Box Score
WAYNE, N.J. – Third-seeded William Paterson (10-6-3) scored its first postseason win since 2000 with a 2-0 victory against sixth-seeded Montclair State (9-6-2) in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Women's Soccer Tournament Oct. 31 at Pioneer Soccer Park.
The Pioneers, winners of six straight, advance to play at second-seeded The College of New Jersey in the NJAC Tournament semifinals Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. Earlier this season, the Pioneers handed the 16th-ranked Lions a 1-0 loss at WP (Oct. 20).
William Paterson had several dangerous crosses during the opening minutes of the match, and the Pioneers were finally able to connect on one of them in the 24th minute when junior
Kathleen Maggi (New Milford, N.J./New Milford) dribbled along on the left endline and sent the ball across the box, where a waiting
Laela Brock (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) was able to get a clear look and score past a diving Leah Tepperman. The goal was the second of the freshman's career, and her first postseason strike.
The Pioneers nearly took advantage of a Montclair mistake with less than 16 minutes to play when a ball re-directed off the foot of a Red Hawk defender and almost went into the goal, but Tepperman was able to keep it from crossing the goal line and then withstood a
Megan Droelle (Hampton, N.J./North Hunterdon) chance off the rebound.
However, William Paterson eventually did get an insurance goal with 4:25 remaining after freshman
Michelle Marabondo (Kenvil, N.J./Roxbury) ran on to a Droelle through ball and finished to the left corner of the frame.
William Paterson senior goalkeeper
Meaghan Baker (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) had two stops for the shutout victory, her sixth of the season. Tepperman made seven saves for the Red Hawks.
The result was a repeat of a 2-0 WP home victory against the Red Hawks on Oct. 26, and marked the first postseason victory for William Paterson since the 2000 NJAC Tournament (3-1 vs. Kean in first round, 2-1 in overtime against Montclair State in semifinals).
