Girls' soccer: Moorestown advances to state final

Nicole Varela scored on a penalty kick to lift the Moorestown girls soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Matawan in the Group 3 state semifinals on Tuesday night.

Varela took the penalty kick after Moorestown's Steph Toy was pulled down in the box with 12 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the game.

Toy took a nice pass from Megan Kelly on a play that started with a pass through from Frankie Angelieri.

Varela fired the kick into the left corner of the net.

"I was so happy to be able to do it for my teammates," Varela said.

Moorestown (16-3-2) advances to the Group 3 state final Saturday at 12:15 at The College of New Jersey.

The Quakers were 5-9 last season.

"Everybody was saying, 'Moorestown is done,'" Moorestown coach Bill Mulvihill said. "But these girls would not be denied."

Matawan (13-8-1) was the Central Jersey champion.

-- Phil Anastasia