By Warren Rappleyea
Old Bridge High School’s girls’ soccer team is off to a strong start, as it looks to rebound after winning just six matches a year ago.
The Lady Knights are coming off a 3-0 loss to Middletown High School South (3-1-1) Sept. 18 in a non-divisional matchup. That, however, was Old Bridge’s only subpar game thus far. In Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Red Division play, coach Rob Lozzi’s team has won three of four matches while allowing only two goals against.
The lone loss came Sept. 13 against East Brunswick High School (4-0), 2-1. The match was tied 1-1 at halftime, as Breanna Jacinto scored for the Lady Knights. Nicole Carbone made 12 saves.
“That was one we felt got away,” Lozzi said. “We’ll be seeing them again later in the season [Sept. 29]. It will be a good test for us because we could very well see them a third time in the conference tournament.”
In the three wins, Old Bridge kept clean sheets against South Brunswick High School, 3-0, Monroe Township High School, 5-0, and John P. Stevens High School, 4-0. The scoring has been balanced, with junior Nichole Adams, who had a hat trick in the Monroe match, leading the way with four goals and two assists.
“Shutouts are not just a product of the goal and the back line,” Lozzi said. “The midfielders have to do their job, and the forwards have to come back as well. It has to be a team effort. Offensively, we really haven’t had to depend on one or two players. Different girls have stepped up.”
With Carbone guarding the woodwork, the Lady Knights have one of the top goalies in the GMC. Central defender Angela Pagiazitis and outside back Vanessa Driskill are experienced hands on defense, where they’re teamed with sophomores McKenzie Cangro and Megan Ruales.
Jacinto and Adams are on the outside in the middle, with Julia Sandor (one goal, two assists) holding down one of the central spots and junior Sierra Stevenson and freshman Claudia Flint splitting time at the other center spot.
The strikers include juniors Mackenzie Willis, who has scored three times, and Dom Lavallo, along with freshman Sydney Addesso. Lavallo and Addesso have two goals apiece.
Lozzi, who has 199 career wins at Old Bridge, likes to rotate players in and out of the lineup to keep a fast pace.
Other key performers include forwards Kaylee Quilgan and Nicole Cassano, both juniors, and Jordan Totten, a freshman. In the middle, the coach can also call on sophomores Gia Martini and Lindsey Shafer and freshman Jade Wurst, with juniors Jazzie Kuar and Joelle Taranto and sophomore Lauren Shafer providing depth on defense.
Old Bridge has been playing without central midfielder Erin Rynkiewicz, who missed last season with a knee injury, and fullback Arianna Allen, who had a minor injury. Both juniors are expected to return in the next week to 10 days. In addition, Emily Carrington, who started at fullback last fall, is out for the year with a hip injury.
“Overall, we’re a young team. We only have four seniors, and they’ve been outstanding leaders,” Lozzi said. “We do have some experience, and we’ve had a nice infusion of younger players. Some of those younger players are still adjusting to varsity, but they’re coming along. The team chemistry here is the best we’ve had in a long time.”
The Lady Knights were scheduled to visit Piscataway Township High School Sept. 20. They visit South Brunswick Sept. 22 before returning home to meet Monroe Sept. 27.
