RBC girls drops a heartbreaker in state final
Pingry notches goal in overtime to secure title
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

One thing is for certain - the Red Bank Catholic and Pingry girls soccer teams are evenly matched.

One year after playing to a tie to earn a share of the NJSIAA Non-Public A championship, the same two teams took to the pitch on Friday at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, and once again found themselves playing into overtime.

However, this time around, Pingry was able to break the tie, when Liz Lan headed in the game-winner just 4:06 into the extra session, giving the Martinsville school the title and sending the Caseys home empty-handed.

The title was the second outright title in the past three years for Pingry - who can certainly stake claim as the top girls parochial program in the state over the past few years.

But if they've been the best, the Caseys have been a close second, and proved it once again on Friday.

RBC has been winning games all year with its defense, and appeared poised to do it again against Pingry. The Caseys took the lead in the 30th minute when Sarah Gray hit a streaking Katherine Fox, who managed to beat Pingry keeper Casey Rupon to the ball and nudge the ball into the net. Up 1-0, RBC was exactly where they wanted to be, and managed to maintain the lead through the first half.

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Above, Red Bank Catholic's Makenzie Baratta shows her disappointment while the Pingry team celebrates its game-winning overtime goal in Friday's Non-Public A championship game at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. At left, RBC's Christina Barthel (l) and Pingry's Kristy Bendetti battle for the ball, while below, RBC's Casey Mahon collides with Pingry goalie Casey Rupon and Becky Krakora as she charges the net.

However, Pingry scored the equalizer just 2:51 into the second half when Kim Kroll scored on a pretty feed from Katherine Sheeleigh. Throughout the second half, Pingry had the better of the play, outshooting RBC 8-1, including in overtime play. The Caseys survived a couple of close calls late in the game, including a near-goal in the 73rd minute, which was alertly headed away from an open net by Kaitlyn Grimes, and a nice one-on-one save made by keeper Christy Osborne later in the half.

With both teams playing aggressively in the extra stanza, it was an RBC mistake that set up the game-winning goal, as a mishandled exchange led to a Pingry corner kick. On the kick, an RBC defender headed the ball up in the air before Lan headed the ball into the net to end the game.

With the loss, RBC finished the year at 16-5-1, while Pingry improved to 22-2-1. Pingry left the field with the state's top title, while the Caseys left the field secure in the knowledge that they can play with the very best the state has to offer.

They've proved it now two years in a row.