BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The U12 Girls Bloomfield Strikers became the first girls’ soccer travel team in Bloomfield Soccer Club history to finish first overall and take the Mid-New-Jersey-Youth Soccer-Associations (MNJYSA) League and Champions titles with a 1-0 win over a well-coached and determined team from Berkeley Heights.
The U12 MNJYSA girls group featured 36 teams from around the state.
Playing in the MNJYSA Championship game June 16 in East Brunswick, Bloomfield’s determined defense, led by Strikers goalie Paula Sarango, made an early goal by Victoria Parelli, the only margin they needed. Parelli’s goal was set up by Emily Nicosia, who freed Parelli into the open and the game’s best scoring chance.
The energy and adrenaline that only a 1-0 championship game can produce was evident throughout. Berkeley Heights continued to press for the equalizer, but the Bloomfield defense, led by Tiana Narvaez, Kaitlyn Laino, Bella Siejkowski and Julia Miller, denied every chance.
Midfield play from Catherine Parelli, Lucia Rojas and Katie Matulac kept Berkeley Heights from setting up a counterattack and provided outlets to Bloomfield forwards Sophie Langton and Angela Anzaldi to help keep the ball pinned in the Berkeley Heights side during the tense second half.
The team, coaches Peter Parelli and Anthony Nicosia, along with team trainer Karen Testa and team manager Jenn Laino, will be awarded a proclamation by the Bloomfield Town Council, scheduled for June 25.
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