Parsippany Hills senior Paige Restaino, 5'-1" tall, was in the right place and placed a corner kick from Nathalia Gallo-Lopez into the upper right corner with 9:19 to play to account for all the scoring in the Group 2 final at Kean University. Haddonfield keeper Maya Olimpio, had no chance.
If there was ever a team that gave meaning to the clichés "On any given day . . . " and "There's a reason they roll the ball out . . ." it was Parsippany Hills. The Vikings started the season 0-8-1 and was seeded 12th in its section, not expected to survive the first round. They finished with a sub-.500 record but as state champs. Talk about peaking at the right time.
Several Haddonfield parents felt - and I agree - that Haddonfield had a slight edge in the first half and played better in the second half. But as I have often told players I coached, there are no style points in soccer. You have to put the ball in the net more than the other team to win the game. Parsippany did just that this morning.
There is good coverage of the game, including a video clip of the goal, at NJ.COM. And Chris Melchiorre had a good story in Sunday's Inquirer.
Haddonfield certainly had some chances. Bella Nugent made a nice cross from the right in the 6th minute but Vikings keeper, Aytana Muschajew, looking into a bright sun, made the catch. Two minutes later, Nic Green launched a well-placed free kick from 35 yards out but it sailed inches above Madison Bee's head. In the second half Wayden Ay broke through the defense with 13:20 left only to see Muschajew save her shot. A minute after Parsippany scored, Muschajew took the ball off Bee's foot before the Bulldawgs forward could equalize.
Parsippany had its chances as well, including a ball headed over the bar by Restaino before with 17:03 left.
This was Haddonfield's first trip to the state final since 2009 when they beat Mahwah, 2-1 in overtime on Kate Johnston's golden goal. They were 25-1 coming in with the only loss being to Group 4 Lenape in the semi-finals of the South Jersey Coaches Cup. A 25-2 season with the losses in the Coaches Cup semifinal and State Cup final is pretty good in my book. And it took a perfect play by the Vikings with two Haddonfield starters on the bench with injuries to beat them.
"Our girls were ready, we just couldn't find the net. We fought extremely hard," Haddonfield coach Lori Quintavalle said to the Inquirer.
There were a few tears after the game, but as always the Haddonfield girls showed class. When they look back they will realize what a spectacular season they had. And with only one senior starting, the potential for more great things next year is there.
We have not seen the last of this team.
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