Field hockey: Barna powers 'Liners to sectional win

LIVINGSTON -- Phillipsburg's field hockey team is all about throwing out the records and seeds in the postseason.

The Stateliners, who have played some of New Jersey's top teams while competing in the rugged Skyland Conference, haven't had much to show for it in terms of wins, but it surely played a role in a convincing 3-1 victory over No. 7  seed Livingston on Monday afternoon in the opening round of the North 1, Group 4 sectional playoffs at Jacobson Memorial Field.

P'burg celebrates its first playoff win since 2017.

Phillipsburg (4-14-2), the No. 10 seed, scored all three goals off corners, including a pair by senior back Morgan Barna, her first of the season. Barna, whose father, Mike, won a New Jersey state wrestling title in 1984, and was a three-time district champion and a two-time state finalist for the 'Liners, also made a nice play on defense to clear out a corner attempt by Livingston (6-12-1) in the final minutes.

"We don't have the best record, on paper, but we do work hard," said Barna, who started the season as a midfielder before shifting to defense. "We play tough teams. Coming into this game, we wanted to do our best [and advance further] than we did last year."

P'burg, which will next face No. 2 seed Montclair (13-5-1) in the quarterfinal round at 2 p.m. on Wednesday on the turf at the Watchung School, was one-and-done with a 3-0 loss to Ridge in the 2018 playoffs. None of the current players were born when the Stateliners won their fifth and last sectional title in 1999.

"We are very young still with a majority of sophomores and freshmen," said third-year coach Toni Popinko, the former Warren Hills star who is now 2-2 in postseason games. "We just need to get that consistency. Then, we'll be moving in the right direction."

Corners have been an issue for Phillipsburg, but the Stateliners were able to capitalize on those opportunities, which are critical this time of year, to extend their season. Barna's first goal came on the team's third attempt with 15:43 left in the first half, as she sent the ball past Livingston goalie Meghan Kelly and into the left corner of the cage.

"Morgan stepped up for us and took quick shots, that's been an issue for us," Popinko said.

Livingston evened the score at 1 by tipping in a rebound off a corner just under two minutes later, but Barna gave P'burg the lead for good when she took the ball at the left post and sent it into the right corner of the cage with 6:26 to go before halftime.

"Morgan has really stepped up for us this year," Popinko said. "She has single-handily won us about four games this year. She's super solid and very consistent."

Phillipsburg nursed that one-goal lead until senior back Erin Fisher gave the 'Liners some breathing room by converting her first goal of the season off the team's 10th corner with 10:55 left to play in the game. Senior goalie Tatum McVey made the lead stand as she logged five saves overall.

The next test will come against a Montclair team that handed Livingston a 4-0 loss on Oct. 11. The Mounties, who have won 12 sectional titles but none since 2015, have been a postseason nemesis for P'burg over the last two decades -- beating the 'Liners, 6-0, in the last matchup between the schools in the North 1, Group 4 quarterfinals in 2016.

But Phillipsburg seems to be playing its best hockey at the right time, battling No. 1 seed Ridge to a 1-1 tie in the final Raritan Division contest last Thursday. The 'Liners also played well in tight losses to Voorhees (3-2 last Tuesday and 2-1 on Sept. 17), the top seed in North 2, Group 2 and North Hunterdon (2-1 on Oct. 5), the top seed in North 2, Group 4.

"We've been able to hang, and every game, we've gotten better," Popinko said. "At one point, we were 0-9-1. It doesn't matter where you start, it's how you finish. Four years ago, these teams were blowing us out. We like being the underdog. There's no pressure."

P'burg relishes the chance for another opportunity to make some program history and get back to a sectional final for the first time since 2010. That season, the 'Liners were ineligible to play for the championship against Montclair after exceeding the maximum number of games allowed for the regular season.

"It's exciting," Barna said. "We want to go further in states and prove we're better than our record."

Phillipsburg (4-14-2)                    2                   1            --    3
Livingston (6-12-1)                       1                   0            --    1

Scoring

First half -- P, Morgan Barna, 1st, 15:43; L, Isabella Freschi, 8th, 14:04; P, Barna, 2nd, 6:26.

Second half -- P, Erin Fisher, 1st, 10:55.

Shots -- Phillipsburg 14; Livingston 6.

Saves -- Tatum McVey 5 (P); Meghan Kelly 10, Mia Bucich 1 (defensive) (L).

Penalty corners -- Phillipsburg 15; Livingston 11.