Ramsey shuts down Old Tappan
Top-seeded Rams win sectional title in rematch of last year’s sectional semifinal
RAMSEY — Nina Davis buried the goal. Ramsey buried the demons.
The Seton Hall commit scored late in the first half and the second-seeded Rams held on to beat No. 5 Old Tappan, 1-0, on Monday in the North 1, Group 2 girls soccer final.
The Rams brought wave after wave of attack, controlling the tempo with their patience and precision on the ground. Ramsey did not allow a goal in four sectional matches and never came close to conceding in the final.
“It’s really awesome to get another sectional title after we had that twoyear wait,” Davis said. “We’ve been wanting it. We’ve been waiting. Now we finally got it. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The stakes are high in any championship setting, but the matchup with Old Tappan added another layer.
This was a rematch from last year’s semifinal when the Rams lost in cruel and shocking fashion. While the chances and possession time were tilted heavily in Ramsey’s favor, Old Tappan eked out that game in penalties on the way to its first sectional title.
Ramsey coach Drew Strohmeyer said his team has been fighting “tooth and claw” since then to get over the hump.
“I’ve never felt more defeated,” junior centerback Katie Rubin said. “Last year when we played them, I didn’t touch the ball the whole game. It was in their box the whole game. We just couldn’t put it in.”
What it means
Ramsey (17-3) channeled the anger in the best way possible, winning its fourth sectional title in a decade. The Rams rattled off three straight from 2018 to 2020 before enduring a pair of setbacks in the semis.
By returning to the top, Ramsey accomplished the same feat as its boys soccer program only two days earlier.
“The boys come to support us and we come to support them,” Davis said. “It’s just a really good program.”
Davis will need to get through another good program on Thursday to advance to the state final. Ramsey will hit the road to face North 2 champion Hanover Park (16-3-1), which advanced over Madison in a shootout.
“From Day 1, we say we want to be firing from the end of October into November,” Strohmeyer said. “That’s our time of year. We build to that each year. We kept the minutes down with the younger kids during the season.”
Key plays
Ramsey midfielder Sophia Dallara has been racking up assists all season and put the wheels in motion again in the 28th minute. She dribbled around a defender in the left corner, then sent a cross that deflected off two Ramsey players in the box.
Davis watched the play unfold nearby and when the ball rolled to her, the senior crushed a shot to the top right corner for her 22nd goal of the season.
“I think the biggest thing is we possess the ball very well,” Strohmeyer said. “We make the other team chase and as the game goes on, we try to tire out the other team.”
One goal is often enough for Ramsey with Rubin and seniors Alexa Friedland and Sophie Gavalakis patrolling the back line. That proved to be the case again for the No. 1 defense in North Jersey.
“We said no set pieces,” Strohmeyer said. “No corner kicks. That’s their best chance of scoring. The girls followed the gameplan to a tee defensively and offensively they did a great job. We really could have had two more in the second half.”