West Orange HS girls’ soccer team advances to ECT final

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WEST ORANGE, NJ – The top-seeded and unbeaten West Orange High School girls’ varsity soccer team defeated fifth-seeded Livingston, 4-0, Oct. 24 to advance to the Essex County Tournament championship game for the first time in the 36-year history of the tournament.

The Mountaineers, under head coach Sean DeVore, improved to 14-0-2 on the season and will meet 11th-seeded Glen Ridge in the ECT championship game on Friday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m. at Caldwell.

Nyah Harper scored two goals; Hannah Villasin and Emma Mitchell each had a goal; Natalie Nevins had two assists and Kaya Schultz and Kiley Capstraw each added an assist for West Orange during the ECT semifinals held at Belleville HS.

Glen Ridge upset No. 2 seed Nutley in a penalty-kick shootout in the other ECT semifinal. The score was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation and two overtime periods. Glen Ridge won the shootout, 5-4, to improve to 6-6-2.

West Orange defeated Glen Ridge, 5-1, in the second game of this season on Sept. 12 at Watsessing Park in Bloomfield.

The Mountaineers are riding a 34-game unbeaten streak. They went 13-0-5 last year, including being eliminated in a PK shootout in the ECT semifinals against Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Glen Ridge is making its third ECT final appearance, losing to Millburn in 2002 and losing to Montclair in 2014.

Photos by Steve Ellmore

West Orange (white uniforms) vs. Glen Ridge, Sept. 12