(Central New Jersey) May 19, 2024—Real Central NJ (RCNJ) drew with West-Mont United (WMU) 2-2 in their home opener at Rider University, an evenly matched game throughout. The RCNJ women seemed comfortable in their first outing together and left a solid first performance on the pitch. The player of the match was winger and goal scorer Victoria D’Imperio.
“It was a back-and-forth game with a score that reflected quality play by both sides. It was a competitive game, everyone played well, and there are a lot of positives to build from as we prepare for Delaware,” Coach Jamie Skarupsky said post-game. “We’ll focus on our mid-field build-up this week, increased possession, and being comfortable playing freely.”
Coach Kim Maurer added, “It was an exciting first game and a great opportunity for this group to get experience playing together and beginning to gel as a team. It’s exciting to see so many talented players competing for the club. It was a very good match against a very good team, exactly the competitive environment we are looking for in WPSL match-ups.”
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
WMU﹘Sophia Muetterties 13th minute: Muetterties scored a tap-in off of a cross in the middle of the box RCNJ 0, WMU 1
RCNJ﹘Victoria D’Imperio (Kaylin Johnston) 15th minute: D’Imperio dribbled around a couple of defenders following a long ball from Johnston and slotted a goal from within the box. RCNJ 1, WMU 1
RCNJ﹘Bella Miller (Jade Vieria) 26th minute: After receiving a ball over the top of the defenders from Vieria, Miller took a shot that bounced off the far post and into the net. RCNJ 2, WMU 1
WMU﹘Sophia Muetterties 59th minute: Muetterties found an opening in the defense and took a shot outside the penalty box that found the back of the net. RCNJ 2, WMU 2
The Real Central NJ home opener started fast, as West-Mont United found themselves on the board first off a tap-in goal in the thirteenth minute of the match. The goal came off a corner that found the middle of the box and dribbled its way into the foot of a West-Mont United player inside the keeper's box to give them a 1-0 lead early on.
RCNJ wasted no time in getting the goal back in the fifteenth minute. Victoria D'Imperio received a beautiful long ball from Kaylin Johnston and worked her magic. She cut in past two defenders and calmly placed a shot past the keeper to tie the match up at 1-1.
Real Central NJ quickly struck again in the twenty-sixth minute. Bella Miller scored a beautiful goal after receiving a nice over-the-top ball from Jade Viera and ripping one off the far post and in the back of the net to give RCNJ the go-ahead goal at 2-1.
In the forty-second minute, West-Mont United’s offense showed its first signs of life since its goal in the thirteenth minute. Their attackers managed to get through RCNJ's back line and take a shot on target that was saved by RCNJ’s keeper, Carleigh Robinson.
West-Mont United looked like a completely different team in the second half, attacking much more often. The first look at their second-half tactics came in the fifty-sixth minute when they let off a scorcher from beyond the eighteen, but it was no match for Carleigh Robinson, who made a spectacular diving save to prevent the tying goal.
But that preventative action did not last long, as West-Mont managed to take one back in the sixtieth minute with a shot from just inside the penalty box to even the match back up at 2-2.
That didn’t stop RCNJ, though, as they continued to push the pace. In the sixty-ninth minute, Victoria D’Imperio had an opportunity to take the lead; however, her shot was just high and deflected off the crossbar. Their last chance at a goal came from Phoebe Merrigan in the eighty-third minute as she took a difficult shot from inside the box, but the West-Mont keeper managed to get her glove on it.
West-Mont also had one more chance in the eighty-seventh minute; however, their shot soared just high off the crossbar, ending the match at a 2-2 draw.
“Defensively, I thought our group played really well,” Coach Ben Chrnelich said following the 2–2 draw. “They attacked out of the back, played composed against a high-speed West-Mont attack and successfully handled a lot of direct pressure. Great first night.”
The RCNJ Women play next against the Delaware Ospreys at home on Friday, May 24, 2024, at Ben Cohen Field at Rider University. Purchase Match-day tickets and season passes on the Real Central NJ Soccer website.
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