Skarupsky, Robbinsville stop North

PLAINSBORO » Given the way the Robbinsville High girls soccer team likes to play, goalkeeper Jamie Skarupsky knows she has to be aggressive coming off her line.

That’s exactly what the situation called for with time winding down and the Ravens clinging to a one-goal advantage.

Skarupsky made a huge save with 2:35 remaining and Robbinsville secured a 2-1 victory over West Windsor-Plainsboro North in Colonial Valley Conference action on Thursday afternoon.

“My coach always tells me to play high off my line if the defense is going to step and pull the offside trap,” Skarupsky said. “I know I have to be aggressive off my line and be mobile and be able to get the ball when my defense misses it.”

The senior shot stopper has been an impressive form since backstopping the Ravens’ run to a sectional title last season. She’s since committed to Old Dominion University and kept a cleansheet in four of Robbinsville’s seven games.

“I’m just trying to get shutouts, so I can boost my self confidence when we get to tournament time,” said Skarupsky after finishing with five saves. “All I know is I have to play aggressive and get the ball.”

Alecia Holden and Sophie Langsdorf scored firsthalf goals for the Ravens (5-1-1) and the back four of Clare Herrera, Macie Renner, Sarah Mazalewski and Cailyn Gallagher moved well as a unit to catch the Knights offside seven times.

“I’ve gotten them to kind of share a brain, which is nice,” first-year coach Caitlyn Curran said. “It’s something that we’ve put a lot of work into. It doesn’t come naturally, but they work hard to keep it that way.”

North (4-4-1), which had been unbeaten in five of its last six games, solved the offside trap early in the second half when leading scorer Jillian Pelosi got behind the defense and calmly slotted home a rebound after Skarupsky stopped the initial effort.

“We talked looking across the line at halftime, we talked about sitting on the inside shoulder of the (defender) to stay onside, but we have to do a better job of that,” Knights coach Darron Brown said. “I give all credit to them. They played a high line and their two center backs I’ve worked with before and they’re really talented players. They were able to compensate when we got past them. Their center backs were able to track down or break up our attack.”

The second time Pelosi beat the offside trap, Skarupsky raced off her line and saved the victory.

“I don’t know what I would do without her,” Curran said. “She has really kept us in every game because they all have been close ... it’s been a help and we may not come out with a ‘W’ without her.”

Holden put Robbinsville ahead in the eight minute when she side-footed a pass from Kamryn Diel into the bottom corner. Langsdorf doubled the advantage in the 31st when she got her body behind Renner’s corner and forced the ball over the line.

“We’re hoping to carry this momentum into next week, which is going to be a pretty tough week for us with Ewing, Allentown and Hopewell,” Curran said. “I knew coming into North that they could score goals, they’re definitely a goal-scoring team, so I knew we had to get on top first in order to be successful.”

Robbinsville (5-1-1) WW-PN (4-4-1) Goals — 2 0 — 2 0 1—1

Holden, Langsdorf (R). Pelosi (WWN).

Assists —

(WWN).

Shots — Saves —

(WWN).

KamDiel, Renner (R). Vogel 10 (R). 7 (WWN). Skarupsky 5 (R). Pehnke 6