Despite a loss for the Glen Rock girls soccer team, Glen Rock managed to hold the #2 seeded Hawthorne to one goal in the high-stakes semifinal round of the NJSIAA tournament on Nov. 9. The 1-0 loss for Glen Rock brings an end to one of their strongest seasons yet. 

The lone goal of the game was scored by sophomore Tiffany Vargas of Hawthorne and assisted by Brianna Andreoli, the leading point scorer for Hawthorne with 36 goals and 12 assists. With only a handful of shots on goals from both sides, the goal came as a surprise with only two minutes left in the first half. Following traffic in front of the net, Vargas managed to tip the ball past Glen Rock’s goalie, senior Sophia Pappalardo. 

Glen Rock met Hawthorne’s solid offensive play with strong defense. Pappalardo made crucial saves throughout the game, preventing Hawthorne’s notorious offensive point scorers from scoring multiple goals. Pappalardo made a total of 10 saves. 

Hawthorne’s goalie, senior Gabriella Del Valle earned a shutout against Glen Rock’s efforts to score a goal with a total of eight saves. Glen Rock had multiple scoring opportunities — key players who have led Glen Rock in goals and assists such as freshmen Nicole Crane, sophomore Ryan Doyle, and junior Stella Traphagen had several offensive attempts at goals. 

Glen Rock and Hawthorne both boast impressive records in the 2021-2022 season; prior to the game, Glen Rock held a 16-3-1 record and Hawthorne, a 17-2 record. Within the first two rounds of the NJSIAA tournament, Glen Rock won 6-1 against Midland Park and 2-1 against Park Ridge while Hawthorne won 9-1 against Hopatcong and 2-0 against Kittatinny. 

Glen Rock and Hawthorne had been matched up twice before the semifinal game and have proven to be tough opponents for each other. On Sept. 9, Hawthorne handed Glen Rock their first loss of the season with a 2-0 shutout game. At their second meetup on Oct. 22, Glen Rock handed Hawthorne their first loss of the season in a 3-1 match.  

Glen Rock’s 2021-2022 season will come to an end following the loss and Hawthorne will continue on to the NJSIAA finals against Mountain Lake.