By Matthew Rocco
The new faces of the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School girls’ soccer team are playing a key role down the stretch, as the Bulldogs look to build momentum for the Shore Conference Tournament.
With one week remaining in the regular-season schedule, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents, 12-0, during a three-game winning streak against Shore Conference A Central Division rivals St. John Vianney High School, Matawan Regional High School and Raritan High School. The Bulldogs also have a winning streak of five games to their credit this fall.
Rumson-Fair Haven has relied on a new-look defense, and the results have been positive. After losing their entire defense to graduation after the 2015 campaign, the Bulldogs continue to show signs of improvement on the field, according to head coach Mary Beth Coleman.
“We’ve had some players step in and play new roles. From day one in August until now, we’re still working on our defense and just playing as a team all around. We’re still getting to know each other and our strengths and weaknesses,” said Coleman, an 11-year head coach at Rumson-Fair Haven.
On offense, the Bulldogs don’t rely on just one player. They have a balanced offensive attack led by two of last season’s leading scorers, sophomore Grace Karagjozi and junior Margot Ridgeway.
“They’re surrounded by a great supporting cast. On any given day, anyone can score for us,” Coleman said.
Karagjozi and Ridgeway are tied for the team lead with 10 goals on the year. Sophomore Hannah Stavola has scored five times, while senior midfielder Hannah LoSavio has four goals.
Karagjozi contributed four goals to Rumson-Fair Haven’s 8-0 win over Raritan Oct. 7, scoring three times in the first half on assists from Stavola and Sofi Giglio. Ridgeway scored twice and recorded two assists. The remaining two goals came from Ellen Daly and Meghan Kennedy.
Courtney Parton made six saves to preserve the shutout for the Bulldogs. Parton, a sophomore goalie, shares time in the net with senior Samantha Beaudreault. They have a combined 42 saves through 12 games.
Stavola, Julia Blaney and Caitie Clark each scored a goal to lead the Bulldogs to a 3-0 victory against Matawan Oct. 5. Parton and Beaudreault had three saves apiece.
Rumson-Fair Haven (8-4 overall, 7-2 division) is focused on pushing further into the postseason. Last season, the Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament, and they fell in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group II finals to Holmdel High School on penalty kicks.
“We have high hopes. As long as we work well, play hard and give a great effort, our goal is to return to the tournament and be truly competitive,” Coleman said.
Given the number of players starting for the first time, the Bulldogs will work on communicating better on the field, the head coach added. The Bulldogs can also thrive on leadership from veterans.
“Our returning girls are encouraging the new players to be confident out on the field. It’s all about making the younger players feel comfortable and helping them understand their role on the team,” Coleman said.
The Bulldogs will host Holmdel Oct. 11 before traveling to Red Bank Regional High School Oct. 13. The schedule will wrap up with games against Manalapan High School and Shore Regional High School.
