Wednesday, November 2, 2011

NJSIAA: Voorhees moving on to sectional semis

Senior back Taylor Irving converted a pair of penalty strokes as fourth-seeded Voorhees scored three times in the second half to edge fifth-seeded Bernards, 4-3, in a matchup of Skyland Conference teams in the North 2, Group 2 quarterfinals on Wednesday at North Hunterdon's Singley Field.

Senior forward Kat Francis, a goalie her freshman year, scored the decisive goal with 3:20 left in the game.

Voorhees (14-3), which has now won five straight, advances to Saturday's semifinals and will meet top-seeded Johnson, a 1-0 winner over eighth-seeded Summit. Johnson beat Voorhees, 2-1 in double overtime, in last year's final that had to be played over two days and on two different fields due to poor weather and field conditions in Glen Gardner.

Coach Taylor Webb's Vikings are bidding for the Hunterdon County school's seventh sectional championship and first since 2006. Voorhees has reached the sectional semifinals seven straight years dating to 2005 and is now 51-30 all-time in postseason contests.

Bernards (12-6), which led 2-1 at halftime, got two goals from KeeKee Winslow and another by Rachael Alberti.

Outstanding Voorhees goalie Kimmie Pianucci made 12 saves, allowing more than one goal in a game for the first time all season. The Vikings' defense had yielded a total of seven goals coming into this one.

In other action:

Northern Highlands 4, Vernon 3 -- Junior forward Rachel Colvin struck for a pair of goals and senior right wing Melody Prisco added another, but it wasn't enough as the fifth-seeded Vikings (14-6) fell in the North 1, Group 3 quarterfinals. Lauren O'Keefe scored twice for the fourth-seeded Highlanders (15-4-2), who will face the winner of Thursday's quarterfinal between No. 1 High Point and No. 8 Montville in Saturday's semifinals.

Ramsey 2, Newton 1 -- Stephanie Mocerino scored the lone goal for the seventh-seeded Braves (9-6-1) in a North 1, Group 2 quarterfinal against second-seeded Ramsey (15-3-2). Junior Melanie Rudio assisted on Mocerino's goal. Newton, which has won eight sectional titles and none since 1986, reached the final last year under veteran coach Lisa Bechtel, who has yet to win the elusive title in 22 seasons at the helm of the Sussex County school.

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