West Morris gets the best of Mendham in the latest matchup
MENDHAM, N.J. — In their first meeting this year, West Morris and Mendham were stalemated. The two Morris County rivals lived up to expectations. Both teams went scoreless for the first 100 minutes of the game, per NJ.com. However, in their most recent matchup in early October, West Morris seemed to get off to a strong start and were the first to score within the first ten minutes of the game.
The goal definitely set the tone for the upset effort by the Wolfpack. The Minutemen were ranked No. 8 overall in the state of New Jersey, per NJ.com. However, they were handed their first loss of the year regardless of their ranking. The key players from the game were junior Madison Lamb and senior Alex Murawski, each of whom scored a goal in the win for West Morris, 2-1. That win just pushed them forward to be front-runners in the Morris County title race.
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Girls Soccer. West Morris over Mendham 2-1 F
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Goals by Maddie Lamb and Alexa Murawski!📸 https://t.co/ToUjezCJyD via https://t.co/VMVCRhcOPR pic.twitter.com/YHwdAfvfgn
— Morris Sussex Sports (@MorrSussSports) October 6, 2021
“They’re our rivals and we knew we wanted to come out tonight, play our best and get the win,” Lamb said. “Now, we know if we do see them in the championship game that we can beat them. We know how we can play and what we need to do. We have the tools, the coaching and everything we need.”
Lamb capitalized on Mendham’s defense failing to clear the ball in the box in the first half by scoring the first goal of the game. Senior Landry Cammarta also chipped in on the win with an assist that later gave the Wolfpack momentum going forward throughout the game.
While Mendham lost, this was still a hard-fought game and the Minutemen did not cower or fold in the moment of despair. As matter of fact, they answered the Lamb goal in the 22nd minute and evened the score. The scoring machine in junior Sara Brandt drilled a shot past the keeper to keep the Minutemen hopes alive.
At halftime, both teams were all tied up and the momentum was again at a stalemate. Mendham had several chances to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes. They missed a kick that bounced off the post and goalie Maddie Smith for West Morris was able to recover. In close games like this, all the inches and minutes matter in the outcome. The game could have easily gone in Mendham’s favor, however, the same opportunities presented to West Morris were taken advantage of. Within the next ten minutes, a similar situation for West Morris presented itself and was cashed in which gave them the lead.
“You have to make the most of every chance you get because against a team like Mendham, you’re not going to get that many,” Lamb said. “When one comes across, you just have to take your time, finish and hit low corners because their goalie is really good.”
All in all, it was Mendham’s first time being bested by anyone all year, which seemed a bit odd considering that they defeated powerhouses Montclair and Scotch Plains-Fanwood. This win was also a huge statement for West Morris who have their eyes set on the county championship going forward.
“It was great to get momentum going and it’s great to have trust in everyone,” Murawski said. “We know every girl on this team can shoot it, pass it and make plays. We know we’re not going to screw it up. Hopefully, we piggyback off this win and keep our spirits high.”
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