Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 41

Asbury Park Press Thursday, October 31, 1996 To Report Scholastic Scores Call 1-800-822-9770 Ext. 4422, 4423 For Local Sports Scores Call Pressto (908) 918-1000 Touch 8802 NJSIAA GIRLS TENNIS GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS A Middletown South stops Westfield Defending champs lose to Millburn C8 Clf'Tf ACmf 1 Vy -r Jr, JAtA r' A -I tt i-iittk. 1 'X. XL By NEIL SCHUMAN STAFF WRITER WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP The trouble with being on top is that there's always someone gunning for you. Yesterday, defending New Jersey State By NEIL SCHUMAN STAFF WRITER WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP Erica Mann must have ice water running through her veins.

For the third consecutive year, Middletown postseason I fate rested in her hands, champion Manasquan ran into an opponent MIDD. SOUTH WESTFIELD MILLBURN MANASQUAN The senior first-doubles tandem of Kristin Phoebus and Emily Patterson, playing what could be the final match of their high school careers, gave the Warriors some hope by quickly knocking off Meredith Berg and Alyssa Hochberg 6-3, 6-1. But that was the last good news that Manasquan would get for a while. Soon after Millburn's Brooke Mold-, enhauer handed Elisa DiFeo a rare loss, Ashley Ford and Brighde Dougherty's second -doubles match with Samantha Small and Danielle Stein also ended in defeat. Now the pressure was really on for Maren Haus and Megan Crotty at first and second singles.

Crotty, a first-set winner, dropped the next two sets to Jennifer Tuchband, a highly regarded tournament player, and Manasquan's reign at the top of New Jersey tennis was over. "I don't know exactly what happened, but that's kind of what made it nated Cherry Hill East, 3-2 in the semifinals. As a sophomore, Mann had a chance to give her team a championship but lost. So Mann is used to playing under pressure. "After our first-doubles team won, the girls came running over and let me know that it was up to me," she said.

"But I think I play better when I'm under pressure. This title is something that our seniors have been aiming for since we were sophomores, and to finally achieve it is unbelievable." Mann fell behind a break in the first set, but recovered to send that match to a tiebreaker, which she won 7-1. From that point on, the momentum was in her favor and with all eyes at Mercer County Park upon her, she patiently battled through one long rally after another with a series of well-placed winners. Dana Lewis, another senior, had a much easier time in handing Jennifer Matro a 6-1, 6-2 defeat at first singles. "Our motto today was 'Refuse to and that was our attitude coming in here," she said.

"This is just the icing on the cake. I don't think it's hit me just yet, I'm still kind of stunned. We've been in the finals three years in a row, and to finally win it feels great." The Eagles received a pair of solid efforts from its first-doubles team of senior Cara Simprini and junior Rebecca Mann (Erica's sister), who were winners in both the semifinals and finals. In both cases, the point proved crucial. "Three must be our lucky number, or the third time is a charm, no matter how you choose to put it, we got it done today," Simprini said.

Rebecca Mann said, "Finally, we'll get more credit than the football team. Whatever happens to us in the Please see South, page C7 a tougher loss," said Crotty. "Millburn should do well in the Tournament of Champions. They definitely have a shot." The unsinkable Haus bounced back to win the next two sets from Alison Carton, who like Haus is a top-notch tournament player. But unfortunately for the Warriors, it wasn't enough, so they will have to settle for a third consecutive Central Jersey Group II championship.

For juniors Haus and DiFeo and-freshmen Ford and Dougherty, there's always next year. But for the seniors, the loss ends a great run with one of the state's great teams. "It's been great here playing with such a good group," said Crotty. "I'm definitely going to miss it." Throughout the Manasquan run, the Patterson-Phoebus tandem has brought stability at first doubles. Please see Squan, page C7 Baaa and once again she did not disappoint.

Yesterday, the Eagles' senior third-singles player rallied past Westfield's Meghan Corbett to lead South to its first New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group IV championship. Last year Mann supplied the decisive point in South's Group IV semifinal win over Westfield. Later that day, the Eagles lost in the final to Cherry Hill East. The Eagles avenged that loss yesterday, when they elimi with good aim. Millburn used sharpshooting performances at second and third singles and second doubles to win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group II championship, 3-2, and earn a No.

2 seeding in the Tournament of Champions. Manasquan, which had only lost one match over the past two seasons, was in early danger when it lost the first set at first singles, third singles and second doubles. SCT HELP HOCKEY SEMIFINALS BOYS SOCCER Freehold Township continues 'mission5 By FRED SIEGLE STAFF WRITER WEST LONG BRANCH Shore Region-al's field hockey players had been waiting for the opportunity to prove how good they are, and when they got it yesterday, they made the most of the chance. The top-seeded Blue Devils came out strong in the first half to take control and cruised to a 2-0 victory over No. 5 Lacey in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals.

Shore (18-0) meets No. 10 Manasquan in the final tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Shore. Shore, the Class champion, had reached the semis by beating fellow division teams St. Rose and Red Bank Catholic teams it had already beaten A-vS SHORE LACEY twice.

"That's part of the reason we were UW 7 I T. 93 so fired up at the start," said junior midfielder Jessica Coleman. "This is the most nervous I've been before a game. Now we're ready for almost anybody. We know we can step it up and play against the best teams from the other divisions." The division schools are the smallest in the Shore Conference, and coaches from other divisions had been questioning whether Shore had played a tough schedule.

"I don't blame people for saying that," Shore coach Nancy Williams said. "But I don't think people give St. Rose, RBC and Rumson the credit they deserve. Today we were playing somebody new, and these kids wanted to get to the finals. Once we got to a team we hadn't played two times before, we wanted to prove we could play and beat anybody." Shore dominated early, with Lauren Springman pouncing on a rebound off a shot by Jessica Coleman and knocking it into the cage at the 7:10 mark.

"We came out hungry," Coleman said. "We weren't going to let them get any kind of edge." "We were ready, we were fired up at the beginning of the game," Springman said. Springman had a hand in Shore's second goal as well, sending a cross in front of the By AMY DEVALUE STAFF WRITER BRICK TOWNSHIP Freehold Township coach John Scharff said it best about his team, "We are on a mission." The sixth-seeded Patriots upset No. 3 Brick 2-1 yesterday in the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. The Patriots move on to play Brick Memorial in the semifinals 6 p.m.

tomorrow at Point Boro High School. The gutsy play of the Patriots wasn't led by any particular player, it was an entire team victory. "That's the way we have been all year. We don't have one or two all-stars," said Scharff. mmm.mm "we have so many "1 guys that always FREETWP.

2 come to P'ay and BRICK 1 wnen one guy can't mhhb do it we just switch a couple of people and they take over. That's been our success. We are a team." The Dragons jumped out to an early lead in the 20th minute, when Tomasz Drozdz took a free kick from the top of the 18 that goalkeeper Val Majewski caught inside the goal. The referee was in position to see that while Majewski may have been in the goal, the entire ball never crossed the goal line. The official denied Brick the goal.

Freehold Township scored its first goal at 30:56. Anthony DiNicola threw a long ball across the box that skipped to the far side. Mike Favata took the initial shot that goalkeeper Mark Giannantonio got a hand on, but Brad Krup was in position to one-touch the ball in for the goal. One minute later, the Patriots struck again. Sweeper Robert Woods stepped up to take a direct kick 35 yards out and chipped it over the Brick defense to DiNicola.

He settled the ball, went one-on-one with the keeper, and knocked it to the right side of the net with the outside of his foot. Freehold Township made it tough for Brick to get into its normal short passing game by playing long balls while on the offensive and to get out defensive situations. "We may not play pretty soccer but it works. We try to play simple soccer, not do all these overlaps or anything fancy. We just spread the ball out and get the job done," said Scharff.

Brick managed to put some passes together, but the minute they entered the offensive zone Freehold Township defenders were i MARK R. SULLIVANStlH Photofraphn Shore's Laura Springman (right) celebrates what turns out to be the winning goal, after scoring 7: 10 into the game. sive, a typical Lacey team," Williams said. vantage and 5-0 edge in penalty corners. Coleman and Meredith Pizzulli controlled the midfield for the Blue Devils, stopping nearly all Lacey advances.

lost to Toms River East in the semifinals), and we wanted to get to the final where we belong." In the second half, Lacey (13-3-2) was able "But our defense and midfield played well. Alison Reisner did a great job covering their left wing, that was big. They generated no left-to-right attack, and that meant they had ieii-io-iigm aiiacn, anu mai ineani mey to move the ball into Shore half more often, ua" "itu "i muic uucm, cage that Stephanie Vrettos tipped to Tracy vagv uui oLv-piiaim, iv.li.u3 uu(jcu iu i idLy "We wanted to come out strong and score ve waniea io come out strong ana score to put the ball in the middle and that's to put the ball in the middle and th Speck, who deflected it in at 24:44. Shore early to get the advantage," Vrettos said, but Shore's defense withstood the test. dominated the first half with a 13-1 shot ad- "This was the game we lost last year (Shore "Lacey was very physical, very aggres- where Coleman and Pizzulli are." Marshall's early goal gives Squan first final appearance sTAFwRrrER01 terday.

likely to play a fourth time when the New process of rallying for the tying goal "Practicing in the gym helps you set and Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Associa- they earned four successive penalty coin I o. 1 process of rallying for the tying goal they earned four successive penalty corners when shoot when the ball is honDinp around." said UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP The tion Central Jersey Group II playoffs start next week. Allentown is the top seed in the with 10 minutes remaining, and Kelly Gower actually scored off a Pam Zukowski hit there to smother the play. Shore Conference Tournament semifinal between Manasquan and Allentown yesterday was not played in- MANASQUAN 1 side a domed sta-ALLENTOWN 0 dlum- but the game mmmmmmmmmmmm maY have been decided indoors. With both teams bidding for a first appearance in the SCT final, Manasquan advanced by riding an early Marie Marshall goal to a 1-0 victory.

Manasquan had lost in a previous regular-season visit to Allentown, where the field plays extremely fast That's why a practice session inside the Manasquan gymnasium this week, necessitated by a rainout, may have helped the Warriors (13-3-2) yes Manasquan coach Pat Barnaba. "We didn't know we'd be playing Allentown at the time, but being inside for a day may have helped get us ready for this field." "Every team has home-field advantages," said Marshall, who chopped in her shot at 4:50 her 11th goal of the season after being fed from the left side. The assist was credited to Meghann Cavanagh. "The ball moves around pretty fast here," added Marshall. "The idea for a team that comes here is to take (Allentown) out of the style they want to play." Allentown's record fell to 12-2-2, with both losses coming among the three meetings against Manasquan.

The teams are "We all play hard every game and we stick section. "Oh yeah, we're coming back for more this is not a season-ending thing for us," said Allentown coach Mary Ellen Clemencich. "We'll be back at it tomorrow at practice." Clemencich said some of her players were still adjusting to new responsibilities when Marshall scored the goal. "We had a couple of switches because of injuries (in Tuesday's quarterfinal victory over Middletown North), and I spent part of the time during the day in front of the chalkboard teaching kids their new positions," the coach said. Still, it appeared the Redbirds were in the only to have the goal waved off for a penalty corner.

"That ball was a goal," Clemencich said. "Never in my life have I seen a goal called back for a penalty corner." But the final whistle that marked the completion of sophomore goalie Shauna Vie-Brock's shutout (with substantial help from senior defenders Melissa McCormack and Michelle Johnson) set off a wild celebration among the Warriors. They had beaten their Class South rivals when it counted most, and they were heading to the tournament championship game, and Marshall said, "We went crazy because of both those things." together," said senior Carlo Ruggiero. "Thats why we are tough to beat We play as a team and we will play the same way the next game (the semifinals)." The opening of the second half saw a differ ent Brick team than in the first The Dragons began stepping to the ball, winning most of the Please see Mission, page C7.