The New Egypt High School girls soccer team, which in 2009 had its best season in its first seven years with seven victories and its first Central Jersey Group I state sectional tournament appearance, is doing twice as well in 2010.
The Warriors will take a 15-4 record, a nine-game win streak and the Burlington County Scholastic League Freedom Division championship into their Central Jersey Group I match at home in Plumsted at 2 p.m. Nov. 5 against Highland Park.
“I actually think this is a good time to be playing in it [state tournament],” said coach Jen Kashuba. “We are practicing and playing harder toward the end of the season.”
New Egypt closed its regular season on Oct. 28 with a 3-0 victory over Westampton Tech as goalie Haley Anderson notched her 11th shutout.
“I really feel good about going into it now,” Anderson said of the state tournament. “I think we are really confident and have the momentum. I know that for my senior year, I want to go out on a high note.”
Last year’s team ended a 7-9-4 season with a state tournament opening-round loss to Maple Shade.
Anderson said the Warriors’ defense has measured up this year and given her sound support. Heather Dey has contributed after being moved back from midfield.
“I feel more comfortable back there. It’s less stressful,” said Dey. Both players are captains along with junior Julie Ciak, who was moved to the outside midfield after starting the season in the middle.
“The defense is really strong … really good in transition. We improved so much from my freshman year, when we were 3- 17. We have had so many opportunities to score this year, and the freshmen are helping out,” Dey said.
That includes freshman Kayla Bancroft, whose 30 goals are the most ever in a season by a girls soccer player at New Egypt.
“She’s a great player. Wherever she gets the ball, she tries to find a way to score,” said Kashuba, who said many of Bancroft’s goals have come on headers.
Kashuba said she expected her team to do well this fall.
“I don’t know if I expected them to do this, but once I saw them play as a team, I could see this [happening].”
“We work together great,” said Dey, who said she was convinced this would be a special season when the Warriors beat Burlington City, 5-2.
It was New Egypt’s first win over Burlington City, and it came after a slow start in which the team lost two of its first three matches to Maple Shade and Florence, but the Warriors also scored their first victory over Pemberton, 3-2, in that stretch.
New Egypt also won the second meeting against Pemberton, 2-1. Its other losses came against BCSL Liberty Division power Burlington City, 3-1, and Moorestown Friends, 1-0.
“When we beat Pemberton, I knew we would have a good season,” said Anderson.
Kashuba said a commitment to rigorous offseason work helped many of her players prepare for the 2010 season.
Sophomore Kim Wilson joins Dey in the middle of the flat back four defense with senior outside backs Courtney Raab and Jessica Lambert.
The midfield is young, with junior Samantha Bendick and freshman Jackie Beckett in the middle and junior Cassandra Stillwell as the other outside back opposite Ciak.
Sophomore Nicole Miller is the other forward with Bancroft.
“I see all three areas of the game as equal,” said Kashuba, referring to defense, midfield and forward. “We control the ball, and the defense gets it to the midfield, which puts it up front. We are strong in the midfield and on defense.”
Two freshmen also contribute off the bench — Kat Timmerillo on defense and Bridget Buckalew in a utility role.