Wed. N.J. roundup: Rancocas Valley wins hockey playoff game over Cherokee
Wed. N.J. roundup: Rancocas Valley wins hockey playoff game over Cherokee
Nicole Kiedaisch set the decisive play in motion and then finalized it by tapping in the game-winning goal with 2 minutes, 29 seconds left in regulation, lifting second-seeded Rancocas Valley over No. 10 seed Cherokee, 4-3, Wednesday in a NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 field hockey quarterfinal.
Following a run-and-gun first half that ended in a 3-3 deadlock, defense ruled until the Red Devils went ahead to stay on their 13th penalty corner of the day.
Kiedaisch took the corner, passed out front to Brynn Gitt, and broke for the cage. Gitt trapped the ball and redirected it to Abby Wood. Wood sent a pass onto the stick of Kiedaisch - and the senior captain cashed in from close range.
Amanda Johnson, Laura Malinoski, and Wood also scored for Rancocas Valley (12-7-1), which will host No. 3 seed Freehold Township in a semifinal tomorrow.
Cherokee's goals were scored by Melissa Arthur, Rachel Patch and Lauren Thomas.
South Jersey Group 4. Junior Brittany Evangelisti scored the first three goals of her career and Mariel Papa added two goals and two assists, powering third-seeded Eastern (20-2) past No. 11 seed Absegami, 10-0.
Kelsey Mitchell also had two goals while Jaclyn Beasley, Carly Celkos and Kaitlyn Ogg added one each to round out the scoring for the Vikings, who will play Saturday against the winner of today's match between No. 2 seed Clearview and seventh-seeded Mainland.
South Jersey Group 3. Danielle McNally's two goals and one assist paced a balanced attack, and top-seeded Ocean City advanced easily with a 7-0 rout of No. 8 seed Seneca in a quarterfinal match.
Colleen Slaughter added two goals while Jenn Staab chipped in a goal and an assist in support of goalie Natalie Hunter, who made three saves in recording the shutout.
The Red Raiders (18-1) will host No. 4 seed Hammonton in a semifinal Saturday.
Victoria Poalise led the way with two goals and one assist, and Allison Salvati scored with 1:20 left in the second half to seal fourth-seeded Hammonton's 4-2 triumph over No. 5 seed Pinelands. Blue Devils goalie Dana Hartshorne turned aside 15 shots to earn the win.
Central Jersey Group 3. Paige Schlessinger and Lea Giosa scored two goals apiece, Jenna Dougherty dealt a pair of assists, and goalkeeper Kristin LaRosa recorded her seventh shutout to highlight No. 2 seed Moorestown's 7-0 romp past seventh-seeded Burlington Township.
The Quakers (14-3), who peppered Township netminder Jackie Nebbia with 34 shots, will get to play at home again tomorrow in a semifinal against Northern Burlington.
Michelle Ghaul scored twice and goalie Jess Aitken came through with 18 stops, enabling sixth-seeded Northern Burlington (10-8) to upend No. 3 seed Allentown, 4-2.
Girls' Soccer
Alex Smith keyed Pennsville's attack and Jill Clark had another standout performance in the nets, as the top-seeded Eagles continued their defensive mastery in handcuffing No. 9 seed Point Pleasant Beach, 2-0, in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 1 tournament.
Smith opened the scoring by knocking home a feed from Chelsea Christman in the 24th minute, and Smith came back to set up Brielyn Hackett's insurance goal late in regulation. Clark made 17 saves in posting Pennsville's third consecutive shutout and 12th of the season.
The Eagles (18-3) will host Monday's sectional semifinal match against the winner of today's quarterfinal between fourth-seeded Riverside and No. 5 seed Schalick.
Boys' Soccer
Wildwood Catholic cruised into the sectional semifinals by blanking visiting Timothy Christian, 3-0, in a South Jersey Non-Public B tournament quarterfinal.
M.J. Nestor scored in the game's fourth minute, then assisted Chris Miller's goal for a 2-0 lead late in the first half.
Kenny Haury headed in an insurance score from Alex Knowles, and Crusaders goalie McKenzey Scott made six saves.
Colonial. Taylor Gulbins converted assists from P.K. Schlitt and Tom Rusie into a pair of goals, steering Haddonfield past visiting Audubon, 3-0.
Haddon Heights claimed a 4-2 win at Collingswood behind a four-goal performance from Brian Whitman.












