WEST ORANGE, NJ — After a 1-2 start, the West Orange High School girls soccer team has enjoyed a strong turnaround, winning six straight games to improve to 7-2 through Sept. 27.
WOHS head coach Sean Devore has been elated with his team’s efforts. The Mountaineers outscored their opponents, 21-2, in the last four games.
“The team took some time to gel with the addition of many new players but the girls are really playing well right now,” he said. “The county tournament is about two weeks away and the state tournament is about four weeks so we are beginning to prepare for the tournament season.”
Last season, the Mountaineers won both the Essex County Tournament and North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 state tournament titles for the first time.
Devore said the team’s biggest win was against host Mount St. Dominic as the Mountaineers won, 1-0, Sept. 16, in Caldwell.
“They were undefeated at the time and that win really helped to get us going in the right direction,” Devore said. “We know that there will be very difficult competition in our county and section but the girls have worked extremely hard and will be ready to compete.”
Senior Co-capt. Natalie Nevins scored two goals and added an assist in the 5-0 win at Wildwood Catholic on Sept. 21. Juniors Gianna Festino and Kaya Schultz each had a goal and an assist and junior Emma Mitchell scored a goal. Sophomore Kiley Capstraw had an assist.
Nevins notched a hat track and collected two assists to lead the Mountaineers to a 6-1 home win over Nutley on Sept. 24. Senior Co-capt. Kiara Machuca scored two goals and Mitchell had a goal. Schultz had two assists and sophomore Kennedy Morgan and Capstraw each had one assist. Senior goalkeeper Cassidy Joyce made five saves.
Capstraw had two goals and two assists in the 6-1 win at Verona on Sept. 27. Nevins had a goal and three assists; and Machuca, Mitchell and Scultz each had a goal. Joyce made four saves.
The seeding meeting for the ECT was scheduled for Oct. 2.
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