Schott continues record run as Streaks keep rolling

Lindsey Schott keeps adding to her record collection as Warren Hills' field hockey team piles up victories.

The senior forward registered a pair of goals to establish a new single-season record as the third-seeded Blue Streaks rolled to a 6-0 victory over No. 11 Ocean Township on Thursday in a North 2, Group 3 quarterfinal contest on the turf in Washington.

Schott notched her 26th and 27th goals of the season to esclipse the previous mark of 26 set by Kate Alleger in 1996. Junior forward Niki Miller and senior forward Kayla Grater also scored a pair of goals for the Blue Streaks, who are seeking the program's 10th sectional title and third in the last three years since winning the school's last championship in 2009. Goalie Katie Wintersteen made two saves for her 12th shutout.

Warren Hills (21-1), which has now won 11 straight, advances to meet No. 2 Hopewell Valley, a 5-2 winner over No. 7 Cranford in another quarterfinal, in Saturday's sectional semifinals. Streaks coach Laurie Kerr, now 24-11 all-time in postseason games, said the semifinal game may be played at the Stuart Day School in Princeton depending on whether or not Hopewell Valley's field is playable after the recent bad weather.

Top-seeded Freehold Borough (18-1) hosts No. 4 West Morris (18-2) in the other semifinal. The sectional championship game will be played on Tuesday.

Hopewell Valley (17-1), which has won five sectional titles and none since 1988, beat Warren Hills on penalty strokes at home in last year's semifinal round.

Schott now holds just about all of the Warren County school's offensive records, including career goals (72), career assists (46), single-season points (70) and career points (190). At 16 this season, she is two assists shy of matching Lauren Cuff's single-season mark of 18 set in 2002.

On the record-breaking 27th goal, Schott dribbled into the circle from about the 25-yard line on a free hit and blasted a shot past Hopewell Valley goalie Bailey Herr. Miller followed 41 seconds later with an identical score, her 22nd goal of the season.

Schott has scored at least one goal in six straight games and in 16 of the team's 22 contests this season. Miller, who has been outstanding at the center midfield spot, has at least one goal or one assist in 13 consecutive games and in 19 of 22 this season. Nikki Schott and Whitney Kowski added assists in Thursday's win.

Warren Hills has reached the sectional semifinals in six consecutive seasons dating to 2006, falling in three of those contests. The 2009 team claimed the title en route to a runner-up finish in the Group 3 state final.