Pennsville loses in state Group 1 girls’ final

EWING TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Pennsville's Cinderella soccer season ended Saturday at the College of New Jersey.

With 1 minute, 41 seconds to play, New Providence freshman Casey Trezza blasted a ball high and to the left of goalkeeper Dani Cornman from about 10 yards out, and the Pioneers danced away with a 1-0 victory and the state Group 1 girls' championship.

It was a crushing blow to Pennsville, which was barely a blip on the radar screen throughout the regular season. The Eagles had gotten hot at the right time, advanced to the final, and fought hard.

But they just weren't as strong as the team from Union County, which had them on their heels the entire second half.

Pennsville, which had finished third in the Tri-County Classic Division with an 11-6 record and was seeded sixth in South Jersey Group 1, ended an amazing season with a 16-7 record.

New Providence walked away with the trophy and an 18-3 record.

"They moved the ball better than we did," said a teary-eyed Alex Smith, Pennsville's leading scorer. "We were too busy on defense, and we didn't have people up high on offense.

"We had a rough start [to the season], but we fought through it. I knew we could get here. Everyone kept telling us we weren't doing what we were supposed to be doing - we were playing individually - but we pulled together as a team and we made it here."

After intermission, the Pioneers turned on the afterburners and attacked the net continually as Pennsville had trouble getting out of its own end. In those 40 minutes of play, the Pioneers fired on Cornman seven times. The sophomore saved six.

Meanwhile, the Eagles, who had the most productive scorer on the field in Smith, with 33 goals, fired no shots on goal.

"They were just beating us to the ball in the second half," Pennsville coach Jill Schoenberg said of New Providence. "Our team came out strong and really wanted this but . . . We had a great season."

The last time that Pennsville had made the final was in 2002, when the Eagles shared the title with Glen Rock.

New Providence's Gina Caprara ended the first half the way she started it, with a shot saved by Cornman. Caprara, who led the Pioneers with 20 goals, took all four of New Providence's shots in the first 40 minutes.

Her first, 11 minutes into the action, was the most dangerous for the Eagles.

Caprara was on the 10-yard line, to the right of Cornman, when she sent a liner to the right post. Cornman, who had 12 shutouts entering the game, fell on the ball a few feet from the post, but it spun loose and was making its way to the net when the sophomore goalie pounced on it again to save a goal.

Pennsville had two routine shots on goalkeeper Jill Ashinsky.

New Providence   0 1 - 1

Pennsville   0 0 - 0

Goal: Casey Trezza.

Saves: NP – Jill Ashinsky 2. P – Dani Cornman 10