CLARK, NJ- Two undefeated teams that stood on top of the Union County Conference Mountain Division squared off Thursday afternoon in Clark, looking to keep their record unbeaten and to make a statement. Throughout the game, both teams proved why they both got off to the hot starts that they have.
For the Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders, a team who’s relied heavily on their stout defense on the field, which not only has carried them to wins not just this season, but during last year as well. They were put to the test against the Elizabeth High School Minutemen, who generated pressure at several areas of the field with their speed and scoring chances.
The Crusaders knew they were going to have to match the Minutemen in those areas and were up for the test.
“They had three forwards, so we had three defenders on them,” Johnson junior Lily Gull said. “We tried to stay with them. Jackie got them behind us [in net].”
It took one moment to turn that scoreless battle into a one-goal game. With the Crusaders driving into the Minutemen zone, Elizabeth was called for a handball in the net area, rewarding Johnson with a penalty kick. Senior Cecilia Puentes took the attempt and cashed in, banking home the shot to give her team the 1-0 lead at 25:15 of the first half.
It would be the lone highlight of offense as the Crusaders defeated the Minutemen 1-0 in a conference matchup. Although Johnson had the lead, Elizabeth continued battling and it got physical as the afternoon went along. There was a total of around 19 free kicks, with seven of them going to Johnson.
“[Elizabeth was] very strong. Both teams were undefeated and going at it really hard,” Puentes said. “Natalya [Torres] and I knew that we had to play together. We kept trying to find through with the ball, attacking the goalie from the left and right sides straight on.”
Full Coverage of Johnson Girls Varsity Soccer Win over Elizabeth HS Here
