WEST ORANGE, NJ (updated Tuesday Oct. 25, 12:45 p.m.) –The Seton Hall Prep varsity soccer team won three games last week to raise its record to 16-1-1.
The Pirates also advanced to the 43rd Essex County Tournament semifinals.
On Tuesday night, Oct. 18, the Pirates traveled to Lincoln Park in Jersey City to take on Dickinson High School. They defeated them, 3-0. Senior forward Ryan Vazquez opened the scoring with 31:37 left in the first half on assists by junior midfielder Michael Pavick and senior forward Mason Toye. Vazquez scored his second goal of the game with 6:30 left in the second half on assists by senior defenseman James Reardon and junior defenseman Max Engelbrechtsen to increase their lead to 2-0. Senior midfielder Matt Gilmore scored with :01 left in the match on assists by senior defenseman Jake Tarnoff and junior forward Joe Cubero. Sophomore goalie Liam Bertrand and junior goalie Gabe Ferreira each had a save.
The next night at Livingston High School, the top-seeded and defending champion Pirates hosted 17th-seed Bloomfield in the first round of the 43rd Essex County Tournament. They defeated them, 4-1. Pavick scored with 13:51 left in the first half on assists by senior midfielder Brian Tevlin and Vazquez. Pavick scored again with 11:08 left in the first half on assists by Toye and senior defenseman Nick Biunno. Vazquez closed out the scoring in the first half with 5:30 left on assists by Toye and Engelbrechtsen. Cubero scored with 33:42 left in the match on an assist by sophomore midfielder Rafael de la Torre. Ogechi Chikezie scored for Bloomfield with 20:50 left.
On Saturday evening, Oct. 22, SHP travelled to Millburn HS to take on eighth-seeded West Essex in the quarterfinal round of the ECT and defeated them 3-0. Junior midfielder Nick Kriak opened the scoring with 11:00 minutes left in the first half on assists by Tevlin and Vazquez. Tevlin extended the lead to 2-0 with 27:00 minutes left in the second half on an assist by Vazquez. Toye closed out the scoring with 13:00 minutes left on an assist by senior midfielder Adam Ned. Bertrand had one save and Ferreira had two saves as SHP recorded its ninth shutout of the season.
SHP advanced to the ECT semifinals doubleheader held at Millburn HS on Oct. 26 against fourth-seeded Montclair. The other semifinal pitted No. 2 East Side vs. No. 6 Millburn. The championship game will be held Sunday, Oct. 30, at Montclair State University at 2 p.m.
The Pirates are ranked in the following polls: Topdrawersoccer.com: New Jersey: No. 4. East Region: No. 4. National: No. 17. USA Today/NSCAA: Region III: No. 14. News 12 Varsity: New Jersey: No. 3. Tri-State: No. 5. NJ.com: New Jersey Top 20: No. 2. New Jersey Non-Public: No. 2. Super Essex Conference: No. 1.
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