CHRIS KELLY Shore Regional’s Amanda Arnold lunges off-balance to send a pass to a teammate during the Blue Devils’ 1-0 Group I semifinal win over Gateway at Red Bank Regional on Nov. 13.
It had to happen sooner or later. You can only win so many close games against elite competition before you wind up on the wrong side of a one-goal game.
And that is exactly what happened to Shore Regional’s field hockey team last Sunday when it ended its 2001 season with a 1-0 loss in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group I state championship game against Pingry at the College of New Jersey, Ewing.
After a dominant season in the Shore Conference, the Blue Devils embarked on a journey in search of a possible 10th group state championship.
Yet despite valiant efforts from the entire team, Shore Regional had its season end with a 1-0 loss.
"This was a different kind of year for us," said head coach Nancy Williams. "We had to create a whole new system for this team. Our success this year, with only three returning starters, was because of the work ethic that started on the freshman level.
"The girls matured quicker than I thought they would, being so young. I didn’t know how far we would reach this year at the beginning of the season. But the goals the girls obtained are a testament to their hard work, dedication and desire."
The Blue Devils, after winning their 31st straight Shore Conference Division championship, went on to prepare for the state tournament by outscoring four teams, 12-1, capturing their eighth Shore Conference Championship.
Following that title game, the Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season to West Essex, 2-1, snapping a 16-game winning streak. But that night-game loss at Kean University, Union, helped the Blue Devils prepare for the tough road that awaited them.
One of the reasons the Shore became so feared and respected over the course of the season was its depth of scorers and a solid, talented defense.
Throughout the season the Shore dominated its opponents, outscoring its adversaries 104-6, and averaging 4.7 goals per game. They only gave up an average of .23 goals per game.
Shore Regional’s defense shined once again in a group semifinal matchup with Gateway on Nov. 13. Gateway won the South Jersey Group I Championship.
During a back-and-forth battle featuring numerous breakaways, hard shots and solid defensive efforts, Shore finally broke open the scoring when Stephanie Rubert knocked in a crossing pass from Casey Whalen. The win put the No. 1 seed of the tournament (Shore) against longtime rival Pingry, who claimed the tournament’s second seed.
For the group finals, both teams had to find what little time they could to practice on an artificial turf field to better prepare themselves for the fast-paced game the field at The College of New Jersey facility offers.
With high spirits, the Blue Devils took the field, anticipating their 10th state championship.
Once the game started, fans, players and coaches witnessed an epic battle between two of the state’s top field hockey programs. Neither defense allowed the other much room to breathe as only 14 shots were taken throughout the game.
Unfortunately it would be Pingry who would break the scoreless deadlock 6:30 into the second half when Lea Salese roared the last of a three-shot barrage past Shore’s goalie, Robyn Appicelli.
Despite a 10-4 shot advantage, Appicelli, who stopped nine shots (including one on a diving stick save) just barely missed stopping the winning goal with a split-save effort.
Appicelli earned 23 victories for Shore this season, posting 19 shutouts.
Shore finished the year with a 23-2 record.
So despite the disappointing finish, the Shore team did well to represent itself and maintain the aura that surrounds the Shore Regional program. They were a young team when the season began. By the end of the year, they were champions.