Memorial looks to rebound after SCT defeat

Brick Memorial girls soccer coach Bill Caruso faces a tremendous challenge.

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Left, After making a save, Brick Memorial goalie Amanda Simon watches the ball nearly cross the goal line against Freehold Boro in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals against Neptune Oct. 24. Right, Brick's Bri Fischer (l) and Freehold Boro's Emma Hocker battle for a headball during the SCT semifinals in Neptune. Memorial went on to win the game 2-1 and advance to the finals against Jackson, where they won by the same margin. He's had less than two days to revive his team's morale after a 2-1 loss to Jackson in the Shore Conference Tournament championship on Saturday night before Monday's NJSIAA Tournament opener at home against North Brunswick.

"We were a bit emotionless," said Caruso after his team came up short in its bid for its second Shore Conference Tournament title in three years.

The Mustangs had won their eighth Shore Conference A South title in Caruso's 12 years as head coach, splitting two conference games with Jackson by identical 2-1 scores, but he took the blame for this loss.

"For whatever reason, they outworked us," said Caruso. "As head coach, I have to take responsibility. We were not mentally prepared."

But Caruso said his team, seeded No. 3 in the tournament (Jackson was No. 6) and ranked No. 3 in the Shore, has been consistently playing "real good soccer" down the stretch, raising its level for the state tournament, as it has done throughout Caruso's tenure, including its run to three straight state titles that ended two seasons ago.

"Unfortunately, we did not have a great effort. We need to win 50-50s.

Everything builds from that," said Caruso. Oddly, his 16-3 team that had won

15 of 16 previous games was out-hustled. He said he felt "sure" his team would come

ready to play.

"We spent most of Sunday's practice trying to get our focus back," said Caruso. "In high school sports, you know kids aren't perfect, but they have to respond to adversity."

And it will take a lot of character in a brutally difficult bracket that will take the Mustangs at some point to perennial state power East Brunswick if Brick Memorial continues winning.

Jackson (16-4) was making its first trip to the SCT final and came off a 2-0 semifinal victory over a Red Bank Catholic team that avenged last year's loss when Jackson was the No.1 seed in the tournament. Christina Cuffari tied it in the 21st minute with a direct kick, the only goal allowed by Jackson in the tournament.

Princeton University-bound Kim Menafra decided it at the 60th minute when she planted a direct kick from the right side just inside the far post that eluded goalie Amanda Simon.

"She played great and kept us in the game," said Caruso, who also praised center fullback Jourdan Thompson for playing through a broken nose and fractured cheekbone suffered in the quarterfinals early last week.

Brick Memorial reached the SCT finals with a pair of 2-1 victories over Freehold in the semifinals and Ocean in the quarterfinals, the latter off a goal in the second overtime on a header by a wide-open Alyssa Keating.

The Mustangs prevailed in the semis as Cuffari scored the go-ahead goal in the 69th minute to hand Freehold only its second loss in 18 games. Thompson played with protective eyewear after fracturing her nose and a cheekbone in the quarterfinal game, and she assisted the winning goal when she played a long ball into the box to Cuffari.

"She's such a great kid," said Caruso. "She still played just as tough and physical, even though she knew her situation could get worse at any time when a ball was in the air coming at her."

Freehold scored first on a rebound of a shot that deflected off Mustangs goalie Amanda Simon, and Brick Memorial knew it faced a tough challenge against its defenseminded opponent.

"I was a little concerned [when they scored], but I was pleased with how we were playing," said Caruso.

Keating tied it in the 60th minute when she headed in a cross from Alex Montalto, who has done a yeoman's job filling in full time in the midfield after moving back from forward, where she played last season. Ann McCarthy started the threat when she headed in a corner from Cuffari.

Despite the low quarterfinal score, Brick Memorial pummeled Ocean, 33-6, in shots, and the Mustangs were apprehensive about the game hinging on penalty kicks.

Just like in the semifinal game, Brick Memorial rallied from a 1-0 deficit off a direct kick in the seventh minute. Jordan Downs knotted it at the 58th minute when she took an errant clear out after McCarthy's throw-in into the box. Fullback Jackie Janicky cleared out a dangerous Ocean threat early in the game. Ocean fell to 13-4-2.