Girls Soccer – Photo Gallery: Shore Edges Point Beach to Reach Central Jersey I Semis

WEST LONG BRANCH - The two-time defending NJSIAA Group I girls soccer champions got pushed to the final minute by a fellow Shore Conference team Thursday, but dream of a three-peat remains alive.

Junior Frankie McDonough and senior Kendall Rich scored goals less than three minutes apart from one another early in the second half and fourth-seeded Shore Regional held off No. 5 Point Pleasant Beach in the Central Jersey Group I quarterfinals to advance to a semifinal showdown with top-seeded Metuchen on Monday.

PHOTO GALLERY: Point Beach at Shore by Paula Lopez

McDonough notched her 31st goal of the season in the 44th minute to open the scoring and Rich followed shortly thereafter with a goal that gave the Blue Devils what appeared to be a comfortable, two-goal cushion.

The Garnet Gulls, however, answered in the 48th minute on a goal by junior Julia Cairns off a set-up by junior McKayla Hughes and later earned a penalty kick that they failed to convert in the 66th minute.

Point Beach goalkeeper Toni Abdy, meanwhile, saved 12 shots to help keep her team in the game.