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2012-10-03 / Sports
Colonials’ defense keeping opponents off the board
The girls soccer teams in the Shore Conference B North Division
have made the turn and started the second half of the 2012 division
schedule.
Coach Elyse Ingui’s Freehold High School Colonials (7-0) made the turn with a 6-0 division record and they had not allowed a goal. Keeper Sara Cobb continues to add on to her career shutout total, which stood at 32 when the season began.
Defense is something that has always been preached at Freehold, and this year’s players are certainly believers.
“Our defense is playing better than we could have ever expected them
to perform,” said Ingui, who led the Colonials to the Group III state
title in 2007. “We worked so hard in the preseason on defensive shape
and moving as a unit, and thus far they have been perfect. Not only have
they not given up a goal, they have kept teams almost without a shot.”
The back line players have been quick to react when the ball is in the defensive third of the pitch, according to Ingui. They deny teams good looks at the net, and when an opponent does shoot, Cobb is there to handle it.
Ingui said sophomore Lindsay Cerio has emerged as the leader of the defense.
“She has such an intelligent read on the game,” the coach said. “She is always in the right place at the right time.”
Mississippi State-bound Chelsei Bender, Christina Stabile and Sophia Duffy have been instrumental in shutting down the opponent’s attack. Bender is the only senior in the group. While pitching shutouts all season is a surprise, the smothering defense the Colonials play is not.
The team’s offensive production has been a pleasant surprise. Outside of the years when Shannon Mayrose was filling the back of the net, Freehold has, as Ingui noted, “had issues” scoring and after the team’s first scrimmage the coach admits she thought scoring would be a problem this season. But with 26 goals through seven games, finding the back of the net has not been problem for the Colonials.
“The girls have found such a rhythm with each other and are comfortable with one another on the field, and it has become natural to be dangerous offensively,” Ingui said. Freehold has had 10 players score at least one goal, and 13 players score a goal or an assist. Sara Grace Johnson, who showed quite a bit of potential as a freshman in 2011, leads the team with nine goals. Johnson has added two assists. Hayley Rice has scored four goals and added one assist.
Cori Ahde, Delaney Boyer, Meghan Holtz, Jenna Huskey and Cerio have each scored three goals. Holtz and Ashley Latona lead the team in assists with three.
The Colonials have beaten their two main rivals in the B North division, Wall and Ocean Township, by identical 2-0 scores.
— Tim Morris
Coach Elyse Ingui’s Freehold High School Colonials (7-0) made the turn with a 6-0 division record and they had not allowed a goal. Keeper Sara Cobb continues to add on to her career shutout total, which stood at 32 when the season began.
Defense is something that has always been preached at Freehold, and this year’s players are certainly believers.
The back line players have been quick to react when the ball is in the defensive third of the pitch, according to Ingui. They deny teams good looks at the net, and when an opponent does shoot, Cobb is there to handle it.
Ingui said sophomore Lindsay Cerio has emerged as the leader of the defense.
“She has such an intelligent read on the game,” the coach said. “She is always in the right place at the right time.”
Mississippi State-bound Chelsei Bender, Christina Stabile and Sophia Duffy have been instrumental in shutting down the opponent’s attack. Bender is the only senior in the group. While pitching shutouts all season is a surprise, the smothering defense the Colonials play is not.
The team’s offensive production has been a pleasant surprise. Outside of the years when Shannon Mayrose was filling the back of the net, Freehold has, as Ingui noted, “had issues” scoring and after the team’s first scrimmage the coach admits she thought scoring would be a problem this season. But with 26 goals through seven games, finding the back of the net has not been problem for the Colonials.
“The girls have found such a rhythm with each other and are comfortable with one another on the field, and it has become natural to be dangerous offensively,” Ingui said. Freehold has had 10 players score at least one goal, and 13 players score a goal or an assist. Sara Grace Johnson, who showed quite a bit of potential as a freshman in 2011, leads the team with nine goals. Johnson has added two assists. Hayley Rice has scored four goals and added one assist.
Cori Ahde, Delaney Boyer, Meghan Holtz, Jenna Huskey and Cerio have each scored three goals. Holtz and Ashley Latona lead the team in assists with three.
The Colonials have beaten their two main rivals in the B North division, Wall and Ocean Township, by identical 2-0 scores.
— Tim Morris
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