Season ends at 3-14-1
by John E. Powers, Sports Writer
After dominating Sussex Tech with a strong second half in a 6-1 home finale victory, Manville High girls’ soccer coach Erin Delaney sensed a happy ending on the road.
Games against Highland Park and North Plainfield certainly afforded her team an opportunity to finish the season with a three-game winning streak.
And when the Lady Mustangs got an own-goal early in the first half at Highland Park, the momentum was right there. An Owl goal was followed by one by sophomore Sabrina Brozyna that gave Manville a 2-1 lead. It was 2-2 at half, but then five second-half goals gave Highland Park a 7-2 win.
The Owls, who won their ninth of 10 games to improve to 13-7-2, got three goals from Ally Kessler. It was a reversal of the game vs. Tech when MHS broke open a tight game with five goals in the second half.
The next day the Lady Mustangs and North Plainfield played to a scoreless finish despite the fact that the Manville girls held a whopping 26-5 advantage in shots. Manville’s season ended at 3-14-1.
Highland Park had a 23-13 edge in shots, but the ball didn’t start falling behind junior keeper Sylwia Pupek until the second half.
”Both teams were kicking and running on defense, but they had one good player in Kessler and she alone had eight shots on goal, and she had speed,” Delaney said. “I think our kids were totally distracted. The Highland Park coach (Chris Ruckuschell) was calling every single play. They were (Highland Park) playing like robots and our kids were discouraged by that. We couldn’t find the back of the net and offensively we were getting in each other’s way.”
MHS sophomore Sima Isachenko had five shots, sophomore Tara Covert and sophomore Christine Pohl had four apiece and Anna Isachenko and Brozyna had two apiece.
”I thought Christine Pohl and Anna were amazing in the center mid,” Delaney said.
Pupek made 16 saves.
”Most of their goals were high, over Pupek’s head,” Delaney said. “We had been working with Sylwia on angling, making sure her height wasn’t going to be an issue. Some players read that, some players see it and try to chip it.”
The North Plainfield game was even more frustrating. Shot after shot was tipped, pushed and shoved aside by sophomore Katrina Guevara.
”I think that game was the most frustrating I ever coached in,” Delaney said. “I really felt that Highland Park and North Plainfield would be sure wins for us.”
Manville had nine direct kicks and seven corners but couldn’t convert any chances into a goal. Junior Amy Evanylo had eight shots and Sima Isachenko had six.
Manville, which beat the Canucks 3-1 Oct. 10, outshot North Plainfield 26-5. But they couldn’t notch their 30th goal of the year.
”Their keeper was very strong and she had height,” Delaney said. “She was tipping them over and she wasn’t bobbling them. Even on the wide ones she was making great dives. You know, it’s not like we came into (North Plainfield) that game overconfident, we knew it was going to be a fight. We knew that it would come down to who really wanted it more. It was upsetting for the kids. We finish 3-14-1, the same record (number of wins) as the boys. We really wanted to get that fourth win.”
Nevertheless, the 2008 season was better for the Manville girls. Last year, they finished 1-17-1.

