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2013-10-23 / Sports

Colonials clinch B North title on Huskey’s overtime goal

By TIM MORRIS

Staff Writer

Win No. 100 was a milestone for Freehold High School girls soccer coach Elyse Ingui, but it was win No. 101 that meant more.
Less than 24 hours after the Colonials’ 7- 0 win at Neptune High School secured Ingui’s 100th career coaching victory at Freehold, the Colonials beat Wall High School in overtime, 2-1, to clinch another Shore Conference B North Division title and, most likely, the top seed for the upcoming Shore Conference Tournament (SCT).
It was a heads-up play by Jenna Huskey that delivered the victory and division title for Freehold in the Oct. 16 game on the Colonials’ home pitch.
With time winding down in the first overtime, Huskey’s teammate Meghan Holtz brought the ball upfield through the Crimson Knights’ defense. She served the ball forward, where a sprinting Huskey was able to get to the through ball before Wall’s goalie, Meghan Gallagher, and Huskey had an easy tap-in for the game-winning goal with just seconds left in the overtime period.
“It was a great play by Meghan,” Huskey said. “I ran toward the goal. I knew I had to take a chance and I got behind the defender,” she said.  Huskey got to the ball before Gallagher and lifted it over the goalie. She then had a clear run at the open net.  “I thought, This is a great opportunity, I have to put it away,” she said. “I just made a little touch.”  Huskey said it was “terrifying” waiting for the ball to roll past the end line. When it did, the Colonials had something to celebrate — a championship.

“It’s so satisfying,” she said of scoring the game-winning goal, her team-leading 16th of the season.
Huskey’s goal ended what had been a tough, physical game that had made it difficult for the Colonials to play their controlled passing game. Wall was playing a man down for the final 20 minutes and overtime because of a red card.  Even though the game didn’t have Freehold’s usual rhythm, the Colonials still outshot the Crimson Knights, 17-4.
The Huskey-Holtz combination worked very early in the match when they put Freehold up, 1-0. But the Colonials gave it right back minutes later with Nora Burdge scoring the equalizer for the Crimson Knights. From then on it was Freehold moving the ball forward on the wing, with Wall looking to counterattack. Neither could score until Huskey’s strike late in the first overtime.
The win lifted the Colonials’ undefeated record to 14-0, while Wall slipped to 10-3 overall. Freehold also beat Wall, 1-0, back in September. Thus, the Oct. 18 win wrapped up the B North crown for the defending champions.
If anything has characterized the Freehold girls soccer team over the years, it’s the Colonials’ success in overtime.  “It’s the heart. We don’t stop,” Huskey said.  Ingui remarked that the Colonials take the approach that overtime “is all about heart. I wouldn’t trade this team’s heart for anyone’s.”
With the SCT ready to go this week, Ingui saw the win as a good test for her club.  “I’m very pleased,” Ingui said. “It’s nice to come out in a big game like this with a win.”  Freehold’s win loomed larger on Oct. 18, when Ocean Township High School handed the Colonials their first loss of the season, ironically, in double overtime, 2-1.
The seeding committee for the SCT was to meet on Oct. 21. Freehold is likely to still get top seed with its 14-1 record, including two wins over Wall and one over A North leading Freehold Township High School.
The Freehold Regional High School District figures to be well represented with Freehold Township, Manalapan High School and Howell High School all considered top 10 teams.
The SCT finals is on Nov. 2 at the Neptune High School varsity field, and it would not be a surprise to see at least one district team in the finals.
Notes: Ingui won 100 career games in less than seven years. She took over as Freehold’s head coach in 2007, leading the Colonials to their second straight NJSIAA Group III title that year. In 2008 they were back in the title game again, having won her second straight state sectional title.
Freehold came up short the last two years in tournament finals — Central Jersey III in 2011 and SCT in 2012 — and that, Ingui explained, is the team’s extra motivation this fall.
Ingui was a standout at Manalapan, leading the Braves to their lone state sectional title her senior year. She went on to play collegiately at Hofstra University.