Ridge Girls Soccer Grabs Another Victory
The Red Devils girls soccer team scores a goal in each half and outshoots the Franklin Warriors 18-5.
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Ridge senior midfielder Stephanie Campo battles Franklin's Rachel Chavkin for the ball Thursday. Two goals by the Ridge girls took the game from Franklin, 2-0, at an away game.
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Junior defender Nicole Bates scored a goal and assisted on another Thursday and the Ridge High School girls soccer team held Franklin to just two shots on goal to claim a 2-0 victory in Somerset.
| 1st | 2nd | FINAL | |
| Ridge (4-2) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Franklin (4-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
GOALS: Bates (from McWhorter), Rijo (from Bates)
SAVES: R — Axt 2; F —Chiarello 11
IN SHORT
Bates snapped a scoreless tie with 4:07 left in the first half when she settled a Kelly McWhorter corner kick inside the box and headed it past Franklin keeper Gina Chiarello to give the Red Devils a 1-0 lead.
The junior was in on the second goal, as well, as she headed a Stephanie Campos corner kick inside to classmate Andrea Rijo, and the midfielder knocked it in with 17:41 left in regulation to provide the final margin.
Junior keeper Rachel Axt was tested only twice, stopping both Warriors shots on goal — one in each half. In all, Ridge’s new flat-back 4 defense allowed just five shots to Franklin, while the Red Devils generated 18 shots, including 13 on goal.
RED DEVIL OF THE GAME
Nicole Bates — The junior outside back tallied her first goal since her freshman season and later assisted on Ridge’s second tally.
OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES
Jenny Haskel — The freshman was key in the center of the defense Thursday, organizing the line and disrupting the Franklin attack, as the Red Devils held the Warriors to just two shots on goal and posted their second straight shutout.
Andrea Rijo — The junior gave the Red Devils a 2-0 advantage midway through the second half, knocking in a header from Bates.
Kelly McWhorter — The sophomore beautifully served a corner kick into the box where Bates was waiting and it resulted in Ridge’s first goal, just before halftime.
THEY SAID IT
“We say all the time that we’re a team that plays and responds better once we have that confidence. For the players to get two in a row like this is a good start.” — Ridge coach Katie Donahue on her team building on Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over powerhouse Bridgewater-Raritan, especially after last week’s shocking overtime loss to Hillsborough.
“By going to the flat-back 4 I feel like we’re more comfortable back there and it’s working for us.” — Junior defender Nicole Bates on the Red Devils new defensive alignment. Ridge started the season in a 3-4-3 set.
UP NEXT — Watchung Hills: The Red Devils will play host to their northeast Somerset County neighbors at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lee Field.
