Mater Dei High School’s Shannon Glenn (l-r) and Wardlaw-Hartridge School’s Jessie Clarke chase after a loose ball during the NJSIAA Non-Public B South state sectional final played at Holmdel High School on Nov. 10. Mater Dei defeated Wardlaw, 3-0. ERIC SUCAR staff A t 9-12-1, the Mater Dei High School girls soccer team does not look like a championship team on paper. But the Seraphs beat the odds by putting together a remarkable state tournament run, winning an NJSIAAsectional title to reach a state championship game for the first time in the program’s history.
Mater Dei won the Non-Public South B sectional final on Nov. 10, beating No. 1 seeded Wardlaw-Hartridge, 3-0, in Holmdel. Freshman Lindsay Florio put three shots in the net for the 11th-seeded Seraphs while freshman goalkeeper Katie Viscardi earned the shutout with 17 saves.
The momentous win puts Mater Dei in unfamiliar territory. The Seraphs won a single game each of the past two seasons, and they did not even qualify for the Shore Conference Tournament this season. Mater Dei turned its fortunes around in the state tournament with wins over St. Joseph (Hammonton), Moorestown Friends and Gill St. Bernard’s.
“I’m not surprised we are playing as well as we are capable of playing,” said James Gelpke, who is coaching Mater Dei for his first season. “Maybe I’m a little surprised over being in the final.”
With seven starting freshmen and only one senior substitute, Mater Dei certainly was an underdog in the state tournament. In addition to Florio and Viscardi, freshmen Claire Begley, Julia McCarthy, Brooke Trotta, Kristen McGaughey and Amanda Paton start for the Seraphs. Florio and McCarthy are Mater Dei’s leading scorers.
Juniors Meg Begley, Jordan Donohue and Erin Shaw, as well as sophomore Maria Carroll also start for Mater Dei.
“Some of the younger girls don’t realize howhard it is for teams to get here, and I think that works to our advantage,” Gelpke said of the Non-Public B final, which was scheduled for Tuesday evening against Oak Knoll.
The strong freshman class is a product of a 15U club team called the Middletown Patriots. Gelpke lauded the club team’s head coach, Mike McCarthy, for stressing the importance of fundamentals. He also explained that although his team lacks an individual standout, Mater Dei has played as a team — more so than any of its rivals in the state tournament.
“The girls know how to play the game right. It’s about being both physical and creative on the field,” Gelpke said. “We play with a lot of confidence, and everyone is contributing.”
Mater Dei’s roster also consists of Catherine Cahill (junior), Jessica Alexieff (senior), Skyelar McArtney (junior), Shannon Glenn (sophomore), Mariah Ruther (junior), Emily Enright (freshman) and Audriana Miller (sophomore).
Although the Seraphs are new to the state championship bracket, Gelpke was coaching with the Holmdel High School boys soccer squad when it won the Group III title last year. But that has not made the experience less stressful for the head coach. “I’m telling the girls just to work hard,” he said before the title match. “At the same time, I’m nauseous.
“It’s been a nice experience. This is a great school with a tight-knit community, and the parents are wonderful. I hope we finish what we started,” Gelpke added.
Looking beyond the postseason, the Seraphs have greater hopes for next season as a result of the team’s incredible run in the state tournament. The late-season success has given Mater Dei a reason to believe its girls soccer program has turned a corner.
“We hope to be one of the better teams in the Shore Conference next year. We are not that far away from competing against the bigger schools,” Gelpke said. “Consistency is a big thing going forward. I really don’t care about the program’s history. It’s important, but we want to make history.”