East Brunswick High School’s Cristina Estremera and Woodbridge’s Shawna Grabowski put their best foot forward in trying to win possession of the ball during the Sept. 15 soccer match in East Brunswick. The host Bears won the match, 4-0. JEFF GRANIT staff A fter dropping its first three games, the Sayreville High School girls soccer team bounced back with a pair of wins, and coach Leah Magielnicki is confident her team has turned the corner.
The Bombers had the difficult task of opening the season against two of the top teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Red Division. Sayreville lost both, 3- 0 to East Brunswick and 5-0 to South Brunswick. A 3-1 loss to Monroe followed before Magielnicki’s girls shut out North Brunswick, 3-0, and Spotswood, 5-0.
Alissa Godwin, Fahreta Kolenovic and Alexis Rambhajan scored in the North Brunswick victory, and Godwin, Kolenovic, NatashaAmaro, Bridget Giovenco and freshman Kimberly Stratton all scored in the win over Spotswood.
“We have a lot of different girls who can score,” said Magielnicki, who enters her seventh season as the Bombers’ coach. “It’s going to be tough for other teams to key on any one player.”
With virtually the whole starting lineup back, the coach believes her team will get better as the season moves along.
Kolenovic, who scored 23 goals a year ago, leads the offense. She is joined up front by Godwin, who posted 10 goals, and Rambhajan, who had four goals and six assists a year ago. Junior Nicole Cetta provides depth up front. The middle is another strength for the Bombers. Giovenco, who scored seven goals and assisted on another eight, combines with Jackie Nunes (three goals, eight assists), Nicolette Craig (one goal, seven assists), Gabrielle Cassiere and Stratton to form an experience midfield that regularly contributes to the attack. Ariana Kerchner and junior Amy Comerford provide depth.
Natasha Amaro, Jackie Cena, Chelsey Luzetsky and Heather Sootkoos anchor a solid and experience defense, with support from junior Tori Zimmer and sophomore Nicki Raub. The defense can score as well: Amaro hit the net four times and Cena and Luzetsky also had goals last season.
In goal, sophomore Kelly Raub is the mainstay. She recorded six shutouts a year ago. Raub made 10 saves in the loss to Monroe and combined with junior Jackie O’Connor to shut out North Brunswick and Spotswood. O’Connor is capable, too, having posted a pair of shutouts last fall.
Sayreville was scheduled to meet South Plainfield on Tuesday, Sept. 20, in a quest to even its record. On Thursday, the Bombers visit Perth Amboy before returning home to face Colonia on Saturday in a 10 a.m. start.
“We had a tough two games to start the season, but I really think our team is going to be a contender in the GMC and state tournaments,” Magielnicki said. “This is a solid group of girls, and they will be at their best when the tournaments start.