The Robbinsville High girls varsity soccer team shocked everyone in the Colonial Valley Conference with a 1-0 double-overtime win over Notre Dame in its road opener.
By Sean Moylan, Sports Writer
The Robbinsville High girls varsity soccer team shocked everyone in the Colonial Valley Conference with a 1-0 double-overtime win over Notre Dame in its road opener.
”They (Notre Dame) beat us 5-1 last year, so coming out on top was important to us,” said Robbinsville head girls varsity soccer coach Rick Smith, who had planned long and hard for such a victory.
”That win was awesome but we could have played a lot better.”
Three minutes into the second overtime in the Sept. 7 game, Laura Greb, last year’s leading scorer, carried the ball wide right and fed Gavi Kaplan a perfect crossing pass into the box. Wasting no time at all, Kaplan became an instant hero when she beat Notre Dame goalie Chelsea King to the ball and kneed in a goal to the far post.
”She didn’t get the start, but Gavi Kaplan is someone who can create opportunities for us,” added Smith.
The Ravens will need Kaplan’s scoring because Katie Gavalchin, who finished second on the team in scoring last season, recently transferred to Notre Dame.
”It makes us thinner but we have some flexibility. Offensively we need some more goal scorers to pick up the slack,” said Smith, who is also considering making senior captain Brittany Notor an offensive midfielder (or perhaps a forward) rather a defensive halfback.
Nicole Douglass also can help out Greb and Kaplan with the scoring. According to Smith, however, last week’s big win over Notre Dame all started with the extraordinary defensive play of senior sweeper Danielle Douglass and her sister, Amanda, who is a 9th- grader.
”Danielle Douglass was the only person beside Amy Greubel (Robbinsville’s goalie) to play the entire game,” said Smith, who also got very strong defensive efforts from Claire Haeuptle, Nicole Sandusky and Casey McGuigan.
Meanwhile, Alex Casperson, a defensive midfielder, played a sensational two-way game for Robbinsville.
”Alex Casperson is probably our strongest player right now. She can carry the ball up the field with her speed and she’s got a rocket shot,” said Smith. “The best defense is a good offense.”
Nicole Hornberger, also a defensive midfielder, combined with Casperson to give the Ravens very smooth transition play in the middle of the field. The Ravens controlled the ball for much of the first half.
Christa Jaskir moved to the front line, where she played a stellar game. Smith knew his kids would have to play physical soccer in order to beat Notre Dame and consequently forward Erin Hankins and midfielder Carina Fleming came with everything they had and wore down Notre Dame.
”By the end of the game Notre Dame was avoiding contact,” said Smith, whose team was called for nearly 20 fouls. “They showed some mettle.”
Robbinsville’s goalkeeper Amy Greubel recorded a dozen saves for the shutout. She also distributed the ball to her teammates very well.
Robbinsville had to play on its grass field because the turf was being used.
”Just getting that win was huge,” said Smith, whose team had been haunted by last year’s one-sided loss to Notre Dame for quite some time.
Still, Smith sees room for improvement and noted, “We’re going to try to stay healthy and score some more goals.”
Robbinsville’s schedule over the next two weeks is going to be very tough. The teamis scheduled to host West Windsor-Plainsboro South today and is slated to play at West Windsor-Plainsboro North on Tuesday.