WOHS sophomore Paige Topping looks to throw in the ball during a game this season. (Photo Courtesy of WOHS Sports Media Association)
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The third-seeded West Orange HIgh School girls soccer team defeated No. 11 seed Kearny High School, 3-0, in the quarterfinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state tournament on Monday, Oct. 30, at Lincoln Field.
Senior Jaiden Schultz, junior Lauren Villasin and Madison Reynolds each had a goal, and junior goalie Hannah Amoyaw made six saves for the Mountaineers, who improved to 14-3-2. WOHS will visit rival and second-seeded Livingston High School in the semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m. WOHS is looking to avenge the loss to Livingston in the Essex County Tournament championship game earlier this month. Livingston is 17-0-1. The other semifinal pitted No. 4 seed Morristown at No. 1 seed Ridgewood. The final is Monday, Nov. 6.
West Orange defeated Columbia, 2-0, in the first round on Thursday, Oct. 26, at home. Schultz scored a goal and assisted on junior Aminata Diop’s goal to lead the Mountaineers. Villasin had one assist and Amoyaw made two saves.
WOHS’ bid for a three-peat Essex County Tournament championship was dashed in heartbreaking fashion. In a battle of Super Essex Conference–American Division teams, top-seeded Livingston defeated No. 2 seed WOHS, 3-2, in double overtime in the ECT championship game at Millburn High School on Saturday, Oct. 21.
West Orange took a 1-0 lead when Villasin volleyed in a goal off a cross from senior Madison Cyrus in the 25th minute. Livingston tied it 1-1 in the 34th minute on a goal by Dina Bojkovic.
Diop scored five minutes into the second half to put West Orange up 2-1.
Livingston tied it with 12 seconds left in regulation on Bojkovic’s second goal. The game remained tied at the end of the first overtime. Izzy Kilelee scored the game winner in the second overtime. Amoyaw made six saves.
Livingston defeated WOHS, 2-1, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at WOHS in a divisional game. West Orange went on to win the next four games, including beating No. 15 seed Nutley, 7-2, in the first round, No. 7 seed Montclair Kimberley Academy, 1-0, in the quarterfinals and No. 6 seed Mount Saint Dominic in the semifinals of the ECT, before losing to Livingston in the ECT final.
West Orange beat Mount St. Dominic, 6-3, in the ECT semifinals on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Caldwell High School. Villasin scored three goals. Cyrus had two goals and one assist, and Schultz had one goal and one assist. Senior Daniella Malanga had two assists. Amoyaw made six saves.
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