By: Sean Moylan
The Robbinsville High girls’ varsity soccer team, which started the year by winning three of its first four games, earned the entire Colonial Valley Conference’s respect with a pair of "losses" this past week.
The Ravens played so hard in a 3-0 home loss to Steinert last Thursday and a 1-0 loss at West Windsor- Plainsboro North on September 19th, that they lost both of their goalies to injury and the entire team left it out on the field in both contests.
In the game versus West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Robbinsville goalie Ashley Carfagno suffered concussion-like symptoms but demanded to stay in the contest. Unfortunately, with four minutes left in regulation, west Windsor-Plainsboro North’s Emiko Edwards booted an unstoppable goal to break a scoreless deadlock.
"She (Carfagno) made all of the saves she could have made," said Robbinsville head coach Rick Smith, whose junior goalie stopped 10 shots. West Windsor-Plainsboro North had 18 shots to six by Robbinsville.
"That loss had me in a bad way, but I felt a lot better after the Steinert game."
With Carfagno out of action, Amy Greubel, Robbinsville’s original starting goalie who had missed a few games with an injury, returned just in time for the Steinert contest. And the Ravens sophomore standout had no intentions of taking it slow in her first game back. In fact, Greubel stood on her head to make 18 saves, but the last was a very costly one.
"She suffered a hematoma on her kidney. She dove for a ball and actually hit her kidney against the goal post. She wrapped herself around the goal post making a save," said Smith of Greubel. "We should get her back the second week of October."
With both of its goalies injured, Robbinsville used Erin Hankins, a junior forward, as its goalie in the closing minutes of the contest.
"We were right with them. We banged with them," said Smith proudly.
Junior captain Alex Kasperson and Nicole Douglass, who was listed as a midfielder, played phenomenal defense versus Steinert. Moreover, Christa Jaskir, another junior captain, exhibited great leadership skills by playing out of position for the good of the team.
"I pushed Jaskir back to center defensive mid and she played very well," Smith added.
MeanWhile, Ravens’ forwards Katie Gavalchin and Brittany Noter were creating chances with some great hustle plays. But neither could knock one in. Gavy Kaplan also played well on offense in a losing cause. Robbinsville had nine shots in all.
"We had some good opportunities (to score), but Steinert is a powerhouse. I think we started four freshmen, five juniors and two sophomores in the game," Smith remarked. "In two games we had no business competing in, we did fairly well."
Robbinsville (3-3) was scheduled to have played a night game at Lawrence this past Tuesday. Robbinsville is scheduled at Hightstown today (Thursday). It is scheduled to host Burlington City next Tuesday.
AHS
Entering action this week, the Allentown High School girls’ soccer team is 0-7.
Allentown was scheduled to face Ewing on Tuesday. It will be at Hamilton 4 p.m. today. Allentown will be home to play Spotswood at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Allentown will host Trenton Central 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

