By Warren Rappleyea
Old Bridge High School’s field hockey team is rolling toward the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Tournament having won nine of its last eleven matches.
The Lady Knights are coming off a solid 7-1 senior day win over Red Bank Regional High School Oct. 8 at Lombardi Field. Abigail Zimmerlink and Mikayla Van Horn scored three goals apiece to key the win, which helped their team improve to 9-3-1.
Old Bridge lost its first two games — to East Brunswick High School and Monroe Township High School, respectively — in the late summer heat and appeared to be heading for a repeat of last fall’s 5-14 mark. However, coach Danielle Toth’s youthful and much-improved team shrugged of the losses to win three straight and turn things around.
“I really think the best is yet to come for our team,” the third-year coach said. “We may be young, but we have a talented and committed group — and they want to win. They worked very hard in the offseason to put themselves in this position, and it has paid off for them.”
Old Bridge has excelled defensively, allowing just 14 goals against, with just two of those tallies coming over its last six matches. The Lady Knights shut out both East Brunswick and Monroe in rematches.
Senior stopper Shina Ghettia anchors a defense that includes fellow seniors Janelle Harden, Ashley Stepper and Nicole Zenin, along with sophomore Isabella Marte. Ghettia and Harden, in particular, and the defense in general has the speed to run balls down and turn plays back up field.
Toth was struggling to find a goalkeeper when practices began only to have senior Rebecca Szumansky step up and claim the role. The senior has played well, posting four shutouts and turning aside 62 shots.
“We have a very versatile defense, and we’re versatile as team,” Toth said. “All of our girls can play just about any position on the field. That combined with our team speed gives us an element most teams don’t have. We really don’t have a weak link on this team.”
Old Bridge’s midfield is populated by a cadre of fundamentally strong, two-way players. Zimmerlink, a sophomore who has five goals and five assists, is the central midfielder. She is flanked by Layla Mahmoud and junior Erin Handy, who moved up from the junior varsity team. Handy’s nose for the ball has paid off offensively with three goals and two assists. Junior Kylie Murtha gives the Lady Knights depth in the middle.
The front line is comprised primarily of sophomores. Van Horn leads the team in scoring with nine goals and four assists, and Alexis Zimmerlink has scored four goals to go with as many assists. Allyana Marrero has three goals, and senior Sofia Ruiz and Makayla Charlie have a goal apiece. Charlie scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Piscataway Township High School, while Ruiz scored in a 1-0 victory against East Brunswick.
“The key for us as we head into the tournaments is to stay aggressive and keep our eyes on the prize,” Toth said. “The girls worked hard to get to this point. They did the 7 vs. 7 leagues in the summer and they hit the gym. They’re committed to winning.”
