Manville girls can’t find net

Blanked for third straight game

By: Rudy Brandl
   Manville High girls’ soccer coach Nestor Cortina still believes his team can qualify for the state playoffs, even after last Thursday’s 1-0 home loss to Oak Knoll.
If the Lady Mustangs have any chance at making the post-season for the third straight season, they’ll have to find a way to score some goals. Thursday’s disappointing setback marked the third consecutive time the MHS girls have been blanked, extending their scoreless streak to over four hours of playing time.
   "We need that punch," Cortina said after his club fell to 2-5. "We’ve hit the post five times this year and we dominated the game again today. Soccer is a lot of luck sometimes."
   That luck has not been with the Lady Mustangs, who played a beautiful soccer game against an Oak Knoll team that romped all over them twice last year. There’s no question the Manville girls are improving, but that progress doesn’t show up in the win column unless goals are scored.
   "We just keep missing the goal," said sophomore forward Lauren Kohler, who led the team in scoring last fall. "We’re only playing with two forwards, so there’s nobody on that left side to help."
   Cortina employed a slightly different strategy in Thursday’s game, instructing left midfielder Amy Cutler to act as a third attacker. That left Kohler free to make dangerous runs in the middle of the field with Alison Smith working on the other side.
   The move created more opportunities but didn’t produce any goals. Cutler, who scored a goal off a corner kick in the team’s 4-1 victory over North Plainfield, sent some dangerous balls near the goal. Oak Knoll keeper Kate Abramson was there every time and finished the day with 17 saves.
   Manville enjoyed an overwhelming 24-10 edge in shots, including a 17-4 bulge in the second half. Kohler nearly scored to tie the game with three minutes remaining in regulation, running to a flick pass from Smith and charging toward the goal. Kohler’s shot just caromed wide of the far post.
   "It got through and the goalie came out, but it just went too far wide," Kohler said.
   Cortina also inserted speedy freshman Dana Delesky on the right wing for a big chunk of the second half and it almost paid off several times. Delesky’s hustle and speed created openings in the offensive zone but the goals just wouldn’t come.
   "She’s developing into a great player," Cortina said. "She has that explosiveness we need."
   The Manville defense played a fabulous game aside from one play. Sophomore goalkeeper Stefanie Bocchino made seven saves, including three on breakaways. Sweeper Christine Andreyko was smooth and stopper Dana Shaute won the loose balls. Outside backs Lisa Lavenia and Sarah Ortman were scrappy and never beaten to the outside.
   However, the Lady Mustangs only had to crack once for Oak Knoll to take advantage. Manville wasn’t organized to defend a corner kick in the 23rd minute of the first half and Erin McCabe’s looping ball from the left flag found an unmarked Katie Cummings, who ripped a crisp header into the net.
   "On a corner kick, we usually zone up but they didn’t zone this time," Cortina explained. "One of our players moved and the girl was wide-open."
   Manville spent the rest of the day fighting back. Cutler had a few chances in the final 20 minutes of the second half, but she sent one free kick over the bar and watched an 18-yard shot get caught by Abramson.
   Backup forward Dana Calvo took a bad angle shot with 12 minutes to go and Abramson was there. Lavenia sent a bouncing cross near the goal with Kohler rushing in, but Abramson came out and grabbed it before Kohler or any Lady Mustang player could get a foot on it.
   "It’s frustrating when you lose like that," Cortina said. "I just have a feeling that once we score that first goal to break this drought, we’ll be all right."
   Cortina remained confident, even after his team fell three games below the break-even mark. His young goalkeeper is improving and the defense has been solid.
   "Stefanie played an awesome game today," he said. "She made 18 saves the other day against New Providence (a 5-0 loss) and she stopped some breakaways today. She’s getting better."
   The Lady Mustangs plan to spend most of their practice time on offense to get ready for this week’s games vs. Bound Brook and David Brearley. If the MHS girls can control the game vs. Oak Knoll, they should get rolling this week. With the qualifying deadline a few weeks away, there’s still plenty of time to make the states.
   "I’m confident. We’re playing good soccer, we’re just missing that push into the goal," Cortina said. "Every time we play, we play better. We just don’t have any luck this year."