Field hockey: Red-hot Streaks win 11th sectional title

Make it 18 consecutive wins and counting for Warren Hills' field hockey team.

The fourth-seeded Blue Streaks continued their postseason march with a 3-0 win over No. 7 Ocean Township on Monday to capture the North 2, Group 3 sectional title at Warren Hills School District Stadium.

Warren Hills displays the trophy. (Courtesy of Michelle Pulsinelli Profita).

"We don't talk about [the win streak]. We just take it one game at a time," said 14th-year coach Laurie Kerr, whose teams have won six of the program's 11 sectional titles -- a school record -- and played on the 1984 championship team under former coach Luanne Ferenci. "This was no different than any other game we've had all season. We just keep that mindset."

Warren Hills (21-3-1), which extended its program record for consecutive victories, secured it first sectional title repeat since winning four in a row from 1999-2002 . The Streaks advance to the Group 3 semifinals to face Northern Highlands (21-1) -- a 1-0 winner over West Milford in the North 1 final -- at Boonton High School on Thursday at 4 p.m. South champion Ocean City (17-5) will meet Central champion Allentown (19-1) in the other semifinal.

Thursday's winners advance to the Group 3 state final at noon on Saturday at Toms River East High School. Warren Hills has never won a state championship, going 0-7 in title games, including four losses to Ocean City (1999, 2001, 2009, 2012).

Warren Hills is annually considered a contender for the Group 3 title, and despite being a No. 4 seed, the Streaks, whose 11 sectional championships rank 12th on New Jersey's all-time list and behind only South Hunterdon (14) and Hunterdon Central (12) in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area, were regarded as the favorites to repeat as North 2, Group 3 champions.

"The kids are really pumped up and excited, but at the same time, we're not where we want to be," Kerr said. "We need to maintain our composure and keep playing like we've been playing."

Super freshman forward Dani Profita got Warren Hills on the board with 7:34 left in the first half off a feed from junior forward and Temple recruit Sydney Muntone. It was Profita's 15th of the season, a program single-season record for a ninth-grader. Muntone, who recorded four assists in last Thursday's 7-1 win over Morristown in the semifinals, now has 16 for the season.

"Sydney made some real nice passes [on Monday]," said Kerr, now 32-13 all-time in playoff games, including 7-2 in sectional finals. "[Senior forward] Shannon Zignoli had some nice balls and made some nice crosses from the right wing. [Sophomore forward] Katie Thompson also played very well."

Junior midfielder Nikki Profita made it a 2-0 lead with her team-leading 19th goal with an assist from senior midfielder Nikki Schott, a four-year starter playing in her final home game, nearly three minutes into the second half. Profita added her own an assist on a goal by junior forward Jessica Nissen, her 11th, with 24:58 left in the game.

Sophomore goalie Taylor Austin made four saves for the team's 16th shutout. The Streaks' defense, led by backs Amanda Crampton, Allie Brouhard, Rachel Phillips and Amanda Oberly, has allowed just four goals in the team's last 13 games and 14 goals for the season.

Ocean Township (15-5-1), bidding for its fifth sectional title and first since 2001, has saw its season end with a playoff loss to Warren Hills in four of the last five years. The Streaks, now 61-37 all-time in the postseason including 11-4 in sectional finals, won meetings in 2009 (2-1 in overtime in semifinals), '11 (6-0 in quarterfinals) and '12 (3-1 in preliminary round).

Ocean Township (15-5-1)            0                   0             --    0
Warren Hills (21-3-1)                   1                   2             --    3

Scoring

First half -- WH, Dani Profita, 15th, (Sydney Muntone), 7:34.

Second half -- WH, Nikki Profita, 19th, (Nikki Schott), 27:04; WH, Jessica Nissen, 11th, (N. Profita), 24:58.

Shots -- Ocean Township 4; Warren Hills 21.

Saves -- Sara Krauetler 18 (OT); Taylor Austin 4 (WH).

Penalty corners -- Ocean Township 5; Warren Hills 12.