Mendham Girls Soccer Team Eyes State Sectional Crown

MENDHAM, NJ — The Mendham girls soccer team is currently 9-3-3 as it prepares for the state tournament, which begins this week.

Mendham earned the No. 7 seed in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 tournament. The team will face 10th-seeded Millburn in the first round on Nov. 2.

The team started the season with a 6-0-2 record.

“This is a very long season, and the last few weeks have been about coming together more as a team and trying new things to be successful at,” said Mendham head coach Sean Goldsworthy. “We had some noteworthy wins in the beginning of the year that have proven that this team can not only play with anyone but win big games when called upon. We are very excited about the state tournament and making a big run.”

Goldsworthy said the team’s captains have been leading the team all season.

“Our captains have been our true leaders throughout the entire season,” he said. “Angelica Castro-Salazar, Aimee Barsa, Catherine Grasso, and Caroline Buchanan each do a great job to keep the team focused, holding players accountable, creating a fun environment, and creating a family culture.”

Mendham was the top seed in the Morris County Tournament. It defeated Villa Walsh, the 16th-seeded team, 2-0, in the first round on Oct. 3. Mendham lost to the eighth seed, Morristown, 1-0, in the quarterfinal round on Oct. 10.

“That game was very uncharacteristic of our style of play,” Goldsworthy said. “I thought that Morristown deserved to win the game, but we did not play to our full potential. It was a good lesson for the team, and we have learned from it moving forward.”

Goldsworthy said no matter what seed the team received in the state tournament, they would still have to win four games to win the section.

“To be honest, the seeds mean nothing when you get into tournament play,” he said. “We could have been the lower or higher seed, and it would not have mattered. The fact is that in order to win the section, you have to go on a run of four games, and whoever stands in your way is there because they earned it. It takes six games to be a group champion, and everyone in the section has the same chance of being the last team standing.”

He said Millburn will be a tough opponent.

“Millburn is a very good team and very well coached,” Goldsworthy said. “It is going to take a collective effort, executing game plans, and staying disciplined in order to advance.”

Mendham’s first loss of the season came to sister school West Morris, 2-1, on Oct. 5. Its second loss was to Morristown in the Morris County Tournament, and the most recent loss came to Watchung Hills, 3-1, on Oct. 14.