Robbinsville field hockey making a sudden impact

By: Sean Moylan
   "I never focus them on what another team is capable of doing. (That way) every girl has a chance of being the best player she can be," said Judy Goldstein, the head coach of the Robbinsville girls’ varsity field hockey team.
   Well, the Ravens certainly were the best they could be on September 12th, when they defeated the unbeatable foe, the Allentown Redbirds, 2-1 in double overtime on a Jamie Hipple’s second goal of the day.
   With the shocking triumph, Robbinsville was able to snap Allentown’s impressive 26-game CVC winning streak and Goldstein was able to get some long overdue payback after years of frustration.
   "I’ve coached against Allentown for years and have never beaten them (before last Tuesday)," said Goldstein, who had previously enjoyed a successful 19-year career as Point Pleasant’s head field hockey coach. "When Jamie scored (the game-winner) I actually cried, I got so emotional."
   Going in to the contest, Allentown had history and experience on its side. But the moment the contest went to overtime the tide shifted in the Ravens’ favor as they suddenly put countless hours of practice to good use in front of the hometown crowd.
   "I definitely thought we’d win once we got to play 7 a side," added Goldstein, whose club spread out its attack in overtime.
   Goldstein had spent so much time preparing her girls for overtime games that she was she was making substitutions with clockwork precision. The Ravens came with so many fresh sets of legs it became increasingly more difficult for the Redbirds to run with them. But the two girls that got it done in crunch time were Hipple and Emilie Taylor. With 6:21 to go in the second overtime, Taylor set up Hipple’s historic game-winner.
   "Emilie Taylor hit the ball so hard and Jamie (Hipple) tipped it in," noted Goldstein. "It was almost a repeat of the first one."
   Hipple’s first tally also came off a Taylor pass with her team down 1-0 with roughly 13 minutes left in regulation. However, her heroics would not have been possible had it not been for the extraordinary play of goalie Megan Leach, who recorded 14 saves, and the defense of Marissa Clark, Kate Connelly and Christy Wham.
   "They had a penalty stroke on us with 4 minutes left in the game but their player shot it into my goalie’s pads," said Goldstein. Luckily, Leach was able to clear the ball before it spun back into the cage.
   "My defense was amazing and my goalie was amazing."
   Allentown had 19 shots to Robbinsville’s 13, but the Ravens took the shot that mattered.
   While Hipple and Taylor were the offensive stars in the Allentown game, Goldstein has confidence in all her attackers. But all of her players are anxious to learn and there will be no letdown going into this week’s games.
   "They listen to me. If they don’t understand something they’ll ask me for help," said Goldstein, whose players trust her because she’s coached them since they were freshmen. "They just want to play. They love to play field hockey."
   The Ravens became Giant Slayers last week. And they did it by playing their game.
   Robbinsville was scheduled to have played Notre Dame last Thursday but the game was called because of rain. No makeup date has been announced. Robbinsville (2-1) was scheduled to have played at Lawrence this past Tuesday. It is scheduled to host West Windsor-Plainsboro South today (Thursday). Then it is scheduled at Riverside on Monday and at Steinert on Tuesday.
NEHS

   Molly Dixon and Lindsay Mann scored two goals each for New Egypt in a 6-0 over Bordnetown. Margaret Ecke and Heather Garces also scored. Heather Garces, Erin Garces and Margaret Ecke had assists.
   New Egypt was scheduled to face Florence yesterday. It will be at Palmyra Friday and host Lenape on Saturday.
   AHS

   Allentown’s games with Steinert and Pingry last week were both rained out. Allentown was scheduled to face Notre Dame on Tuesday. It will host West Windsor North today.