, Brearley 0
Maggie Roughley and Casey Trezza scored goals, while Jen Maluso made five saves as fourth-seeded New Providence advanced past the No. 1 seed and into its fifth sectional final in the past six seasons. The Pioneers will visit second-seeded Glen Ridge at 2 p.m Thursday.
Star Ledger - November 11, 2013
Four girls in northern New Jersey committed to the
University of Rhode Island next season
By Dave Holcombr
“Rhode Island told us that this is very unusual,” Parsippany center back Amanda Nardella said. “This barely happens ever.”
The total number of players from New Jersey on the girls soccer team at the University of Rhode Island will double next year. The program has recruited in Northern New Jersey before, sophomore forward Alex Ruggieri is from Hillsborough and freshman Nicole Brennan is from Old Bridge, but the fact four players from the area have committed to Rhode Island is very unusual.
Three of the four girls play defense, Ashley Evangelos from New Providence, Rachel Lieberman from Randolph, and Nardella. The fourth player, Lauren Hall, is a midfielder from Bridgewater-Raritan.
To say the four girls’ paths have crossed before is an understatement. Hall, Nardella and Lieberman play on the same club team, Matchfit Academy, which makes the fact they are all going to the same school even more unbelievable.
They may have a lot of similar connections, but each girl has a different story in how she ended up committing to the University of Rhode Island.
ASHLEY EVANGELOS
Evangelos has been playing soccer since she was four-years-old and got serious with the sport around the age of 14 when she stopped playing basketball.
At a young age, Evangelos’ parents coached her, but it was her friend’s father, Matt Roughley, who also coached Evangelos, that influenced her to commit to soccer.
“He told me that something was there, that I was good and that I should pursue soccer,” Evangelos said. “That made me really want to get better at it.”
By high school, Evangelos was good enough to earn a spot on the varsity roster at New Providence, a team that went on to capture the Group 1 State Championship defeating Pennsville, 1-0.
Despite the fact Evangelos sees Roughley a lot when she hangs out with her friend, her former coach sent Evangelos a formal letter to congratulate her on winning a state championship.
Even with success early in her high school career, one state championship was not enough for her team. In her sophomore year, New Providence’s goal was to return to the state championship.
New Providence did just that, knocking off Haddon Township, 4-0, capping off a dominating 18-1-1 season, to win its second straight Group 1 State Championship.
If Evangelos enjoyed the first championship, the second one was even sweeter.
“The second year we won the state championship, that team in particular, I think we were just the closest we’ve ever been, and to win another state championship as a team was awesome,” Evangelos said. “We all wanted it for each other, and that’s something we are trying to instill in this year’s team. We are playing for each other not the individual.”
New Providence defeated Brearley, 2-0, in the sectional semifinals on Monday to advance to the sectional finals for the third time in four years. The team will face Glen Ridge on Thursday.
Evangelos is excited to play defense, a position she has always love, next season at Rhode Island.
“A lot of people like scoring, but I think if you make an important tackle or block an important shot, it’s just as important as scoring in a game,” Evangelos said. “It’s exhilarating.”
The Alternative Press - Novemebr 14, 2013
NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 - Sectional Finals
New Providence 0, Glen Ridge 1
New Providence Girls Soccer Dropped by
Glen Ridge in State Section Final
by Michael Romano
BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Glen Ridge sophomore forward Tomison Kennedy scored the game's only goal to lead the Ridgers to their second consecutive state sectional championship in a 1-0 victory over New Providence on Thursday afternoon.
Kennedy has had a huge impact on the team’s success this season, as her goal was her 21st score of the season.
“You can’t score without your team,” Kennedy said. “My teams been supporting me a lot and we’ve been staying calm and working together and never giving up.”
Both teams came out firing and New Providence did not shy away from taking any shots on goal. In the 17th minute, Lisa Caprara launched a long shot into the wind that clanked off the crossbar and out of play.
“I knew right away that we would be tested,” Glen Ridge head coach Oscar Viteri said. “It was a good game, it was just a matter of who scored on a mistake or set piece and we were able to do that.”
Just four minutes later, Glen Ridge had an opportunity of its own when Colleen Grady sent a cross into the box that found Eliza Parrinello for a redirection, but keeper Jen Maluso came up with the save.
The game continued back-and-forth until senior Caroline Smith set up for a corner kick for Glen Ridge in the 32nd minute. Smith booted the corner directly into the middle of the box in front of the net and Kennedy was in the right spot at the right time to finish with a header passed Maluso.
“She's very good,” Viteri said about Kennedy. “She’s a strong girl and she sees the field very well, and she's great on headers.”
New Providence was unable to get anything going for most of the second half until the final minutes when they pressed for an all-or-nothing approach, but came out empty handed.
“We just wanted to play our game,” Ne
w Providence head coach Scott Murphy said. “We wanted to try to use our speed against their defense. I thought that’s where we could take advantage, but they did a great job of negating it so we couldn’t get that breakthrough.”
The Alternative Press - Novemebr 11, 2013
NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 - Sectional Semi Finals
New Providence 2, Brearley 0
New Providence Girls Soccer Team Upsets No. 1 Brearley, Advances to Section Final
by Tim LeCras
KENILWORTH, NJ – The New Providence girls’ soccer team is the final Union County team still standing in the state playoffs, as the No. 4 Pioneers upset No. 1 Brearley, 2-0, in Monday’s NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 semifinal.
Senior Casey Trezza and sophomore Maggie Roughley both scored to lead the Pioneers to Thursday’s section final.
“Its always nice to upset teams,” Pioneer head coach Scott Murphy said. “When teams take you lightly, and they certainly did not, but other teams do, its good to get the win, especially a four [seed] beating a one [seed].”
New Providence got off to a quick start, scoring in the first three minutes of the match. Senior Anna Crisafi’s corner kick set up Roughley’s header in the third minute, giving the Pioneers the early advantage.
“We were nervous coming in,” Trezza said. “[The early goal] set the tone and eased our nerves. We kept going, we should have had a couple of more early on. It provided some comfort for us.”
New Providence stayed on the attack, controlling the pace of the game throughout the entire first half and most of the second, despite notching the one first-half goal.
The Pioneers added to their lead midway through the second half.
Pressuring Brearley’s back line, one of the Pioneer forwards was taken down in the box. Trezza converted on the ensuing penalty kick, all but securing the Pioneers’ trip to the section final.
“Its awesome. It’s a great feeling,” Trezza said. “We’re really proud of ourselves to make it this far.”
Not many people thought the Pioneers would get this far into the tournament, especially when comparing them to other Union County schools such as Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Gov. Livingston or Westfield. However, Murphy knew this team was special based on their play early in the year.
“Our mantra has been performance, not result,” Murphy said. “We knew we would get some losses here and there. As long as we kept playing hard, then the result will eventually be there when it matters. To play in a section final with no other Union County team playing, they’ll be happy about that.”
Trezza and the rest of the Pioneers head to Glen Ridge on Thursday for the section championship. The winner earns a spot in the Group 1 State Tournament, which begins next Monday.
The Alternative Press - Novemebr 5, 2013
NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 - Quarter Finals
New Providence 7, North Arlington 0
New Providence Scores State Tourney Triumph
over North Arlington in Girls Soccer
by Laila Stedman
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - Tuesday afternoon, right after the New Providence boys overcame Glen Ridge, the girls' soccer team took on North Arlington and delivered a 7-0 victory in the first round of the NJSIAA State Tournament.
The Pioneers' Lisa Caprara found the back of the net four times. The other three goals were scored by Anna Crisafi, Maggie Roughley and Nicole Dillon.
"We came out right from the opening whistle with something to prove," said New Providence head coach Scott Murphy. "The ball movement was quick and accurate and created many scoring opportunities which we were able to capitalize on."
Co-captain and senior Ashley Evangelos said, "Going into today's game, we did not know much about North Arlington, but we knew we had to come in hard and score early to shut them down and seal a win. Every win in the state tournament is an accomplishment and I'm glad we get to play another game."
New Providence will advance to the next round against Brearley in Kenilworth later this week.
New Providence junior Lisa Caprara chases down a ball late in the game. Credits: Michael Romano
New Providence senior Anna Crisafi steps into a kick during Tuesday's state tournament win. Credits: Alli Lamhing
The Star Ledger - November 14, 2013
2013 NJSIAA Tournament, Sectional Finals
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 - Girls Soccer
New Providence 0, Glen Ridge 1
Tomison Kennedy scored off a corner kick to power Glen Ridge to a 1-0 victory over New Providence in the final of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 tournament in Bloomfield.
Caroline Smith assisted on the winning goal and Ryanne Ege made 11 saves. Jen Maluso made 10 saves for New Providence.
Glen Ridge will face New Milford in the Group 1 semifinals Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Indian Hills in Oakland.
The Courier News - Novemebr 14, 2013
NJSIAA North 2, Group 1 - Sectional Finals
New Providence 2, Brearley 0
Glen Ridge 1, New Providence 0: Tomison Kennedy first-half goal was more than New Providence could overcome, as the fourth-seeded Pioneers fell to second-seeded Glen Ridge. Jen Maluso made 10 saves for New Providence
Pioneers' Erin Fay controls the ball on the sidelines and looks to cross it into the middle. Credits: Michael Romano
Glen Ridge's leading goal-scorer Tomison Kennedy battles with Pioneers' captain Ashley Evangelos. Credits: Michael Romano
The New Providence girls soccer team celebrates after senior Casey Trezza converted on a penalty kick during Monday's 2-0 win over No. 1 Brearley in the state section semifinal. Credits: Tim LeCras
New Providence senior Casey Trezza lines up for a penalty kick. Credits: Tim LeCras
New Providence's Lexi Everton craddles a ball during the Pioneers' state tournament win on Tuesday. Credits: Alli Lamhing
Goals
