BY GABY MALANGA
Sports Copy Editor
The girls soccer team earned an 11–4 regular season record and finished the season on a six-game winning streak. They took that momentum into the first round of the GMC tournament, defeating Piscataway 2-0 on their way to a rematch with Metuchen, who knocked them out of the tournament last year.
On September 30, the girls got a taste of revenge for last year’s 3-2 loss in the quarterfinals when they rallied together to beat Metuchen 3-1 in the Soccer for a Cause Festival, an event for the Marisa Tufaro Foundation. “We were all very proud and excited to have sought redemption,” said senior captain Jessica Chin, a midfielder and back defender who has seven points on the season.
“The goal right now is to win GMCs or at least get as far as possible,” said junior Alexis Vaccaro. The well-rounded team needs to work together to repeat their success against Metuchen on Tuesday to reach the big stage of the semifinals.
The chemistry built between the upperclassmen and underclassmen has played a big role in the team’s successful season. “The bonds that we have made with each other on the team this year has been the highlight for me,” said captain Jenna Magrino, who has three assists so far this season. “We all have really built a strong bond, and it helps us both on and off the field.”
Working well together off the field shows the impact team building has on the field. “It’s a great team atmosphere,” said sophomore Olivia Cusick, who has seven points on the season. “I am very grateful to have the opportunity to compete at an even playing field with the upperclassmen.”
On September 21, the girls took on J.P Stevens on Senior Night. J.P Stevens took the girls by surprise, scoring a shocking goal in the 14th minute. Two minutes later, Amanda Percheski scored a goal with an assist from Magrino. “It felt good to put us right back in the game because we knew we were the better team,” Magrino stated.
A tough match against East Brunswick led to a 2-1 loss but Vaccaro scored a big-time goal, turning even a loss for the team into a positive. “I scored the only goal against East Brunswick, and we don’t ever score on them let alone beat them,” said Vaccaro who leads the team with 29 points. “I was very proud of myself.”
Vaccaro managed to add an assist or goal in 11 of the team’s 16 games, including one in the first round of the GMCs against Piscataway. “I’ve worked hard to get to this point and achieve this, and I hope to set a good example for future players,” explained Vaccaro, who scored her first career hat trick on October 5 against Edison early this season.
Senior goalie Isabella Ludovico also reached a huge milestone in that Edison match: 300 career saves. “Hitting 300 didn’t really feel real,” shared Ludovico, who has racked up 103 saves in her senior year. “I was really happy, and my family was really proud of me.”
Come out to Geick and support the girls as they take on Metuchen at 4pm in the second round of the GMC Tournament. “We have a good chance of making it far this tournament season,” said Chin.
Posted on 10/16/23
Photos by Gaby Malanga
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