GLEN RIDGE, NJ (updated Tuesday Nov. 7, 9:46 a.m.) – Vying for its sixth consecutive NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 state tournament championship, the top-seeded Glen Ridge High School varsity girls’ soccer team defeated No. 12 seed Whippany Park, 1-0, in the semifinal round on Monday, Nov. 6, at Watsessing Park.
Freshman Sydney Mansfield scored in the second half and senior goalkeeper Victoria Woznick made seven saves for Glen Ridge, which improved to 13-3-1.
They will host No. 11 seed Verona in the final Thursday, Nov. 9, at Watsessing Park at 2 p.m.
GRHS defeated eighth-seeded New Providence, 5-0, in the quarterfinal round Nov. 2 at Watsessing Park. Sophomore Tara Feenaghty and Mansfield each had two goals; senior Lindsey Jaiyesimi had a goal and an assist; junior Jenny Lisovicz and sophomore Taylor Townson each had an assist; and Woznick made seven saves.
Glen Ridge has won the past five North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 state tournament titles. They also have appeared in four NJSIAA Group 1 state finals in the past five seasons, all against Shore Regional. Glen Ridge beat Shore in 2012. The teams played to a tie for a share of the 2013 title. Shore defeated Glen Ridge in each of the past two state finals.
Jaiyesimi and Feenaghty each had three goals; senior Liz Hauschild had two goals and Mansfield had two goals and three assists to lead GRHS to a whopping 13-0 home win over No. 16 seed Bound Brook in the first round Oct. 30.
Senior Gabby Sanchez, sophomore Evie Faucett, and Townson each had a goal; Jaiyesimi and sophomore Madison Grady each had an assist and Woznick made two saves.