BY: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
Playing without the services of its all-star senior forward Laura Greb, the Robbinsville High girls’ varsity soccer team took all the sting out of the Hamilton West Hornets and their buzzing hometown fans with a 2-0 win over the Hornets last Friday afternoon. The victory improved the Ravens’ record to a perfect 6-0 on the season.
“Hamilton played well and were a very aggressive team and had some rowdy fans. It was a great game for the girls to work on their mental game and work through (the Hornets’) aggressive play and heckling on the sidelines,” said Robbinsville girls’ soccer coach Karen DeRosett, who has done an incredible job in her first season as the Ravens’ head coach.
With Greb away on a trip to a college in North Carolina, the Ravens’ had to find different ways to generate offense against a physical Hornets’ team. And after a scoreless first half, junior Nicole Sandusky, a player known more for playing extraordinary defense game in and game out, began joining in on the Ravens’ offensive attack more and more by the second stanza. Consequently, Sandusky not only scored a goal but assisted on a beautiful goal by junior midfielder Carina Fleming.
“Carina’s goal was a great shot. She was in the box, the ball was a rebound shot and with a strong side volley she connected well with the ball and scored,” noted DeRossett.
However, it was defense, which ultimately won the game for Robbinsville, which limited Hamilton to just two shots on goal. Robbinsville goalie Mary Jane Seiler stopped both of those shots to record the shutout. Hamilton goalie Maura Woodrow made 13 saves just to keep her team in the game.
“Our defense did a great job. Amanda Douglass, Erin Sutphen, Nicole Hornberger and Nicole Sandusky did a great job marking and stepping up to the ball. Kari Nickels also did a great job for us in the midfield,” remarked a very pleased DeRossett.
Robbinsville players could have easily let their focus slip due to the loudness of the Hornets’ enthusiastic crowd. Instead, they turned a potential negative into a positive and fed off the crowd’s energy and played better because of it.
Robbinsville was scheduled to play a road game at Ewing on October 1, but that contest was rained out and no makeup date has been set yet. Robbinsville was scheduled to have played Lawrence this past Tuesday. On Friday Robbinsville is scheduled to play one of the best Hightstown girls’ varsity soccer teams in years at Hightstown. That game should be a great one and DeRossett and Hightstown legend Don Hess will surely have their clubs ready to play that contest at a high level. Next Tuesday Robbinsville is scheduled at Princeton.

