Hawks oust Schalick

Virga’s milestone goal gives Cougars a lead in SJ Group I field hockey quarterfinal, but Haddon Twp. scores twice in second half to win; game-winner comes in final four minutes

SJ GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Thursday’s quarterfinals
Shore 2, Haddon Heights 0
Gloucester 7, South Hunterdon 2
Haddon Twp. 2, Schalick 1
West Deptford 12, Gateway 0
Monday’s semifinals
Gloucester at Shore
Haddon Twp. at West Deptford, 2 p.m.

By Riverview Sports News

WESTMONT – Luci Virga scored a milestone goal in the second quarter and it looked like Schalick was on its way to a spot in the South Jersey Group 1 field hockey semifinals. All the Cougars had to do was hold off Haddon Twp. for two more quarters.

But the Hawks pushed home a pair of goals in the second half, including Emory Shaw’s game-winner with less than four minutes to play to dash the Cougars’ hopes, 2-1.

Third-seeded Haddon Twp. (14-6) now plays West Deptford Monday in the sectional semifinal.

Virga, a junior, gave the Cougars (14-7) a 1-0 lead with her 50th career goal. Sofia Nagel got the equalizer in the third quarter and then Shaw got the game-winner, tipping in a shot from Kenzi Ricci off a corner with 3:56 left in regulation.

“They had way more corners than we did throughout the whole game,” Schalick coach Heather Cheesman said. “I honestly think the second half we were dominating. We were at our offensive goal most of the time and they just had that one breakway.”

Brian Tortella contributed to this report. Photo credit: Brian Tortella