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2012-10-31 / Sports
Colonials ‘have Sara Cobb’
Keeper was the difference in PK shootouts
“We have Sara Cobb,” was the answer of Freehold High School girls soccer coach Elyse Ingui.
With Cobb at the top of her game, the Colonials advanced to the Oct. 27 Shore Conference Tournament championship game by beating Manalapan High School in the quarterfinals (Oct. 22) and Red Bank Catholic High School in the semifinals (Oct. 24) in penalty kick shootouts after the teams played to scoreless ties through regulation and overtime.
Cobb was magnificent against fourth seeded Red Bank Catholic, the A Central Division champions. She denied the Caseys’ most dangerous player, MacKenzie Cowley, on at least a half-dozen occasions as she stood on her head to keep the Caseys (16-1-1) off the board.
For her part, Red Bank Catholic goalkeeper Jackie Robinson also did her job, holding off a 20-minute barrage by the Colonials in the second half. Once the game went to a shootout, the edge went over to the Colonials.
“We have Sara Cobb. That’s what we tell the girls,” said Ingui.
Ingui added that Cobb’s presence helps relax the Colonials’ shooters because they don’t have to be perfect. They know that Cobb is going to make saves in the shootout, which she did against the Caseys by stopping three consecutive penalty kicks to help Freehold roll to a 3-1 advantage.
“Against [Red Bank Catholic], you don’t know what to expect,” said Cobb. “You go with your gut. If you’re right, you’re right.”
She was right on three straight kicks from the Caseys, sending the Colonials to the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time since 2006. That year, they began their run of three-straight trips to the NJSIAA Group III state championship game (winning in ‘06 and ‘07).
All those sparkling saves in regulation and overtime were the perfect prescription for Cobb for the shootout.
“It got me confident,” she said.
That was the last thing the Caseys needed in their failed attempt to get penalty kicks past a goalie with 14 shutouts on the season who excels against penalty kicks. Lindsay Cerio, Ashley Latona and Cori Ahde were Freehold’s scorers in the penalty kicks.
Against Manalapan, the Colonials won the shootout 4-2 with Cerio, Latona, Delaney Boyer and Ahde scoring.
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The two goals were the most surrendered by Freehold in a single game this season. The Colonials had allowed only two goals all season and none in the Shore Conference Tournament prior to the championship game.
Freehold’s superb all-around defender Chelsi Bender said the Colonials were beginning to feel the pressure of being undefeated and were playing not to lose.
That was evident from the get-go, as the Mariners, the No. 2 seed and Class A South champions, were quicker to the ball and constantly putting pressure on the topseeded Colonials’ defense with their speed. The Mariners were also disrupting the Colonials’ possession game, as they couldn’t click on their passes to build an attack, which is their forte.
Mariners forward Erika Pita sent a signal that it was going to be a long night for Freehold when she broke past the Colonials’ defense twice only to be thwarted by Freehold’s brilliant goalie Sara Cobb.
The third time proved to be the charm for Pita, as she put a shot away inside the 18 as she again got past the Freehold defense in the middle with just 3:16 left in the first half.
The Mariners knew that scoring first was critical. Freehold had not scored a goal in its previous two Shore Conference Tournament matches when it defeated Manalapan High School in the quarterfinals and Red Bank Catholic High School in the semifinals on penalty kicks. Cobb rose to the occasion both times.
Getting that first goal put added pressure on a Colonials offense that had been struggling since its leading goal-scorer Sarah- Grace Johnson (12 goals) was injured in the first round of the tournament.
In the 63rd minute, Pita was at it again by beating the Colonials to the ball with her speed, dribbling the ball along the end line and then crossing the ball in front of the Colonials’ goal, where Shannon Groffie tucked it away for the backbreaking goal.
“They were quick. We had to pass the ball around them,” said Groffie.
Pita said the gameplan on attacking a team that had only allowed two goals was constant motion.
“You can’t stand still,” she said. “You have to keep moving and pressure them. I was fortunate to work my way through a couple of times.” Pita and Groffie both pointed out that “we knew this could be our year” and winning the Shore Conference Tournament did just that. The Mariners improved to 17-1 on the season.
Toms River North beat Freehold Township High School, 2-1, in overtime in the semifinals. Freehold Township, the defending champions, won the wild A North Division.
Freehold fell to 16-1 as they looked ahead to the start of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III tournament, where the Colonials are the No. 1 seed and will play all matches on their home pitch. They will play No. 16 Woodbridge High School in the first round. Hurricane Sandy has delayed the start of all state games.
Although it was a disappointing loss for Freehold, reaching the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time since 2006 was further proof that the Colonials are back as one of the
top 20 teams in the state. Earlier this year, they captured their second straight B North Division crown. Seniors like Bender and Cobb can find solace that under their watch, the Colonials re-emerged as a state power.
“I am really fortunate and I’m glad to be a part of this team,” said Bender. “We are definitely a good team and we work hard.”
Bender said what she and her senior teammates have tried to instill a philosophy in this young team, which starts mostly freshmen and sophomores, to “put all of your heart into it.”
It has brought the Colonials a long way with more soccer to play.
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