Wolverines run into a buzzsaw in SJ Group 1 tennis quarters; also, Woodstown girls soccer blanks Overbrook on Senior Day, Schalick’s Spinnato scores twice on Penns Grove again, and more
GIRLS TENNIS
SJ Group 1 Quarterfinals
Pitman 5, Roselle Park 0
Haddon Twp. 3, Gateway 2
Metuchen 5, Woodstown 0
New Providence 4, Woodbridge Magnet 1
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The seedings said Woodstown was the favorite, but the Wolverines looked very much like the underdog.
Metuchen came to the Woodstown Tennis Complex Tuesday with a one-loss record and No. 6 seeding, but headed back up the turnpike after sweeping the third-seeded Wolverines 5-0 in the quarterfinals of the South Jersey Group 1 tennis tournament.
“It’s a little curious; they probably should’ve been a lower number,” Wolverines coach Jesse Stemberger said. “In a match like that you’ve got to play perfect and you’ve got to play perfectly in at least three positions to get that done and we didn’t do that. I think we left some points out there.
“They came out fast and once you find yourself down it’s tough. It’s tough to climb out of.”
The Bulldogs (11-1) clinched the match with wins at both doubles and No. 1 singles. The Wolverines (8-7) didn’t go quietly, though. Even though the match was decided, No. 3 singles Angelina Lindenmuth came from 6-5 down in the second set to win the set in a tiebreaker (7-2) before losing the 10-point match tiebreaker 10-0.
“I thought she did a nice job; I thought she battled,” Stemberger said. “The tiebreakers are obviously tough. The last three matches we played some pretty tough teams and sometimes you gotta look for a break and I knew I wasn’t going to get one today.”
The loss doesn’t end Woodstown’s season. They get right back at it Thursday in a TCC Diamond Division showdown with Schalick. The Wolverines hold a one-game lead on the Cougars in the standings and would go up by two games on everybody with two to play if they win.
“Where we are from where we started I think we’re improving and we’re doing well,” Stemberger said. “Just trying to get better every day.”
Top photo: Woodstown’s Madison LaPalomento returns a shot to Metuchen’s Chelsea Lu during their No. 1 singles match in the South Jersey Group 1 Quarterfinals Tuesday.
SJ Group 1 Quarterfinals
METUCHEN 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Chelsea Lu (M) def. Madison LaPalomento, 6-2, 6-2
Julia Armour (M) def. Emma West, 6-3, 6-1
Veronica Bazko (M) def. Angelina Lindenmuth, 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 10-0
Sarah Gonzalz-Sofia Gonzalez (M) def. Emilee Kehr-Elliana Norman, 6-2, 6-2
Fatima Rizwan-Ameera Basha (M) def. Eleanore Lawson-Isabella Lindenmuth, 6-2, 6-0
Records: Metuchen 1101, Woodstown 8-7
Girls soccer
TUESDAY’S SCORES
Woodstown 3, Overbrook 0
Clayton 6, Pennsville 0
Salem Tech 4, Salem 2
Schalick 7, Penns Grove 0
WOODSTOWN – And the young ones led them on Senior Day.
Freshman Mariah Hyman had a goal and an assist, sophomores Hailey Kucharczuk and Genevieve Flynn each scored and the defense was impenetrable as Woodstown blanked Overbrook 3-0 before celebrating its four seniors. It was the seventh time this year the Wolverines (9-2-1) rendered an opponent scoreless.
Hyman assisted on Kucharczuk’s goal midway through the first half and scored her own with 14 minutes left in the match. Flynn scored on a long shot 10 minutes before halftime.
“We possessed super well in the first half,” Woodstown coach Kieran Keyser said. “Overbrook packed it in pretty good; they were blocking shots left and right. We got a ton of shots on goal, couldn’t convert. It took us 20 minutes to break in. Once we scored the first goal we kind of relaxed and settled in.
“It’s great to get a win on Senior Night. We have four seniors. Huge part of the program and sad to see them go, but happy to get a win on Senior Night.”
The Wolverines’ four seniors are Ally Sheppard, Delia Hahn, Sadie Moore and Reese Venable. They were recognized with posters behind the dugout and their jersey numbers stenciled along the sideline, and honored in ceremonies after the game.
“Our seniors played well,” Keyser said. “We don’t have a senior goal-scorer, not that we don’t have scorers who are seniors, but we have more underclassmen and both our senior starters are backs and one of them works in at the middie. We had to get the job done and the freshmen pulled through.”
SCHALICK 7, PENNS GROVE 0: Olivia Vanacker scored twice and Mackenzie Talarico had a goal and two assists to lead the Cougars (8-2). Giuliana Martin, Kassady Sickler, Karlie Bakley and Nicolette Bloomer each had one goal. The Cougars’ last seven wins have all been by shutout.
CLAYTON 6, PENNSVILLE 0: Nicole Lemon and Mikaela Sciubba both had hat tricks and the Clippers scored three goals in each half.
Boys soccer
TUESDAY’S SCORES
Clayton 4, Pennsville 2:
Schalick 6, Penns Grove 0
Woodstown 3, Overbrook 0
PITTSGROVE – Marco Spinnato continued his scoring assault on Salem County teams in general and Penns Grove in particular when he scored a pair of goals in Schalick’s 6-0 win over Penns Grove.
Spinnato, a junior, scored both of his goals in the first half. It was the second time this year he’s scored a pair against the Red Devils. Of his 18 career goals, 11 have come against Salem County opponents, nine in five games against Penns Grove.
Tim Koering also scored twice. Tyler Vanlier and Ryan Loper each scored once.
WOODSTOWN 3, OVERBROOK 0: Ayden Ellis scored twice and Landon Gugliemo once and the Wolverines’ defense kept the Rams off keeper Lee Coombs to snap a three-game losing streak, their longest since 2022.
