Girls Soccer – Wall’s All-Around Performance Highlights SCT Quarterfinals

WALL TWP. - With each goal that the Wall girls soccer team piled up in the first half of its Shore Conference Tournament semifinal game against Colts Neck, it became clearer by the minute that this was not a typical performance for the Crimson Knights: it was personal.

Facing a two-time defending conference champion that had defeated Wall in four consecutive tournament games over the previous three years and handed them their only loss in 2016, the Crimson Knights lit up the Cougars for five goals in the first 34 minutes on the way to a 6-2 win.

The No. 2 seed Crimson Knights will face No. 3 Toms River North Tuesday in the SCT semifinals at Ocean Township High School.

"It wasn't even just last year, but all the years before that that they ended our season and so many of our seniors' seasons," senior Lauren Karabin said. "They've ended so many of our seasons and it's nice to get them back in a way."

Karabin and her senior sister Lauren each scored two goals each during the five-goal first half, while senior Cara Capra scored the other. Senior Sarah Gordon assisted two goals as well - one to each Karabin sister.

"It's our senior day and they've ruined so many of our seniors' years that we weren't going to let them ruin our senior day," Jenna Karabin said. "We came out as hard as we can and finished our opportunities."

Not only did Wall set off offensive fireworks on Saturday, but the Knights did so with leading scorer and Princeton University commit Amy Paternoster sidelined by a sprained right foot that she suffered in Thursday's win over Point Pleasant Beach.

Senior fullback Maggie Wishart also sustained a shin bruise in that game, according to Wall coach Mike Juska, but played through it on Saturday.

The absence of Paternoster and limitation of Wishart never became an issue for Wall, which jumped ahead in the sixth minute when Jenna Karabin slammed in a cross from Gordon that found the foot of its intended target right in front of the goal at the six-yard mark.

Capra added to the lead in the 16th minute by heading a corner kick by senior Hailee Reinhardt off a defender and in.

Cara Capra's header finds its way to the goal and Wall takes a 2-0 lead on Colts Neck in the 16th. pic.twitter.com/4eLPYx3RQw

— Matt Manley (@Matt_Manley) October 21, 2017

Lauren Karabin joined the onslaught with two goals in the span of less than four minutes. The first was a one-timed finish on a diagonal pass on the ground from Gordon to the far right post. The second came following a rebound of her own miss in the 30th minute.

Jenna Karabin capped the first-half scoring spree with a 12-yard strike to the far left side netting in the 34th minute.

Senior Joan Scheidt's 30-yard bomb from the right side found the back right corner of the goal in the 55th to make the score 6-0.

Junior Kristi Mikula scored both Colts Neck goals to break up the shutout. The Cougars most of the second half without senior Kayla Lee, who injured her shoulder and left the field with her left arm in a sling.

In other SCT action:

No. 3 Toms River North 3, No. 6 Shore 1

Angelina Rodriguez, Hailey Montanile and Marissa Tava all scored during a three-goal first half and the Mariners jumped all over the Blue Devils to advance to the SCT semifinals against No. 2 Wall on Tuesday at Ocean Township High School.

Frankie McDonough broke up the Toms River North shutout with a goal in the second half.

No. 4 Jackson Memorial 4, No. 12 Freehold Boro 0

Senior Alyssa Fernandez buried two goals and the Jaguars shut down the Colonials to advance to the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals.

Emily Jacoby and Hannah Reese also scored a goal each for Jackson Memorial, which will play top-seeded Freehold Township in the second game of Tuesday's SCT semifinal double-header at Ocean Township High School.

Madison Taylor, Alexis Casella and Alexa Martinos each helped out with an assist and Kylee Sullivan saved four shots to pick up the shutout.

No. 1 Freehold Twp. 4, No. 9 Toms River East 2

Four different Freehold Township players scored a goal and the Patriots rolled past the Raiders and into the SCT semifinals for the third straight year. Freehold Township will play No. 4 Jackson Memorial on Tuesday night at Ocean High School.

Deanna D'Amico opened the scoring, followed by a long strike from Laura Noseworthy. Jada Colbert delivered a goal to cap the first-half scoring and Paige Farrell added a second-half goal that put Freehold Township ahead, 4-1.

Jillian Conklin scored both Toms River East goals.