By: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
The first time the Robbinsville High girls’ varsity soccer team played Hightstown this season, the Rams edged the Ravens, 2-1, in an epic battle. It was also Robbinsville’s first loss of the season.
The Ravens took that defeat very hard. But this past Monday, Robbinsville’s Nicole Yap made sure her team got its revenge as she scored the only goal in the Ravens’ 1-0 win over the Rams in a second-
round Mercer County Tournament game played at Robbinsville.
With just over seven minutes left in regulation, Yap took a Laura Greb feed and converted it into the game-winner.
“They beat us the first time we played them and we were all disappointed,” said Robbinsville head varsity soccer coach Karen DeRossett, who thought her team was much stronger this time around with versatile sweeper Danielle Douglass and defender Jen Bryan back in the lineup and at full strength.
In addition to Yap’s heroics, Robbinsville goalie Mary Jane Seiler played extremely well and made 15 saves. And Robbinsville’s defense did a good job of keeping Hightstown’s high-powered attacker Ify Onochie off the scoreboard.
With the victory over a very talented Hightstown squad, Robbinsville, seeded third, advanced to yesterday’s (Wednesday) scheduled semi-final versus Notre Dame (2). The game was scheduled to be held at either Mercer County Community College or Ewing High.
In first round MCT action last Friday, Robbinsville hosted and defeated Allentown, 4-0. Gavy Kaplan and Bryan each posted a goal and an assist while Carina Fleming and Greb also tallied for the victors.
Kaplan, who has been on fire as of late, gave an outstanding performance.
“Gavy Kaplan is an excellent forward with tremendous potential. Once the ball is on her foot I am always excited to see what she will do,” said DeRossett.
Seiler did her thing in goal and stopped all four of the Redbird shots to earn the shutout. Allentown’s goalie Hayley Wilhelm actually did a good job of keeping the game from getting even more out of hand as she posted 16 saves. Robbinsville had an amazing 26 shots on goal.
“The girls played a good game of soccer. They did an excellent job passing the ball throughout the field and working together as a team. That was demonstrated as we had four different girls score for us. It’s great when you have a team where all players are capable of putting the ball in the net,” DeRossett said.
Robbinsville was pretty confident going into Friday’s MCT opener because it had little difficulty beating Allentown, 5-2, the day before (last Thursday) at Allentown.
Nicole Sandusky ripped a direct kick 40 yards for Robbinsville’s first score of that contest and then Kaplan worked her magic and dominated the remainder of the first half with a pair of goals. Kaplan blew by Allentown defenders to post her first tally and then she put a Greb feed into the back of the net to give Robbinsville a 3-1 halftime lead. In the second half Fleming set up an Amanda Douglass goal and Greb, an offensive force that always demands a defense’s full attention, assisted on a Yap tally.
“Again, we had a variety of girls involved in the scoring,” said DeRossett. “Overall, the girls have been doing a really great job of working together on the field and using each other which add to the strengths of our team.”
Despite a Greb second-half goal, which was assisted by Casey McGuigan, Hopewell Valley slipped by Robbinsville, 2-1, at Robbinsville on October 21st.
“In the first half they out shot us 10-6. And in the second half we out shot them 8-4. The wind really played a factor. They had the wind in the first half and we had the wind in the second half,” said DeRossett, whose team fell behind 2-0 when Hopewell tallied early in the second half. “We also came out fired up in the second half and after Laura Greb scored the goal the team stepped it up a notch but, unfortunately we were not able to make anything connect with the net.”
With its 12-3 record, Robbinsville should also get a favorable seed for the upcoming NJSIAA Group 1 playoffs. But first the Ravens have some MCT business to take care of.
AHS
The Allentown High School girls’ soccer team opened action last week with a 3-0 win over Trenton on October 21. Kristin Taft (12 saves) and Haley Wilhelm (three saves) combined for the shutout in goal. Hayley Odell (two goals) and Chelsea Laday (goal) did the scoring.
Odell scored both goals for Allentown in a 5-2 loss to Robbinsville on Thursday.
Last Friday Allentown played Robbinsville in the first round of the Mercer County Tournament. Despite 16 saves by Wilhlem, Robbinsville won, 4-0.
NEHS
The New Egypt High girls’ soccer team was defeated by Riverside, 7-1, on October 22.
On Friday, New Egypt was defeated by Holy Cross, 7-0.

