Team looks for big finish
by John E. Powers, Sports Writer
The goals came in waves for the Manville High School girls’ soccer team Monday afternoon at Ned Panfile Stadium.
Five of them all in the second half found their way to the back of the net within 11 minutes of a 6-1 rout of Sussex Tech. The victory came in the last home game for the Lady Mustangs, who were scheduled to play at Highland Park Wednesday and North Plainfield Thursday to finish the 2008 campaign.
All of this took place after a sleepy first half against a team that came into the game with a 1-10-1 record. Manville improved to 3-13.
Sophomore midfielder Anna Isachenko, who had a hat trick, gave Manville a 1-0 lead at 9:15 of the first half. But Dorie Schatteman evened it at 36:26 on an unassisted goal.
”At halftime we talked about making good passes, but we weren’t finishing in the first half,” Manville head coach Erin Delaney said afterward. “But we came out in the second half and we started hitting their passes. You know, they started finishing and we looked like a team. They definitely have come a long way.”
The MHS girls will come even further when you consider that all of them will be back next year, and a few of them came up big in the second half to put the game away.
”We were winning 50-50 balls, we were keeping them in their side, so I knew we were going to win,” Delaney said. “We just weren’t finishing.”
Junior Dana Mortensen broke the 1-1 tie with a penalty kick at 7:55 of the second half. That was followed with goals from junior Amy Evanylo (12:10), Isachenko (13:50), Evanylo again at 14:30 and the capper by Isachenko at 19:35.
Junior keeper Sylwia Pupek had to make just five saves. The Lady Mustangs had 24 shots and had several odd-man breaks that Sussex Tech goalie Monica Rinn had to confront.
”I think we started a little bit shaky and we played down to them a little bit,” Evanylo said. “But once we realized what we could do, we started to pick up our game and did a lot better. We just were more confident at the end and we kept it up. Everybody was on the same page.”
Sophomore Sabrina Brozyna dished out two assists, while Evanylo sophomore Christine Pohl and sophomore Tara Covert added one apiece. Many of the younger girls got involved in the scoring.
”They really wanted it, we wanted every single game,” Delaney said. “The girls have been staying after practice, working on their passing. This is our team for next year. We had no seniors out there.”
Senior Rebecca Burke was out sick and senior Angelika Lazur is out for the season with knee injuries.
”This is our team for next year,” said Delaney, waving her hand toward her team as they went through post-game sprints. “As a coach I’m excited because this is the group I have next year.”
Sophomore defender Corrine DeSantis and sophomore forward Agnieszka Strekowska played well in Monday’s win.
”I definitely have some new outside mids that are going to do well,” Delaney said. “Corrine DeSantis and Tara Covert have improved a lot. Tara Covert played forward for the first time and didn’t look too bad. Overall, it was a good game.”
Manville has a chance to finish the season with five victories and a three-game win streak. The girls already have beaten North Plainfield this year.
”We definitely want two more wins,” Delaney said. “We’re looking to have a good practice, and two more wins.”

