Jaguars meet Braves for CJIV soccer title

The Jackson Memorial High School girls soccer team was explosive in the early rounds of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV tournament, but the Jaguars switched gears on Nov. 9 when their defensive pressure highlighted a 1-0 victory over East Brunswick in the sectional semifinals.

Jackson Memorial High School's Ariana Smith (10) and East Brunswick's Cassie Riccio battle for a loose ball during a Central Jersey Group IV state sectional tournament semifinal match on Nov. 9 in East Brunswick. The Jaguars defeated the Bears 1-0 on a goal by Dana Costello to advance to the Nov. 12 sectional championship game against Manalapan High School. The No. 3 seed Jaguars defeated the No. 2 seed Bears in East Brunswick, Middlesex County, on a goal by Dana Costello in the 68th minute.

Jackson Memorial (20-3) will host Manalapan (12-5-1) in the Central Jersey Group IV championship game at 2 p.m. today, Nov. 12.

Manalapan, the No. 8 seed, defeated Steinert, the No. 5 seed, 2-0, in the other semifinal match on Nov. 9. The Braves scored twice in the first eight minutes and never looked back.

Speaking about the win over East Brunswick, Costello said, "We played very well defensively, but did not get into it on offense too much."

Costello's 26th goal of the 2009 season, the 52nd goal of her career, gave the Jaguars all the offense they would need against the Bears. Freshman goalie Sydney Lavan preserved the shutout against the No. 4 team in the state.

"We'll definitely play better on offense on (Nov. 12). Coming home is a big advantage for us," said Costello.

Costello called the goal she scored in the semifinal match a "team goal" because many players were pushing forward and putting stress on the East Brunswick defense.

Nicole Sullivan touched the ball to Costello at the top of the 18 and she beat a defender and carried it into box where she unleashed a low liner from six yards out on the left that beat the East Brunswick goalie to the near post.

It was only the second loss this season for East Brunswick (21-2) and the sixth goal in three state tournament games for Costello.

"We played pretty good defense today against a good offensive team," said Jaguars Coach Drew Gibson. "It was not our best game. We did not get the offense we wanted, but we played very hard."

Lavan made some sharp saves and sweeper Kim Clemmer kept things composed on the back line, while Ariana Smith headed away a dangerous threat with 6:00 to play.

Kelly Folk, who drew praise from Gibson for her sharp, aggressive play at forward alongside Costello, felt the team would be able to get rolling on offense in the sectional final.

"We are very dangerous up top and that's what teams have to work for. We are fast and physical," said Folk.

Jackson Memorial started its state tournament surge with a 6-1 victory over Sayreville War Memorial High School and a 4-2 triumph over Freehold Township, with Costello scoring half of the goals. Dani Andreas made solid plays in the midfield in those games.

Costello and Maura Peters scored two each in the first half against Sayreville when Jackson Memorial took a 4-0 lead.

Costello scored the hat trick against Freehold Township, including the gametying goal in the 27th minute that knotted it at 2-2 at halftime, before Folk (12 goals in 2009) hit the go-ahead goal with 13:00 to play and Lavan made it stand up in goal.

"She's been playing very good with really nice saves," Gibson said of Lavan. "She has made a couple of freshmen mistakes which you can expect from a young player, but overall she has been doing a really good job."