Junior Kiara Machuca kicks the ball for West Orange HS in the 2-1 overtime win over Glen Ridge in the Essex County Tournament final on Oct. 26 at Caldwell.
WEST ORANGE, NJ – Fresh off winning its first-ever Essex County Tournament championship, the top-seeded and unbeaten West Orange High School girls’ varsity soccer team defeated Bloomfield and Bergen County Tech to advance to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 state tournament semifinals.
Freshman Kiley Capstraw and sophomore Emma Mitchell each had two goals; junior Natalie Nevins had one goal and three assists and senior Kaitlyn Charles had one goal and one assist to lead the Mountaineers to a 6-0 win over No. 16 seed Bloomfield in the first round on Oct. 30 at Lincoln Field on the campus of WOHS. Senior Hannah Villasin and junior Emily Baker each had an assist and junior goalkeeper Cassidy Joyce made five saves.
Nevins had a hand in all the goals in the 5-0 win over No. 8 seed Bergen County Tech in the quarterfinals on Nov. 2 at home. Nevins scored two goals and dished out three assists. Capstraw had a goal and an assist; Charles and senior Mya Bembry each had a goal; and senior Nyah Harper added an assist. Joyce posted four saves.
The Mountaineers, who improved to 17-0-2, will host fifth-seeded Ridgewood in the semifinals on Tuesday, Nov. 6. The other semifinal pits No. 3 seed Livingston against No. 2 seed Montclair. The final is Friday, Nov. 9.
Prior to the start of the state tournament, the Mountaineers defeated 11th-seeded Glen Ridge, 2-1, in overtime in the ECT final on Oct. 26 at Caldwell.
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