FARMINGDALE - Thursday afternoon at Howell High School, East Brunswick standout goalkeeper and University of Delaware recruit Lauren Krinsky provided an answer to the question, "How long can a great goalie keep the Colbert twins and Freehold Township off the scoreboard?"

The answer: long, but not long enough.

After repeatedly being denied by Krinsky for the first 77 minutes of Thursday's NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV championship game, the Patriots broke through on an equalizer by Jasmine Colbert with 2:58 to play and won in on a golden goal by Jada Colbert in the third minute of overtime, giving the top-seeded Patriots a 2-1 win over the No. 2 Bears for their second sectional championship in three years.

Krinsky racked up 19 saves while nearly carrying her team to its first sectional championship since 2001. She made acrobatic saves on attempts by both Colbert twins, as well as one against Laura Noseworthy late in the second half.

A 55th-minute goal by Alyna Negron was the difference in the game for a little more than 20 minutes, as the Bears tried to ride their keeper to a road upset over a Patriots team that had outscored its first three state tournament opponents by a combined score of 15-0.

With the 78th minute approaching, Krinsky finally left the goal exposed and after she made another acrobatic save. The ball carried out to Jasmine Colbert at the top of the 18-yard box and with Kinsky scrambling to return to her feet, Colbert knocked a high shot into the open net to tie the game with 2:58 left on the clock.

It did not take long for the Patriots to orchestrate the game-winner in overtime, which came off a combination by the Colbert sisters. Jada played the ball to Jasmine and got it back going to goal on the right side of the field. Jada Colbert pulled up from outside the 18-yard box and lofted a shot over Krinsky and into the far side netting for the golden goal 2:49 into the overtime period.

Thursday's win sends Freehold Township to Tuesday's Group IV semifinal against South Jersey champion Washington Township at Rowan University at 5 p.m. Washington won its first ever sectional championship Thursday by beating Toms River North on a golden goal as well.

 

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