Monday,
October 10, 2016
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Kayla Whelan's first half goal gave Ramsey the lead for good as the Rams ended Waldwick's charmed county tournament run, 2-0, in Sunday in the Round of 16. |
RAMSEY – Ramsey was the much higher seed and was playing on its own home field in the Round of 16 of the Bergen County Girls Soccer Tournament on Sunday, so it was obviously the clear choice for most looking to pick the winner. But with the new tiered format that the BCWCA has instituted for the tournament this year, it was the Rams’ opponent that was actually coming into the game with all of the momentum.
After pulling upsets on the road against Fair Lawn and Northern Valley/Demarest in the first two rounds, Waldwick certainly opened some eyes after entering the tournament as the 28th seed in a field of 32 teams. The Warriors were looking to make history as the lowest-seeded team ever to reach a Bergen County quarterfinal. With all of that said, however, Ramsey had no intentions of becoming another footnote in Waldwick’s upset-laden run.
Juniors Kayla Whelan and Cassie Phillips scored first-half goals that stood up as fifth-seeded Ramsey ended Waldwick’s run in a workman-like performance, a 2-0 victory on Sunday in the Round of 16 at Ramsey High School.
“Having the wind at our back in the first half we knew we had to make something happen,” said longtime Ramsey head coach George Wright. “I thought we had patches where we played well and times where we couldn’t connect passes. But we did what we had to do and we were able to move on.”
Waldwick had a chance early when Ramsey goalie Erica Lis had to make a diving save on a shot by Ellie Neugebauer. On the ensuing push up the field, holding midfielder Corinne Kropas slid a pass between two defenders into space. Whelan ran on and slid the ball past charging Waldwick keeper Amanda Craven and into the lower-right corner for a 1-0 Ramsey lead 6:09 into the game.
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Ellie Neugebauer and Waldwick were trying to become the lowest seed ever to make the Bergen County quarterfinals. |
With the wind at their back in the first half the Rams dominated possession, but had to wait until the 30th minute to provide some breathing room. After struggling to connect on several through balls, the Rams caught a break that led to their second goal.
A Waldwick player was in possession of the ball and clearly inside the touch line, but on the multi-purpose field with several different sets up lines used for different sports, the linesman ruled the player was out-of-bounds. That eventually led to a corner kick that the Rams took advantage of. Senior fullback Meredith Edwards bent in a left-footed cross and Phillips snuck behind a defender to head it inside the far post to make it 2-0 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
“I was just in the right place at the right time,” said Phillips. “Kayla (Whelan) is usually in front of the goalie on corners but she got hurt, so I was in her spot. I saw the ball curving in and I drifted back towards the back post. I got a flick on it and it went in.”
Waldwick had a chance in the final minute of the first half to gain some momentum. Paige Wonsowicz, who played well off the bench, nearly got herself into the box score. She let loose a blistering left-footed volley from 25 yards out, but Lis was right in position to make the save and keep it a two-goal lead at the half.
Even with the wind against them, the Rams controlled play in the midfield and nearly tacked on on several occasions. Waldwick keeper Amanda Craven kept her team in the game by making three outstanding saves. The Warriors made a late push but could not crack the Rams’ back line with Claire D’Elia, Roxana Boff, and Edwards all coming up big down the stretch to preserve the shutout.
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Maddie Barrow and Ramsey will face fourth-seeded Ramapo in next weekend's quarterfinal round. |
Lis made three saves to earn her fifth shutout of the season for Ramsey (8-2-1). Craven made 11 saves for Waldwick (7-5). Despite the end of the run through the BCT, Waldwick head coach Tommy Schultz could not be more proud of his team and how the new county tournament format allows for more competitive first and second-round games.
“The two wins we had (over Fair Lawn and Demarest) were really special to my team,” said Schultz. “Even after today’s loss against a very talented Ramsey team I think we found a new-found confidence playing a team of their caliber as tough as we did. The new format of the Bergen County Tournament served its purpose and I know for us it will make us a better team in the long run.”
Ramsey has its work cut out for them in the Bergen County quarterfinals against No. 4 seed and perennial power Ramapo. The Rams are excited about the opportunity but also know that they must execute better than they did in this game if they are to advance any further.
“To beat Ramapo we have to play more consistent and with better stamina than we showed today,” said Kropas. “We’ve been a team that has played well for half and not so great for the other. If we do that against Ramapo it will be a long game. We have to put two halves together to win.”
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