DiPaolo's Goal Sends Sky Blue to Victory over Wildcats
DiPaolo scored her first goal of the season
Robyn McNeil
Defense ruled again for Jersey Sky Blue as the stingy Northeast Division playoff contender registered its third straight shutout to claim a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Wildcats in a battle between intrastate rivals at Paul VI High School. Tricia DiPaolo headed in the only goal of the game as Sky Blue extended its winning streak to a season-high three games.
Jillian Loyden posted three saves to claim the shutout in goal – her fourth of the season. Sky Blue heads into its midseason break with a 6-2-1 record and hopes for a second straight berth in the Northeast Division playoffs. The loss virtually ended any chances the Wildcats had for making the playoffs dropping them to 2-5-1.
Following the win over the Wildcats, Sky Blue is off from W-League play for 11 days. The next scheduled game is on July 6th when Sky Blue travels to face the New York Magic at Iona College. Sky Blue battled the Magic to a 0-0 tie in the first meeting between the two teams in a match that was abandoned in the 72nd minute due to lightning.
DiPaolo’s goal marked a triumphant return from a torn ACL suffered last fall in the first half of the first game of her freshman season at Rutgers University. The feisty forward marked her return to competitive soccer with two appearances on Sky Blue’s trip to Virginia this past weekend and the goal was her first of the season.
DiPaolo came up with the game-winning goal in the 56th minute to provide Sky Blue with all the scoring it needed. Sarra Moller started the play on the right sending Taylor Walsh up the right wing. Walsh, who scored a goal in each of the games in Virginia, provided the assist this time whipping a right-footed cross that DiPaolo beat a defender to and headed into the left side of the goal from 10 yards out past an outstretched Wildcats keeper Liz Cook.
In the first half, Sky Blue created the first two good opportunities of the game with back-to-back corner kicks in the seventh minute. Gina DeMaio served the ball in from the right on the first and Daniela Molina sent a header toward the left post that was cleared off the line up and over the bar by Kimmy Lisun. On the following corner kick from the left, Bonnie Young snapped a strong header just wide of the left post.
Loyden had a solid, clean performance throughout and she was sharp on a through ball in the 16th minute diving at the feet of Ashley Jones to prevent an opportunity.
Sky Blue avoided disaster in the 26th minute when the referee turned down an opportunity to call a penalty kick for the Wildcats. Jones flew past defender Jaime Komar up the right side and after she carried into the box, Komar’s awkward challenge sent Jones flying but the referee ruled play on.
The only other good chance of the opening 45 minutes came from Domenique Esposito, who connected on a long cross by Molina but fired inches over the bar.
Following the goal by DiPaolo, the Wildcats had the two best chances the rest of the way. In the 77th minute, Jill Camburn was played in behind but Loyden came out aggressively to challenge the shot and the Wildcats forward shot over the goal from 12 yards out.
The Wildcats had a last gasp effort in stoppage time as Chelsea Regan ended up on the end of a cross to the left of the goal but her lefty volley from 10 yards wasn’t struck well and rolled slowly across the goalmouth for Loyden to retrieve.
|
June 24, 2008 - Paul VI High School |
1 |
2 |
- |
F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey Sky Blue (6-2-1) | 0 | 1 | - | 1 |
| New Jersey Wildcats (2-5-1) | 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
LINEUPS
JERSEY SKY BLUE: Jillian Loyden, Kim Brandão, Bonnie Young (Lauren Ebert 15, Christy Zwolski 66), Jaime Komar, Kelly Eagan, Marisa Brown, Gina DeMaio, Tricia DiPaolo, Taylor Walsh (Amélie Mercier 80), Domenique Esposito (Sarra Moller 55), Daniela Molina (Kim Bonilla 45).
NEW JERSEY WILDCATS: Liz Cook, Ali Kliment, Amanda Wheeler, Lissette Brandão, Chelsea Regan, Lisa Chinn, Michelle Verzi (Morgan Golden 75), Amy Hoyer, Kim Lison, Cori Bildstein (Kara Lang 57), Esmeralda Negron (Ashley Jones 8, Jill Camburn 65).
GOALS
JSB: DiPaolo (Walsh) 56th minute
STATISTICS
SHOTS
JSB: 5; NJW 4
SAVES
JSB: Loyden 3; NJW: Cook 1
FOULS
JSB: 6; NJW: 5
OFFSIDES
JSB: 0; NJW: 1
CORNERS
JSB: 2; NJW: 1
GAME INFO
CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS
JSB: DeMaio (caution) 41st minute
JSB: Brandão (caution) 64th minute
REFEREE
Dan Caron
ASSISTANTS
Viktor Dombrovsky
Matt Parisi
ATTENDANCE
488