Sunday, November 18, 2007

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

EWING – For a program that has been to 11 state finals, including last season’s Group 3 title game where it came away with a tie against Freehold Boro, it could hardly be considered a surprise when the Ramapo girls soccer team is playing on the final day of the season. But with only two senior starters on this year’s side, it was not a forgone conclusion at the beginning of the season that the Green Raiders would make a run at another state title.

Just to make it back to the state final was a huge accomplishment in itself and yet the Green Raiders found themselves less than 20 minutes away from winning the title outright on Saturday at the College of New Jersey. That was until Freehold Boro’s Shannon Mayrose took over the match with just two shots.

She scored on a 35-yard blast to tie the game and nailed 30-yarder with 4:16 left in the second overtime as Ramapo suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in the Group 3 final.

“We knew how tough they were from last year and this was going to be a close game no matter what,” said Mayrose, a junior.

Freehold Boro dominated the possession game in the first half and held a whopping advantage in shots, but Ramapo keeper Caroline Shiel made a pair of diving saves to keep the game scoreless. Despite the Green Raiders having only one shot in the first half, it was the best scoring chance by either team over that span.

In the 32nd minute, Amy Van Dyk curved a corner kick into the box. Kielty Wright got a head on the ball that seemed destined for the back of the net. Only a leaping punch by Colonials’ keeper Ashley Lewis kept Ramapo off the scoreboard.

The Green Raiders started to play more crisply in the second half; and they did what they could not in the first half, cash in on a corner kick. Van Dyk hit another corner into the middle of the box. This time, Allie Maresca volleyed a shot through traffic and just inside the far post to give Ramapo a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute.

Mayrose nearly tied the game minutes later and only another diving save by Shiel pushed her long shot wide of the post. But Mayrose kept at it, earned herself another opportunity in the 64th minute and this one was too tough to handle. She struck a ball perfectly from well outside the box and it curved over Shiel’s fingertips and just under the crossbar to knot the score at 1.

The teams battled through regulation and one overtime period until they opened up the offense in the second overtime. Ramapo had a scoring chance with five minutes to play off a scramble in front. Lewis got caught off of her line and the ball bounced out to Kristina Russo just outside the penalty area. Her half-volley went over the crossbar and the Colonials used the ensuing corner kick to go on the counter attack.

Alexa Rizzo got the ball at midfield and passed the ball up to Mayrose along the right side. The junior had enough room to get off shot from a tough angle and, once again, hit a rocket. There was little Shiel could as Mayrose’s knuckling blast was ripped into the side netting inside the far post to give Freehold Boro its first outright state title since 1999.

“I was given a little room, so I took a chance and took the shot,” added Mayrose. “On both goals, especially the second goal, I can’t remember striking the ball better than I did then. When we got down, I knew I had to step up and take a shot. This is the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had, it’s like a dream come true.”

Freehold Boro (21-2) held a 23-7 advantage in shots, while Ramapo had more corner kicks (4-1). Shiel made eight saves, including several diving ones. Lewis made three saves to earn her 18th shutout of the season. While the loss prevented Ramapo from its 11th state title, it did not diminish a season it might not expected to have.

“Just to get here is a great experience and we improved steadily throughout the year,” said Ramapo head coach Paul Hennehan. “I thought (Caroline) Shiel was fantastic and the rest of the girls played their hearts out. I thought we had the better of play from the second half on. But (Mayrose) made two incredible shots that no keeper in the state would have stopped and that was it. I’m sure we will have some perspective in time and realize what we accomplished. But right now it hurts, it hurts real bad.”

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