Wednesday,
November 20, 2013
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Clare Shea scored the game-winner for Northern Highlands, which ran its unbeaten streak to 71 games with a 2-1 win over West Morris-Central in the Group 3 state semifinals on Tuesday night in Millbern. |
MILLBURN – Being the goaltender for the No. 1 team in New Jersey, a team that has not lost a game in more than three years and riding a state record 70-game unbeaten streak, Northern Highlands’ sophomore goaltender Kayla Klatt sometimes plays the role of traffic cop on Mars...there is just not that much to do. Except for a handful of times in a handful of games, Klatt has rarely been tested as her teammates often dominate the opposition. But as the Highlanders get closer to their goal of a three-peat as Group 3 state champions, the competition has gotten harder and there was going to be a time when Klatt got to show off just what she could do between the pipes.
That time came on Tuesday night and Klatt came up big against a West Morris Central team that gave the Highlanders fits all night long in the Group 3 state semifinal at Millburn High School.
Klatt made a season-high six saves, including a pair of spectacular ones in the final 13:15, as Northern Highlands took the lead early in the second half and escaped with a 2-1 triumph to advance to its third straight Group 3 state final.
“West Morris put us under a lot of pressure and I had to be ready for anything that came my way,” said Klatt. “Our goal all year is to get back to the state finals. I just wanted to step up tonight like everyone else has for us all season.”
As is customary, Northern Highlands set the tone in the possession game throughout the first half, but it was West Morris that had the better scoring chances and nearly struck first. Speedster Sydney Sapir split two defenders to run onto a through ball for a breakaway, but Klatt charged off of her line to make a save near the top of the box.
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Kendall Ballotti's goal got WM-C even at 1 in the 31st minute. |
The Highlanders took the lead 24 minutes in when a cross from Casey Richards got deflected by two defenders and landed right on the foot of Northern Highlands’ standout striker Hana Kerner. The Virginia-bound junior’s initial shot was saved by West Morris keeper Ilissa Webb, but Kerner poked in the rebound to make it 1-0.
Normally when the Highlanders score first (which they have in every game but one this season), a second goal usually follows and the game quickly gets out of the reach of the opposition. However, West Morris did not follow that gameplan and pushed forward to net the equalizer before halftime. Off of a corner kick across the box, the ball got knocked back to where the corner kick originally came from. Sapir sent it back into the middle of the box and Kendall Ballotti was there to drill it home to knot the score at 1 with 9:34 to play in the half.
“We felt confident going into the second half because we had the momentum,” said WM-C head coach Ken Rossi. “It’s not often anyone gets momentum against a team like them. Even when they took the lead, we felt like we could we would get our chances. We got those chances but their goalie ended making a couple of fantastic leaping saves, which were very athletic plays for a player of her size.”
Senior center midfielder Clare Shea has been a fearless leader who has played throughout pain throughout this season for Northern Highlands. She led by example last night and used a great fake to set up the game-winning goal. Getting the ball at the top of the box, the West Point-bound Shea faked a shot with her right foot and brought it back to her left before bending it past Webb and barely inside the left post for a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
The Wolfpack fought valiantly to tie the game again and had two bonafide chances to do so late in the game. With 13:15 to play, West Morris’ leading scorer, Brooke Carty, ripped a laser from 25 yards out that looked destined for the dip under the crossbar. The 5-foot-3 Klatt sprung up to tip it just over the crossbar to preserve the lead. Then, with the Wolfpack pressing numbers forward late, Sapir’s cross from the right wing also looked like it would find the back of the net. Once again, Klatt rose to the occasion to leap up and snatch it out of the air as the Highlanders held on for a third straight state final berth.
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Kayla Klatt made a season-high 6 saves for Highlands, which will play Toms River South for the Group 3 state title on Saturday. |
“On the long shot from (Carty), I saw her ready to take the shot so I positioned myself,” said Klatt. “It was a great shot; I just reacted and did what I had to do to keep it out of the net
Klatt’s six saves were a season-high for Northern Highlands (22-0-1). Eva Hurm and Ariel Somple also played well in the midfield.
Webb finished with 10 saves for West Morris, who finished the season with a 19-3-3 record.
“We’re disappointed we lost, but I thought we played as well and as hard as we possibly could have,” said Rossi. “Northern Highlands is so disciplined and they really play a college style of soccer. The way to hang in there against a team like that is to battle for every ball and try to make the most of the few opportunities you get.”
Northern Highlands advances to take on Toms River South, a 2-1 winner over Somerville, in the Group 3 state final. That game will be played at The College of New Jersey with a 10:00 A.M. kickoff. With a bevy of offensive weapons and now with Klatt emerging as a big-game player, the Highlanders are just 80 minutes away from a possible third consecutive undefeated season that ends with a state championship and the No. 1 ranking in New Jersey for the third straight year as well.
“Kayla was our MVP tonight, we don’t win this game without her playing as well as she did,” said Northern Highlands’ head coach Tara Madigan. “She proved how good of a goalkeeper she is. She made four incredible saves, two of those late in the second half when they had us on our heels a bit. West Morris played like it was their last game and they gave us a great test. We can learn something from this game and hopefully we’ll use those lessons in Saturday’s game.”
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