LIVINGSTON- Montclair interim head coach Dan Contreras has thoroughly enjoyed a 4-game run directing his team in the NJSIAA state tournament, and why not? His Mounties have won all four of those games, including the biggest one to date, a 2-1 triumph over Super Essex Conference rival Livingston on Thursday afternoon at Allen 'Jake' Jacobson Memroial Field to capture the North 1, Group 4 state sectional title.
While head coach Ashley Hammond has been in Spain doing important work in running the Cerebral Palsy World Cup, his veteran assistant coach has done a solid job back home while looking to provide both motivation and guidance for his talented Mountie girls who certainly have risen to the occasion in the 2024 state tourney while now avenging two earlier defeats this season to the Lancers while now winning the most important game of the year.
Veteran standout Morgane Zinn scored two goals, and Montclair's stingy and effective defense kept the Lancers at bay in the second half to help the second-seeded Mounties capture their seventh NJSIAA state sectional crown and first since 2019.
With the victory, Montclair (17-4-1) moves into Monday's (Nov. 18) Group 4 state semifinals when they will host North 2 winner Westfield (19-1) in a 2 p.m. kickoff at Fortunato Field. The Blue Devils edged Bridgewater-Raritan, 1-0, Thursday, for their state sectional title.
"I told our players before the game that there would be moments of brilliance necessary to win this game," said Contreras. "And Morgane being the great senior leader and very competitive player that she is came through in a big way for us."
Montclair (17-4-1) had failed to score In two previous losses to Livingston, a 1-0 double-overtime regular season setback and then a 0-0 tie that was decided in Livingston's favor on penalty kicks in the semifinals of the Essex County Tournament.
Scoring would not be an issue for the Mounties on Thursday against the top-seeded Lancers (17-2-1) thanks to Zinn as the University of Richmond-bound senior gave her team a leg up early on for a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute when she slipped behind the Livingston defense and fired the ball near post and into the back of the net.
"We've been working on that approach of playing through the defensive line and toward the goal all season long at practice," said Zinn. "Maya (Barrett) played me a great ball, their goalie came out and I fired it into the left corner."
Livingston would battle back while creating chances by earning four corner kicks with the fourth one resulting in a goal off a header by junior defender Casey Conklin into the back of the net with just 4:05 left in the half.
"We knew that we couldn't allow them to have so many corners in the second half," said standout junior center back Carla Osborne. "At haftime we talked about that and - most importantly - we played lockdown defense the rest of the way!"
Zinn would score what proved to be the game-winner in the 51st minute when she got behind the Lancers' defense once again and fired home a 20-yard blast from the right side for a 2-1 lead.
"I had told the girls at halftime that we needed to get behind their back line and - all of a sudden - we have a girl (sophomore Pia Olkwoski) slip a pass in between and Morgan - being the terrific player and outstanding athlete that she is - was able to get behind them and with the goalie running woard her, then have a very composed finish.
"After that we dropped her to her natural position at center back and from that point on we played to hold on to that one goal lead."
|
