By: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
BOOM!!
Stephanie Partyka’s blistering, rocket-like goal from the top of the circle with 11:29 left in regulation made the sound of a small explosion and nearly blew a hole through the back of the goal cage at New Egypt.
It was a sound which produced a sea of smiles and resounding cheers from the hometown crowd as it put the Warriors well on their way to a dominating 1-0 victory over a feisty Gloucester City team for the fourth NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I title in New Egypt’s short, but very sweet, history.
“All I can say is I couldn’t have gotten there without everyone on my team. When you have that much pressure on you, you just have to stay calm. Coach (Patti) Nicholson and Katie (Nicholson) are always saying ‘make it bleed.’ And so it’s like at that point of time you have to make it (the ball and the back of the goal cage) bleed,” said Partyka, a masterful senior defender, who can fire off shots like a human cannon.
“It was the best sound I ever heard in my life. But at that point we had over (11) minutes left and that’s when we have to turn it on even more. It’s just amazing what a team can do together.”
Together, New Egypt produced 17 shots on goal to just one dribbler by Gloucester City. Katie Francis had to make just one save to post her 12th shutout of the season. Partyka’s amazing goal came off of New Egypt’s 19th of 23 corners in the game. Working from the right hand side of the cage, sophomore Karly Ossowski inserted the ball beautifully to Lauren Seigleski, who threaded the needle and distributed a pass past several defenders right to Partyka’s stick.
For New Egypt head coach Patti Nicholson, who enjoys the thrill of watching all aspects of a well-
executed corner, Seigelski’s pass was nearly as big as Partyka’s goal.
“It was fabulous,” said Nicholson of Seigelski’s assist. “She handled it well she collected it and she passed it and Steph Partyka did her job.”
The entire New Egypt team did its job to secure the Central Jersey championship and Gloucester City probably had the ball in its own offensive zone more in the last two minutes than the rest of the game combined.
New Egypt came with constant offensive pressure with seniors Brandi Smith, Laura Sandford and Jessica Bernstein and sophomores Kayla Soles and Emily Bausher working for shot after shot after shot. Smith, who could smell a championship, was perhaps the most relentless as she never stopped running or shooting.
“It’s awesome to win a championship, but we actually put a lot into it,” smiled Smith, who had scored a goal in the first two minutes of last Friday’s 2-0 playoff home win over Moorestown Friends to help New Egypt advance.
From the opening minute of the game, the Warriors’ offense flowed with great precision with Lindsay Mann, Smith, Kayla Soles and Bausher all ganging up on the Lions to create scoring chances. And any time a Lion defender would attempt to make a clear, New Egypt’s defense, led by Kaci Hopkins and Partyka, would make the stop.
Lions’ goalie Brittany Dolson (15 saves) made so many kick saves on red-hot shots by Hopkins and Sandford that her feet may be barking for weeks to come.
“Their goalie (Dolson) had an excellent game and she’s an excellent goalie. And after their goalie was making saves we weren’t fortunate to be there with our sticks down,” said Nicholson, who, nonetheless, loved the way her defense played. “Kaci Hopkins . . . she’s so good defensively. She’s so athletic.”
Although New Egypt dominated nearly every minute of the contest, Nicholson, a veteran of countless field hockey battles, was not the least bit upset that it took her top-seeded team so long to score against the second seeded Lions. “It happens like that some times. I went to a game once where (we) had 43 shots on goal and the score was 0-0,” said Nicholson, who instantly knew what kind of game it was and was proud of her team’s most recent title.
Last Friday, New Egypt defeated Moorestown Friends (seeded fourth) at New Egypt. Smith scored a quick goal and the Warriors never looked back.
“My goal was within the first two minutes of the game. I just pushed it in. That game was definitely played more evenly on our side and their side,” said Smith, whose goal was her 17th of the year. According to Nicholson, Smith has been playing at another level since the last week of the regular season.
In the second half, Sandford scored an insurance goal for the victors. Mann and Bausher, who is developing into a phenomenal player, each chipped in with an assist. Francis recorded seven saves to post the shutout.
“Moorestown Friends was tough,” added Nicholson, who was very pleased with last Friday’s win as well.
New Egypt (17-1-3) is scheduled to take on Bishop Eustace Prep in a Group I semifinal game at Pennsauken today (Thursday).
