.jpg)
WEST LONG BRANCH – Make it five in a row for the Bulldogs..jpg)
After falling behind early and going into the half tied at one, the Rumson-Fair Haven field hockey team came out hot, scoring two goals in the first four minutes of the second half and never looked back en route to their fifth straight Shore Conference Tournament title, defeating the Shore Regional Blue Devils, 5-1, at Monmouth University on Oct. 21.
“Our girls don’t take anything for granted,” Rumson head coach Julie Brewington said. “They know that everything they are going to achieve is going to be earned and not given to them. While we do have this tradition that is built up, I think they know that what’s been put into that every year. The ingredients for success is so much hard work and dedication, and they don’t take that for granted. It’s been a constant improvement that we’ve seen from them all season.”
Just 2:45 into the second half, senior Alina Arko scored on a shot from the left and was assisted by fellow senior Bridy Molyneaux on the play. Just 1:15 later, senior Elena Werner scored from the center, extending the Rumson lead to 3-1.
“After being tied after the first half, we had that motivation in the second half to keep going and try even harder,” Arko said. “We had the stamina and athletic ability to keep going and push faster than they could, and we were able to take advantage of that. After scoring that first goal in the second half, we knew we were back in it.”
The Bulldogs scored two more times in the final half, coming from Arko and Werner again. Molyneaux and senior Grace Jamin were credited with two assists each.
.jpg)
“We just said that we needed to take control of this game,” Brewington said about what the message was to her team at halftime. “We needed to come out strong and I think it’s such a testamentto them because it’s such a tough thing to do to beat a team three times in one season, especially a program like Shore. There’s been kind of this rivalry and there’s always more emotion in games like this. It’s a great testament for our girls to come out and stay composed and I think the main thing with us in the second half was to keep that composure, play smart hockey and stay on the attack.”
Shore got on the board first, just 2:50 into the game. Junior Lily Santi set up sophomore Ryan Malfa for a goal on a tap-in from the post. But Rumson scored the equalizer with three minutes remaining in the opening half, as sophomore Meadow Maguire scored on a tap-in from the right post, assisted by Arko.
For Arko and the rest of her senior class, to win the Shore Conference Tournament all four years has been quite an accomplishment.
“It’s been so fun becoming more and more a part of the team each year,” Arko said. My freshman year, I was watching from the sidelines and now to be a part of the team that beat Shore is just so awesome.”
“It’s so special and I think they know what that feels like and they don’t take that for granted and they want to come out and earn it each year,” Brewington added.
- 2023 JSN Awards Finalists Announced - December 18, 2023
- Sunil Sunder Raj Recaps Day One of State Football Finals With OnNJ (VIDEO) - November 27, 2023
- Mental Health and Exercise: Finding Balance in New Jersey's Fast-Paced Life - November 27, 2023
