East Brunswick High School have posted a 9-3-1 record in girls’ soccer this year.
The Bears will be the top seed in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, which opened on Oct. 16.
They should be a major threat in both the GMC tournament and in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 4 sectional tournament.
The Bears will be a threat because they play elite defense on a consistent basis. They have shut out seven opponents and allowed just 10 goals in 13 games. Goalkeeper Ariel Salaman has 43 saves.
But East Brunswick has also proven capable of generating offense. A host of players have been contributing on that side of the field.
Seven players have scored at least two goals, led by Julia Gill with 10 goals, Madison Mandleur with five and Alyna Negron with four. Seven players also have at least two assists. Nicole Unangst and Kayla Flynn lead the club with eight assists and five assists, respectively.
East Brunswick’s offense has often been its best defense.
In a 3-0 victory over Monroe Township High School on Oct. 9, the Bears outshot the Falcons, 18-3. In a 5-0 victory over Piscataway High School on Oct. 2, East Brunswick outshot the Chiefs, 15-5. Finally, in a 6-1 victory over J.P. Stevens High School on Sept. 27, the Bears won the shot count, 14-3.
All of this offense has limited the shots and chances Salaman has had to face, and that is a recipe for winning in the playoffs. To open the GMC tourney, East Brunswick played home to the 16th seed, Metuchen High School, in a first round game on Oct. 16.
East Brunswick shared the GMC title with Old Bridge last year, after the teams tied 1-1 in the final. Old Bridge is the second seed again this year. The rivals could eventually meet in the championship game.
They split their regular season series, with East Brunswick beating Old Bridge, 2-0, on Sept. 17, and Old Bridge returning the favor with a 2-0 victory on Oct. 4.
This year’s GMC final will be on Oct. 27 at Woodbridge High School.