WASHINGTON TWP. -- It took 28 days for another chance to play its biggest rival, but it was certainly worth the wait for Voorhees' field hockey team.
The Vikings earned their redemption and took a big step toward winning the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title with an impressive 4-2 win over Warren Hills in the 65th meeting of the series on Tuesday afternoon at Warren Hills School District Stadium.
"This is always a big rivalry, and we were so excited for this game," said junior forward Cassie Boyce, who scored a pair of goals and assisted on another for Voorhees in the program's largest offensive output against Warren Hills since a 5-2 win here on Sept. 17, 2010.
Voorhees (7-4, 7-2 division), ranked No. 3 in the area by Open Mike, were champing at the bit for this rematch after a 3-1 loss at home against the No. 2 ranked Blue Streaks in the season opener for both teams on Sept. 4. More importantly, the Vikes snapped a four-game skid -- their longest losing streak in series history -- with the win as another important game looms on Thursday at No. 1 Hunterdon Central.
"They came together as a team instead of relying on just one or two people," said first-year Voorhees coach Shannon Hughes, when asked what the difference was for her team in the rematch with Warren Hills. "This is a very talented group. They wanted it."
After a scoreless first half, in which Voorhees could not cash in on numerous chances in the Warren Hills circle, junior forward Brooke Hyland broke the ice with her area-leading 16th goal of the season off a rebound just 2:43 into the second half. Boyce connected for her first goal of the game with 24:32 left to put Warren Hills, which has struggled offensively of late, in a two-goal hole. Both came off assists by junior midfielder Lauren Kokoskie, who totally controlled the middle of the field in this one.
"We needed to come out strong, and we weren't connecting on our passes [the first time we played Warren Hills]," said Kokoskie, who now has six assists, one behind Boyce for the team lead. "We did that today. We always look forward to [playing Warren Hills]. It's tough competition and we love to beat them."
Warren Hills (7-4-1, 6-3-1) stopped the bleeding momentarily when freshman back Emily Dvorsky got her first varsity goal with 22:23 left on the clock. But just under two minutes later, junior midfielder Stefanie Fabbroni, making only her second career start, scored to make it 3-1 as she collected a ball that got past Streaks goalie Julia Webber, who came up in the circle to defend, and sent it into an open cage with 20:32 left in the second half.
"I don't even know how I scored [the first goal -- which came off an aerial move, according to Hughes]," said Boyce, who later made it 4-1 with her second goal of the game and 11th of the season. "They were definitely my most interesting goals. The second one, I was stationed in front of [Webber] and just kind of spun around."
Second-year Warren Hills coach Josie Potter was disappointed the game was so one-sided given the magnitude of the rivalry and divisional implications in this one. The Blue Streaks had won eight of the previous 11 meetings in a series that Voorhees owns a 34-25-6 edge in dating to 1975.
"They outplayed us 100 percent today," said Potter, now 4-1 against the Vikings. "They've improved since the first time we saw them. We didn't show up to play today. We played as individuals. This was a rough one for us. I'm very disappointed about our play as a team. [Voorhees] wanted the game more."
Voorhees won't have much time to enjoy this victory before heading down Route 31 on Thursday to face Hunterdon Central, which has won seven in a row since a 3-1 loss at nemesis Bridgewater-Raritan on Sept. 8, and will be looking to atone for last year's 2-1 loss to the Vikes.
A win over Central would put Voorhees, with only two divisional losses, in strong position to secure its fifth title in the past six seasons and its first since 2016. A loss would keep the door open for Warren Hills to potentially earn a share of the title, as the Vikes also have remaining conference games against Montgomery (Oct. 9), Ridge (Oct. 11), North Hunterdon (away on Oct. 18) and Phillipsburg twice (Oct. 16 and 22) -- with three of the five scheduled to be played at home.
"We'll have a hard practice [on Wednesday] and hopefully we'll come out and play [on Thursday] like we did today," Hughes said.
Voorhees (7-4, 7-2) 0 4 -- 4
Warren Hills (7-4-1, 6-3-1) 0 2 -- 2
Scoring
Second half -- V, Brooke Hyland, 16th, (Lauren Kokoskie), 27:17; V, Cassie Boyce, 10th, (Kokoskie), 24:32; WH, Emily Dvorsky, 1st, 22:23; V, Stefanie Fabbroni, 2nd, (Boyce), 20:32; V, Boyce, 11th, (Grace Schiavo), 16:47; WH, Samantha Dugan, 6th, :26.
Shots -- Voorhees 13; Warren Hills 8.
Saves -- Noelle Gabrish 4 (V); Julia Webber 9 (WH).
Penalty corners -- Voorhees 9; Warren Hills 5.
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