Brookdale women’s soccer team earns top seed in Region 19

By TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

The Brookdale Community College women’s soccer team has done everything head coach Kate Miller has expected.

“I am pleased with what these girls have done,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Miller will be happier if the Jersey Blues repeat as Region 19 champions on Nov. 1 at Ocean County College in Toms River.

Thanks to an 8-0 record in region play, the Jersey Blues are the top seed for the Regional 19 Tournament and were rewarded with a bye.

With two region teams (they will be cochampions) advancing to the nationals in 2014, that means Brookdale is just one win away from having the opportunity to defend its 2013 championship.

Brookdale will play the winner of the Oct. 28 match between Union County College and Burlington County College.

Brookdale (16-1 overall) has been the No. 1 ranked National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Division III team all season. It heads into its mach on a roll, having won 14 consecutive games.

One of those wins — 1-0 on the road against the Community College of Baltimore County, Essex — convinced Miller that her team is ready to make another run at a national title.

“It was a really good game, and everybody came together and got the job done,” she said.

One concern for Miller is the long layoff between games for Brookdale. The Jersey Blues last played on Oct. 21, when they defeated Middlesex County College, 4-0, to clinch their fourth straight Garden State Athletic Conference title.

To keep the team sharp during the layoff, Miller is getting help from the men’s team. Some of the men are going to join the women for some scrimmages during the week. The co-ed teams will be evenly divided between the men and women.

“[The men’s] speed and level of play will help the girls,” Miller said.

Brookdale has not had a weakness all season, and that’s the reason it has stayed on top. The defense has been led by a freshman, take-charge goalie in Marti Stewart (Marlboro), who has eight shutouts and a .938 save percentage. The team has such confidence in her that the defense can play more aggressively knowing she’s back there to clean up any mistakes.

The play of sophomore Amanda Anastasia (Middletown South) has been instrumental to Brookdale’s defensive success. She is playing defense for the first time and is the sweeper back. She’s the one directing her teammates in the back and helping the transition from defense to offense.

Brookdale has permitted just eight goals all season (0.47 goals against average).

Up front, sophomore Caroline Duerr (Manasquan) has given the Jersey Blues an extra gear that other teams haven’t found.

“She is so fast. No one has been able to catch her,” Miller said. Duerr was recently tabbed as the Region 19 Player of the Year, scoring 63 points on 26 goals and 11 assists. She ranks third nationally in points and fourth in goals.

While her blinding speed has helped her become a goal-scoring machine, Duerr has used that speed to create scoring chances for her teammates.

“She is a team player,” Miller said.

Miller prefers a possession game where her team controls the ball and builds its attack with sharp passing.

“I stress the fundamentals,” Miller said. “Passing is key for me.”

The players most important to the passing game are center midfielders Meghan Begley (Mater Dei Prep) and Brooke Tartis (Neptune).

Miller pointed out that they are the players who distribute the ball and know when to slow down or speed up the game.

Tartis, a sophomore, has scored 12 goals and leads the team in assists with 19 for a total of 43 points. Her assist total is second best in the country

Two other midfielders have played big roles as well. Freshman Ashley Cafarella (Old Bridge) has been a big force on the outside, where her talent for beating defenders one-onone helps open the field for her teammates. She has scored 13 goals and has three assists.

Sophomore Raquel Rodriguez, one of seven players returning from the national championship team, has been a pleasant surprise. She has nine goals and nine assists, but it’s not her stats that stand out.

“It’s her presence on the field. She makes a difference,” Miller said.

Freshmen Kimberly D’Ermilio (Old Bridge) and Victoria Odell (Red Bank Regional) have also scored in double-figures for the Jersey Blues. D’Ermilio has four goals and nine assists, while Odell has four goals and two assists.

Host Ocean County College is the No. 2 seed in the region and is also one match away from making it the national tournament. Ocean is ranked No. 5 in the country and lost 2-1 in double overtime to Brookdale in their regular-season meeting.

Ocean County College is also hosting this year’s NJCAA Division III National Championships on Nov. 13-16.