Lancers Trounce West Orange 5-1 In Tournament Play

There are many ways the Livingston High School girls soccer team can beat you, many Lancers who can make big plays.  Friday afternoon, the Lancers showed just how many ways and quickly in a 5-1 rout of West Orange in a North Jersey, Section I, Group IV tournament game.

Sophomore Clara Scher scored the Lancers' first two goals and senior star Kate Schwindel scored the last two goals and sophomore Kristine Kelly scored between the two to lead the romp.

The Lancers, who raised their record to 19-2, will play the winner of Saturday's game between eighth-seed Ridgewood and top seed and defending sectional champion Morris Knolls. The semifinal game is scheduled for Monday or Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.

Livingston is out to win its first-ever state sectional title.

The outcome of Friday's game was determined early. West Orange keeper Illissa Blackshear made 12 saves, and several other Livingston shot just missed in the first half when the Lancers built a 5-0 lead.

"We just play hard every game, and put our heart into every game we play,'' said Scher, who has 19 goals for the season. "Kate's such a role model. We look up to her. She's what we all strive to be.''

Schwindel has 34 goals, and could have had three more. The Lancers pressed the field, getting one greast run into the West Orange side of the field after another.
"We are a very skilled team, we're a very focused team right now,'' said coach Paul Raiz. "Very determined. The girls are playing great together . They love playing together. We're doing pretty well.''

Scher scored at 34:06 and at 27:00 of the first half. Kelly then drove home a rebound of a Schwindel shot to make it 3-0 at 20:18. Schwindel then scored at 16:15 to make it 4-0 and scored again with 8:07 left in the half.

"It's my least part of coaching when you have blowouts, you have to keep your team ready and prepared. We have to make sure our fitness is there, our game speed. You try to keep them there, but you realize you can work the ball around, communicate and our subs are not a drop off. They kept the pressure on today.''
Freshman Monica Flores and junior Samantha Attermann had the other assists
"We can play all different styles, that's what makes us dangerous,'' Raiz said. "You stop No. 10 (Schwindel), which most teams try to do, you have to stop 11 (Scher) , then you have to stop No. 1 the midfielder who runs everything and then you have the outside middies and outside fullbacks. We can attack from a lot of different angles. We can play against the trap. We just adapt.''

Livinsgton didn't miss a step after clinching its first Super Essex Conference American Division title Thursday by pounding West Essex 6-0. Now they're after a sectional championship.

"We're chugging along,'' Raiz said.