SHORE HEADING BACK TO GROUP 1 FINAL

After appearing in six straight group finals before losing to Audubon last year in the group semifinals, Shore was not going to be denied this year. Illinois commit Julia Eichenbaum recorded a second-half hat-trick as Shore got its revenge on Aububon, 6-0, in the NJSIAA Group 1 semifinals in West Long Branch to make its seventh group finals appearance in eight years. “This means a lot after what happened last year,” said Meli Pekmezian. “This team pulled it together this year. We wanted to build a chemistry throughout the summer and we got closer and closer as a team as the season went on. The fact that we came in, played hard and scored six goals, we work well as a team and I can’t wait to go to the finals with them.” Shore got on the board quickly as Barbara Grimm scored in the fifth minute, assisted by Sydney Sears. Lauren Saponaro found the net with 14 minutes remaining in the opening half, assisted by Pekmezian. Both first half goals for Shore were scored by sophomores, which shows the depth the team has. “Obviously we have Julia and our seniors that are good players, but we have depth with our sophomores who have a lot of ability and we try to give them equal time,” Shore coach George Moutis said. Shore scored again seven minutes into the second half as Sears dished out her second assist of the day, this one to Pekmezian, who finished with the header for the goal. Eichenbaum displayed a goal-scoring clinic in the second half beginning in the 51st minute, when she dribbled down the left side and cut behind the defender before finding the far corner of the net. With 16 minutes remaining, Eichenbaum scored again, assisted by Rori McDonough. She finished the hat-trick on an unassisted goal with five minutes to go. Shore is known for its quick-strike offense and that could lead to some goals allowed, but the defense was as good as it gets today. “Our defense has grown a lot over the year,” Pekmezian said. “There’s a lot more working together and communicating as a defensive unit than there was earlier in the year. Really, the whole team has gotten better as the season went on.” After what happened last year, there was that extra motivation for the players. But for Moutis, it was still a group semifinal regardless of who they were on the field with. “It’s good to win any game,” Moutis said. “It was a tough loss last year, but it happened when it happened. I’m sure the girls used it as a motivator, but it doesn’t matter if it’s Audubon or anybody else. It’s still a semifinal and you want to win it just as much.” The Blue Devils (16-5) will play Mountain Lakes in the Group 1 final at Kean University on Saturday at 3 p.m. “We’re going to have to perform well in practice, keep the intensity going and go into that game with the mentality that no matter what happens, we’re still a team but we’re going to want to win no matter what,” Pekmezian said.

SHORE HEADING BACK TO GROUP 1 FINAL

JOHN SORCE

The Star Ledger | 11/13/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Shore Regional High School Athletics