Maureen Gill quietly goes about her business on the field hockey field. On Wednesday, that business was scoring goals -- early and often.
The junior forward record her first three-goal game and helped High Point roll to a surprisingly-easy 6-1 win over Vernon in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference clash on the turf at Vernon Township High School.
"The balls were popping off [Vernon goalie Rhonda Richardsen's] pads and I was trying to get low and shoot it in," said Gill, whose previous best was a two-goal game in High Point's 5-0 win over South Hunterdon in last year's Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. "Playing the post helped a lot. I also had some good assists."
High Point (6-0 overall, 5-0 NJAC), ranked No. 2 in the area, has rolled in its six wins this season, outscoring its opponents by a combined 22-2 margin. Veteran coach Bev Keur would never admit it on the record, but this might be the most talented team she's had in her 21 years. The Wildcats seemed to be coming in all directions, combining speed and skill to wear down the No. 6 Vikings (5-1, 4-1), who totaled 31 goals in their previous five contests.
"We haven't had much competition so far, so we were pumped up for this game," said Gill, whose older sister, Shannon, was a top scorer for High Point a few years back. "We were both undefeated and we were ready to play. We want to go far this year."
The 'Cats struck quickly when Gill connected on the team's second penalty corner in the first three minutes of play. Her second goal, on a tip from Brittany Papa with 9:19 left in the first half, really took the wind out of Vernon's sails. In fact, the Vikings missed a golden chance to even the game 6 1/2 minutes earlier when forward Kayla Turner-Boss was all alone at the left post. But, she never got off a clean shot, and the 'Cats rolled from that point on.
Outstanding back Bea Cannavale gave High Point a commanding 3-0 lead with 1:36 left before halftime.
Turner-Boss later scored the Vikes' lone goal, her area-leading 14th of the season. Right wing Melody Prisco, a nightmare for defenses with her outstanding speed, sent over a perfect cross pass for the assist with 24:40 left in the game. It was Prisco's team-leading ninth assist.
"Our defense is strong and they did a great job of recovering and staying on them," Gill said.
Keur said her team did nothing different in its approach to this contest.
"We just stayed focused and played our game," said Keur, who now stands at 297 career wins. "I really don't pay attention to newspapers or blogs, but I'm sure [my team] was very aware of No. 10 or number so and so [on Vernon] and their scorers. We struggled there [early] a couple of times. I think they got a little scare [after Vernon's near miss] and settled down. Their goalie [Richardsen] did a phenomenal job."
Richardsen made 17 stops, otherwise the game would have been even more lopsided. High Point was sharp with its passing game and Gill was at the forefront on penalty corners.
"She's a quiet kid that nobody notices, and I mean that as a compliment," Keur said. "She's doing her job. She's responsible for [balls off] pads and post. She did that well today."
After Darby Smith scored to open the second half, Gill made it 5-0 with her third goal off a feed from Nikki Hull. Brittany Papa capped the scoring with 15:59 remaining.
Cannavale leads High Point with five goals. Gill and Papa are next with four apiece.
High Point (6-0) 3 3 -- 6
Vernon (5-1) 0 1 -- 1
Scoring
First half -- HP, Maureen Gill, 2nd, 27:28; HP, Gill, 3rd, (Brittany Papa), 9:19; HP, Bea Cannavale, 5th, 1:36.
Second half -- HP, Darby Smith, 3rd, 26:26; HP, Gill, 4th, (Nikki Hull), 25:21; V, Kayla Turner-Boss, 14th, (Melody Prisco), 24:40; HP, Papa, 4th, (Cannavale), 15:59.
Shots -- High Point 23; Vernon 6.
Saves -- Kelsey Stoll 5 (HP); Rhonda Richardsen 17 (V).
Penalty corners -- High Point 14; Vernon 2.
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