MILLBURN, NJ — The West Orange High School girls soccer team’s 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 and undefeated Livingston High School defeated 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 junior Lauren 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.
Junior Aminata 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.
Junior Hannah Amoyaw made six saves for West Orange, which moved to an 11-3-2 overall record. Livingston improved to 14-0-1.
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 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 senior Jaiden Schultz had one goal and one assist. Senior Daniella Malanga had two assists. Amoyaw made six saves.
The Mountaineers, under head coach Sean Devore, will gear up for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state tournament. They are the No. 3 seed and will host No. 14 seed Columbia in the first round on Thursday, Oct. 26. If the Mountaineers win, they will host the winner between No. 6 seed Bloomfield and No. 11 seed Kearny in the quarterfinals on Monday, Oct. 30. Ridgewood is the top seed. Livingston is the No. 2 seed.
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