Top-seeded Schalick falls on penalty kicks, Woodstown shut out in South Jersey Group I girls soccer semifinals
SJ GROUP 1 GIRLS SOCCER
Wednesday’s Semifinals
Audubon 3, Schalick 2 (PK, 4-1)
Haddon Twp. 6, Woodstown 0
Friday’s Championship
(6) Haddon Twp. at (5) Audubon, 3 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE — Schalick coach Will Kemp searched for the right words. The top-seeded Cougars had just come off the pitch after falling to Audubon 3-2 in a South Jersey Group I semifinal penalty kick shootout and he wanted to make a point, but he wanted to with the proper amount to decorum.
The wind blew steadily throughout the game and although it calmed in the overtime and shootout the Cougars’ coach said it was “another type of influence” that impacted the way his team could play the game.
Several Schalick players were taken to the ground for some extended medical attention and the only yellow card issued was assessed to the Cougars for a contact foul that occurred on the sideline near the Audubon bench.
“It’s a game where we have multiple players who are trying to play proper but kind of get held on a short leash when it comes to the way that we usually play,” Kemp said. “Taking our players out of the game and not being able to get back to our style obviously influenced our game in a negative way.
“Audubon is a tough team to play against. They’ve been to the South Jersey final multiple times. It’s a program that continues to challenge at the top, but at the same exact time we’re a program that challenges at the top as well. I definitely believe we deserved a lot more than what we got today and for this game to go to pens (PKs) it’s unfortunate.”
The Cougars held a 2-0 lead, but Audubon scored twice in the second half with the wind to force extra time. After a scoreless overtime, the Green Wave hit all four of their penalty kicks and won the shootout 4-1.
Kylie Tocco, Charlie Owens, Gi Heller and Molly Sullivan scored in the shootout for Audubon, all of them going for the left post. Cali Fisler hit Schalick’s penalty kick to make it 2-1 in the shootout.
Green Wave keeper Kylie Cannaday stoned Quinn Berger on the Cougars’ first attempt PK and not just for that save Kemp said “in my true heart she actually saved this game for them.”
It was the second year in a row the Cougars were eliminated on PKs, having gone out that way against Glassboro in the quarterfinals last year. The Green Wave is now 3-0 in playoff PK shootouts since 2018.
“I believe the 2-0 lead should have stuck,” Kemp said. “You see the way their players react when it comes to getting touched and things like that, so it’s unfortunate our players get taken out of the game over inexperience from the officiating crew. I hate to say that, but at the same time it’s just the truth.
“Our players get absolutely destroyed and they get nothing for it. I hate that. For that type of influence to happen inside of a high-level game like this, it takes away from two teams out there very competitive that want to win. “
The Cougars (13-6-1) built their lead on a left side corner kick by Berger that sailed into the upper right corner with 5:19 left in the first half and Olivia Vanacker’s breakaway six minutes into the second half. The Green Wave (12-8-1) tied it on goals by Sullivan and Owens three and a half minutes apart midway through the second half.
“We have a group of fighters,” Green Wave coach Bill Scully said. “We played an incredibly tough schedule this year. There were a lot of times when we could have given in a little bit and they never did. Down 2-0 is tough and sometimes you can see a team have doubt, but the fight was actually stronger at that point. They’re just so relentless. This team, they just refused to stop fighting. They’re not going to stop until somebody says it’s done. We have a tough group of kids.”
“That’s something every team says about us, no matter what,” Sullivan said. “We could be losing 4-0 and then come back. We’re going to keep fighting whether we win or lose.”
The goal by Berger gave her 100 career points (31 goals, 38 assists). Fisler joined the 100-Point Club earlier this season.
“For Quinn, it’s an amazing feat to join the 100-Point Club,” Kemp said. “I’m not sure exactly how many players are in there, but even if there are a lot of players in there it’s still an amazing feat especially when it comes to Schalick soccer. We have a special group that’s up there and I’m glad that Quinn will join it.”
Audubon will host Haddon Twp. (11-9-1) Friday, 3 p.m. for the South Jersey Group I championship.
HADDON TWP. 6, WOODSTOWN 0: Aubrey Carson scored two goals in the second half to complete her first career hat trick and set the game on track for a mercy-rule finish. The sophomore also had two assists and now has seven goals and six assists in the Hawks’ three playoff games.
Kaitlyn Martin scored a pair of goals for the Hawks and Abby Wiedeman had their other goal.
“It just didn’t go right for us,” Wolverines coach Kieran Keyser said. “We started off slow and Haddon Twp. didn’t back down. From the first minute to the last minute of the game they poured it on. They were solid throughout. Everyone was on on their team.”
The Wolverines fell behind in the first three minutes when Carson scored on a ball knocked loose after Woodstown keeper Ellie Wygand appeared to make an initial save.
About five minutes later freshman Hailey Kucharczuk had a good chance to tie the game. She gathered the rebound after her initial shot was stopped and had an open goal with the goalie beaten when Hawks’ center back Jocelyn Hauck came out of nowhere, threw her leg up and deflected the ball over the crossbar. Keyser called it “one of the better defensive saves I’ve ever seen a high school center back make.”
Wiedeman made it 2-0 and then Martin scored her first goal on a penalty kick to make it 3-0.
“From that point on it was really an uphill battle,” Keyser said. “Mistakes that we made today we did not make against Gateway (in the quarterfinals), we did not make in the regular season. It wasn’t our best showing today. Sometimes you just don’t always have it. It was an unfortunate way to end the season, but still lots to be proud of.”
GROUP 1 GIRLS SOCCER
Saturday’s Section Finals
South
(6) Haddon Twp. at (5) Audubon, Friday
Central
(9) Point Pleasant Beach at (6) Shore
North I
(5) Pequannock at (2) Midland Park
North II
(11) Glen Ridge at Verona or Mountain Lakes
Riverview Sports News 