GIRLS SOCCER
By: John E. Powers
The Hopewell Valley High School girl’s soccer team expects some great things this fall. Just because it didn’t happen Friday, doesn’t change that feeling.
The Bulldogs, coming off an 18-4 season and their third straight Patriot Division title, opened the season with a 5-0 loss to perennial Mercer County power and defending county champ Steinert last Friday. But the Bulldogs, who lost to Steinert in the county final last year and in the regular season, are confident that a lot of good games are ahead despite the losses of standout players like Sam Germano (now playing at Wake College), Gina Colati (playing at The College of New Jersey) and Margi Emhof.
Hopewell was out shot 15-5 in the first half as it fell behind 3-0. Senior goalie Kim Fearnbach made 16 saves for the game.
"(Steinert) They are very good, but we played poorly and made a lot of mistakes," said Hopewell Valley coach John McGinley, in his fourth season as head coach. "We didn’t seem to play like a team. It was one of those things. You learn from it. We just have to play first and then worry about winning next.
"We didn’t follow through on marks; didn’t win balls and they led to goals," he added. "They just exploited it."
That said, the Bulldogs were past the loss. They were scheduled to play at divisional rival Ewing Wednesday before playing host to Princeton Friday afternoon. They play a non-conference game at Hunterdon Central Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Bulldogs are going through the injury bug now, McGinley said.
"We’re kind of shuffling the deck now," he said. "We’re kind of struggling with continuity more than anything. I think we’re going to be a pretty balanced team. We just have to get used to playing with each other."
The team has some solid players in the likes of senior co-captains Arielle Wolfe, a defender, and Rosie Rarich, a striker. Fearnbach, senior defender Lauren Sheidler and senior striker Rachel Muentener return. Transfer Colleen Williams, who comes over from Pennington, will add another key part in the midfield when she’s eligible after sitting out the 30-day transfer wait. She’s a junior.
"The nucleus is there to have another good team," McGinley said. "We graduated some excellent players Sam and Gina are two of the best we’ve ever had. But we have kids to fill in."
Wolf and Newman anchor what should be an outstanding defense. The forwards should be fine led by Rarich and Muentener.
"We just have to figure out the right chemistry," he said.
Senior middie Sara Gustavson is expected to be one of those who’ll move the ball forward when she recovers from a foot injury. Others that will play big roles is senior Kyle Pagano (MF/D), junior Jamie Kianka (D), freshman Lori Genovisi (D), sophomore Emily Kianka (F), freshman Whitney Bickford (MF), sophomore Nicole Ferrara (F), sophomore Christina Benn (D), junior Maggie Semple (F), sophomore Megan Clements (MD/D), junior Jessa Stevens (MF), junior Erin Henry (F), junior Tricia Sherrard (D), senior Leah Kulp (D/MF), junior Kris Regan (F), junior Katie Cassavell (MF) and junior Meghan Spoth (D).
All of the players will likely make a difference as the Bulldogs defend their divisional title against the likes of Allentown, Ewing, Princeton and Robbinsville. Princeton has 10 of its 11 starters back.
"Princeton is going to be very good with their core group of players back; Ewing is good and much improved and Robbinsville is a Group I school, but they play 3 and 4s and they do well," McGinley said. "The league in general is very good."

