With another strong pre-season in the books, Randolph, the No. 9 team in the state, opened the season of league play with back-to-back wins, a 3-2 victory @ Sparta on Monday, Sept. 9, and a 5-0 victory over Mount Olive on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
At the start of the Mount Olive game, seniors JoJo Denegri and Kayla Brand led Randolph, with each getting a brace. To round out the scoring in the first half, sophomore Lulu Wenger smashed a shot into the far corners from outside the box on the left side that froze the Mount Olive keeper, ending the first half at 3-0.
“Our team went into this first game knowing expectations were high and was determined to rise to the equation,” Assistant Varsity Coach Matt Horner said. “We did a great job showcasing our depth in a game where every player contributed. We also showed we can control the ball for the majority of the game and score in different ways.”
In the second half of the Mount Olive game, the Rams got off to a slow start, but things heated up with 22 minutes left as junior Reina Daniels drove down the center of the field and fed the ball to sophomore Carly Renna on the wing, who played a ball across the six that Brand shot into the back of the net for her second goal. Thirty seconds later, Denegri made it 5-0 with her second goal.
Senior goalkeeper Kate Sullivan, along with the defensive line—sophomore Amiyah Soto, junior Lauren Kuridza, freshman Macie Wysocki and Wenger—delivered an impressive performance, securing a shutout.
“I think we all did really well and worked together while communicating, which led to lots of goals and also stops on defense,” Brand stated.
The Rams have a strong team of starters who are poised to push the team further than it’s gone in the past. The impressive skills and abilities shined through during the Mount Olive game and may help predict how the team will perform for the rest of the season.
Tune in to watch Girls Soccer play Kearny next, on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m.
