Abby Ward breaks single-season record with 32nd goal

Abby Ward shattered Our Lady of Mercy's single-season girls' soccer goal record of 31 in a season Wednesday with six goals — bringing her total to 37 — in an 8-3 defeat of Vineland. The previous record was set by Tia Dupont in 2016.

Dupont, a 2016 grad, and Ward combined for 55 goals last year, with Ward scoring 24 of them.

"Abby picked up right where she left off," head coach Shawn Swanger said. "She's our main goal scorer, and we expected her to break the record. She wanted it and was willing to put the ball in the back of the net for us."

Ward tallied five goals in the second half and is within reach of catching the Villagers' the all-time scoring leader held by Maria Grady with 87 goals. With this being Ward's tenth multi-goal game of the season, Swanger believes the all-time record is in reach with one more regular season game tomorrow night and states starting next week. Ward is just seven goals short of the record.