Team improves upon last year’s win total
By: John E. Powers
The season might be ending a bit too soon for the Manville High girls’ soccer team. The Lady Mustangs have really come together the last few games for first-year head coach Erin Delaney.
Manville knocked off Highland Park 2-0 Monday in Highland Park to lift its record to 6-11 and better last year’s win total of five. The Manville girls were hoping to finish the season with a win Wednesday at home in the season finale against Dunellen.
The Lady Mustangs have now won two of their last three, scoring a 4-3 win over Rutgers Prep last Tuesday before losing to North Warren 2-1 Thursday.
"I thought Rutgers Prep was a very skilled team; it was back-and-forth and back-and-forth. We would score, then they would score, it was that kind of game," Delaney said. "I thought we should have beaten North Warren. We needed more passing on the ground. We needed to create more opportunities."
The Manville girls capitalized Monday.
Senior Marzena Brozyna was credited with a goal after a shot deflected off a Highland Park defender and into the cage midway through the first half. The second goal came when Brozyna swept in and took a solid shot that bounced off the keeper’s hand to sophomore Angelika Lazur, who chipped it in for a 2-0 lead.
"Erin and I have told the kids that when you take a shot, don’t stand there and admire it, but follow it," MHS assistant coach Randy Lebedz said. "A lot of times, (the keeper) doesn’t get it clean. A lot of times there are rebounds."
The Lady Mustangs took 22 shots with senior keeper Marta Fabiyan making 11 saves.
"It’s been a confidence builder for the girls," Delaney said. "The more they play, they aren’t intimidated anymore by the schedule. We had a tough schedule to start."
Junior Rhianna Lebedz. Randy’s daughter, scored in a 2-1 loss to North Warren last Thursday. North Warren, a North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 playoff team, improved to 11-5-2 with the victory. Fabiyan had 13 saves as the Patriots outshot Manville 24-5. Manville lost to North Warren 3-0 earlier in the year.
"I actually thought North Warren was better in this game," Delaney said. "Marta really made some great saves."
Lebedz scored off a rebound from outside the 18-yard line to break a 3-3 tie against Rutgers Prep. Sam Aichele, Brozyna and Lazur also scored in that victory. Brozyna and Lazur had assists and Fabiyan stopped 13 shots.
"Marta has really taken a pounding this year," Delaney said. "She always feels like she’s letting the team down, but she has been so good."
Delaney had to sit two starters for missing practice and was able to play some younger players Monday. She said the players have apologized for missing the practice and will be returned to the lineup, but the younger players are what will move the team forward in 2007.
"The team has come a long way, the team has grown," Randy Lebedz said. "They have gotten better as the season has gone on. We don’t have a lot of girls with a lot of experience, but they are learning to limit their mistakes."

