Labinger's Lone Goal Leads Lady Huskies to First Sectional Title

It wasn't a high-scoring game, but in the Central Jersey Group III final, one goal was enough to crown a champion.

Rebecca Labinger took a pass in the 25th minute, and slid it past Freehold Boro keeper Sara Cobb for the game's only goal, giving the seventh-seeded Matawan Regional the 1-0 edge over fourth-seeded Freehold Boro, Thursday afternoon at Freehold Boro high school.

After the pass bounced over a Colonials' defender, Labinger skipped the ball to the far post.

"It was really just a little bit of a break," Matawan Regional head coach Ken McCabe said, "The through-ball took a nice bounce and Rebecca Labinger was able to run onto it and finish. It was a great job."

Despite the Colonials out-chancing the Huskies throughout the game, Matawan Regional stood tall, helping Labingers goal stand for the 1-0 win.

"It was really a great team effort and team defending,"McCabe said, "Playing together as a group and as a team is what we've been stressing and everyone playing for each other. That's what it was."

The Colonials had a flurry of chances mid-way through the first half, with three corners in as many minutes, but Huskies keeper Karen David stood her ground, pushing away every chance Freehold Boro came up with.

Boro's best chance came in the 36th minute, off Casey Coyle's free kick. The ball bounces around inside the 18-yard-box before Matawan Regional was able to clear the ball.

Later, in the 40th minute, Karlie Korz' corner kick was blasted high by a joint header from Colonials' players, as Matawan Regional escaped another bullet.

"That's the way the ball bounces," Freehold Boro head coach Elyse Ingui said, "Some days you can put seven away and some days it's just not going to come for you."

Korz opened the second half with a diving header, but it was knocked away by David in the 42nd minute.

Later, Elizabeth Campbell sent a ball across the 18-yard-box, but no one for the Colonials could find the ball, and David came up with the save.

Cori Ahde provided Freehold Boro with a late chance, heading the ball towards the near post, but David ranged over and made the save in the 74th minute.

The win is the first sectional title for Matawan Regional, who had drawn tremendous support from the school and students throughout their playoff run.

"Our support for this team from the school, the administration and the fans -- especially the last game that we had the entire school coming out -- it's just been great. For Matawan soccer, for years we were down and for these group of girls to come back and finally win it all is a testement to them."

"We had a fabulous year. I feel terribly for these girls because they deserved that game," Ingui said.