OCEAN CITY – “Playoff soccer is something special,” Ocean City head coach Kelly Halliday said after her Red Raiders secured a win in the teams’ opening round playoff game in an instant classic against rival Mainland Nov. 3.
In the Group III South Jersey tournament, Mainland came back from down 2-0 to tie it up at the end of regulation and force a penalty kick shootout. In penalties, the Raiders made all four of their kicks to shut the door on Mainland’s comeback and win 3-2. It was the fourth meeting between the teams with Ocean City coming out on top in three of the games.
“I told our team this game was going to be different from the other three,” Halliday said. “I don’t know how else it can be different with it obviously ending in penalty kicks. It was a really good game from both sides with Mainland being a huge rivalry game for us. I was happy we came out on top.”
Each team had a perfect three-for-three start to penalty kicks but after a Mustang shot sailed just over the crossbar on their fourth attempt, the door was open for Ocean City to take the game.
In her first game back in the lineup after a two-week injury, senior Emma Vince was sent up to shoot. She delivered a strike.
“I was the last one to take PKs, and it was just a great feeling in my senior year,” Vince said. “It just feels so good and beating Mainland, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Vince’s goal set up one last chance for Mainland to keep the game going but Raider goalkeeper Madi Adams stepped up in her first ever experience in penalty kicks.
Asked about what she felt as she got ready for the fifth shot of penalties. Adams said, “I felt like it was the end and if I make it we win right now.”
Adams got a great read on the shot and caught it while still on the turf. By the time she stood up from the ground the entire Raider team that was waiting at midfield already surrounded her in the goal.
“I love playing Mainland and we’ve had so many competitions versus them and I feel this one was just so much different because how much was on the line,” Adams said. “A game like this leading into PKs is insane.”
“Penalty kicks are a part of soccer and we practice them, but you can’t recreate that pressure as a kicker or as a goalie,” Halliday said. “I’m very proud of my kickers and of our goalie and I told Madi if you save one we’re going to have a chance to win, and she just came up big time.”
Ocean City’s offense looked unstoppable in the first 15 minutes of the game with two quick goals by Hudson Scola and Lily Tedesco. Tedesco’s goal was created off a great corner kick by Madelyn Putz that centered the ball for Tedesco to head for a fast 2-0 lead.
Mainland, however, proved to still be dangerous in this position after the Mustangs came back from a 3-1 first-half deficit to beat the Raiders 4-3 in regulation Sept. 30. The Mustangs leaned on star senior Emma Tenaglia for a three-goal second half in that game and needed her to help lead another comeback against the rival Raiders.
Tenaglia went to work almost immediately after Ocean City’s second goal. She took control of the ball right past midfield and carved her way right through the defense. Mainland’s leading goal scorer weaved her way to the goal and scored off a shot to the opposite side of the net.
It was Tenaglia’s 21st goal of the season which tied her career record of single season goals. She wrapped up her time as a Mustang with 64 career goals and 146 points.
Mainland continued to force the issue on offense with continued possessions in the plus side of the field. Saves by Adams and Mustang goalie Riley Townsend kept the score at 2-1 but eventually the Mustang offense broke through with sophomore Nola Person.
Person was involved in a jumble full of players directly in front of the Ocean City goal trying to kick the ball free from a sea of legs. Eventually the ball harmlessly popped out of the pile and rolled towards the net. Person finished off the play with a strike into the corner to tie the game with 11 minutes remaining in regulation.
An extra 20 minutes of time was put on the clock for either team to score a golden goal and end it immediately. Neither team was able, setting up the penalty kicks.
Mainland finished its season with a 10-8-1 record and good showing from underclassmen such as Person who are just getting started. Person and Tessa Camac were two standout sophomores for the Mustangs this season and they have junior Maddie McBride, who was second on the team in goals behind Tenaglia.
The Raiders earned themselves another playoff game in the sectional quarterfinals three days later against No. 2 seed Central Regional High School. Central Regional (16-3-2) has been one of the best teams around and proved it with a 6-0 win over the Raiders on Nov. 6, ending Ocean City’s season with a solid 14-7 record.
– STORY by WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
