St. John Vianney girls soccer has returned to power in Shore Conference
October 11, 2024 at 12:00 a.m.
With seven starters returning, Holmdel’s St. John Vianney High School girls soccer team has already surpassed last year’s win total and equaled the 2022 total for victories. And the Lancers are hoping for so much more.
Senior midfielder Milani Thompson has contributed both offensively and defensively to the Lancers cause and will attend Pace University next year. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz
“When these seniors were freshmen, Milani Thompson and Maddie Pieloc were on varsity and we had a successful season that year in terms of Shore Conference and states,” coach Heather Bailey said. “And now we’re saying again, ‘Hey let’s go on a run here.’ We checked off the box to qualify for the Shore Conference (Tournament). We’re able to compete and play with a lot of the high-level teams in the Shore Conference.”
St. John Vianney (9-2-1) qualified for the SCT – which is in its second year of World Cup style play – by winning Group D with a 4-0 record and out-scoring opponents 13-0. It earned a first-round SCT bye and will play the winner of Monday’s Manalapan-Manchester game Oct. 17.
It’s a big step after not even qualifying last year en route to a 7-10-3 record.
“We learned a lot from last year,” said Bailey, who welcomed back 12 seniors after graduating 13 last season. “We were in all of our games. Five of our first six games went into overtime and we were on the wrong end of them. We were competitive in all our games, it just ended up not going our way.
Senior forward Erin Dorr has contributed five goals and four assists to St. John Vianney's 9-2-1 start. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz “I give the girls credit,” she continued. “It was a tough season for sure, but we were able to rebound and do well in states [reaching the sectional semifinals]. I think they learned a lot ... It’s a matter of realizing, as a group, what didn’t go well last year. I think they are very cohesive this year and have been very focused. It’s the maturity for us and everyone doing what we need to do as a team.”
The starting lineup includes a front line of seniors Maddy Marretta, Erin Dorr and Emma Albano. Marretta has seven goals and six assists, while Dorr has five goals and four assists and Albano three goals and two assists.
The high-scoring midfield features freshman Kennedy Wallace, who has “been a big piece for us” with a team-leading eight goals and six assists. Senior Maddy Pieloch, who’s headed for Youngstown State, has seven goals and six assists, Pace University-bound Milani Thompson has a goal and four assists and St. Francis, Pa., recruit Marretta has seven goals and two assists.
Freshman Kennedy Wallace has burst on the scene in a big way as she leads the Lancers in both goals and assists. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz In the back are seniors Thompson and Ashley Cook, junior Ella Weiss and sophomore Maya Plug. Juniors Sofia Donnello and Katie Buffalino split time in goal and have allowed just two goals in the last five games.
Senior Abby Cangelosi is a part-time starter at midfield or in the back, while also seeing time are senior Izzy Stonesifer, junior Caitlin Smith, sophomores Colleen Sulivan and Gianna Cerniglia and freshman Giulianna Goldberg.
It is a team that is sold from front to back, with no weak spots.
“Defensively we’ve been strong and offensively we’ve done a much better job of being able to finish and put the ball in the back of the net, which was a bit of a bugaboo for us last year,” Bailey said. “We’ve been able to play the style we want to play. Playing with energy and effort has been big for us.
“I can’t pinpoint if we’re good here or there. Everyone has their moments at different points. I think we’re strong throughout. When maybe when one is struggling, we have another that can offset them.”
It has not been a surprise for the coach, who had a feeling that good things were coming.
“I thought going into our season we had the ability to have a successful season,” Bailey said. “We had the pieces for sure. It was just a matter of us coming together and playing the way we wanted to play and doing that on a consistent basis.”
Maddy Pieloch, who is headed for Youngstown State next year, has been an offensive force for SJV with seven goals and six assists. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz
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With seven starters returning, Holmdel’s St. John Vianney High School girls soccer team has already surpassed last year’s win total and equaled the 2022 total for victories. And the Lancers are hoping for so much more.
Senior midfielder Milani Thompson has contributed both offensively and defensively to the Lancers cause and will attend Pace University next year. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz
“When these seniors were freshmen, Milani Thompson and Maddie Pieloc were on varsity and we had a successful season that year in terms of Shore Conference and states,” coach Heather Bailey said. “And now we’re saying again, ‘Hey let’s go on a run here.’ We checked off the box to qualify for the Shore Conference (Tournament). We’re able to compete and play with a lot of the high-level teams in the Shore Conference.”
St. John Vianney (9-2-1) qualified for the SCT – which is in its second year of World Cup style play – by winning Group D with a 4-0 record and out-scoring opponents 13-0. It earned a first-round SCT bye and will play the winner of Monday’s Manalapan-Manchester game Oct. 17.
It’s a big step after not even qualifying last year en route to a 7-10-3 record.
“We learned a lot from last year,” said Bailey, who welcomed back 12 seniors after graduating 13 last season. “We were in all of our games. Five of our first six games went into overtime and we were on the wrong end of them. We were competitive in all our games, it just ended up not going our way.
Senior forward Erin Dorr has contributed five goals and four assists to St. John Vianney's 9-2-1 start. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz “I give the girls credit,” she continued. “It was a tough season for sure, but we were able to rebound and do well in states [reaching the sectional semifinals]. I think they learned a lot ... It’s a matter of realizing, as a group, what didn’t go well last year. I think they are very cohesive this year and have been very focused. It’s the maturity for us and everyone doing what we need to do as a team.”
The starting lineup includes a front line of seniors Maddy Marretta, Erin Dorr and Emma Albano. Marretta has seven goals and six assists, while Dorr has five goals and four assists and Albano three goals and two assists.
The high-scoring midfield features freshman Kennedy Wallace, who has “been a big piece for us” with a team-leading eight goals and six assists. Senior Maddy Pieloch, who’s headed for Youngstown State, has seven goals and six assists, Pace University-bound Milani Thompson has a goal and four assists and St. Francis, Pa., recruit Marretta has seven goals and two assists.
Freshman Kennedy Wallace has burst on the scene in a big way as she leads the Lancers in both goals and assists. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz In the back are seniors Thompson and Ashley Cook, junior Ella Weiss and sophomore Maya Plug. Juniors Sofia Donnello and Katie Buffalino split time in goal and have allowed just two goals in the last five games.
Senior Abby Cangelosi is a part-time starter at midfield or in the back, while also seeing time are senior Izzy Stonesifer, junior Caitlin Smith, sophomores Colleen Sulivan and Gianna Cerniglia and freshman Giulianna Goldberg.
It is a team that is sold from front to back, with no weak spots.
“Defensively we’ve been strong and offensively we’ve done a much better job of being able to finish and put the ball in the back of the net, which was a bit of a bugaboo for us last year,” Bailey said. “We’ve been able to play the style we want to play. Playing with energy and effort has been big for us.
“I can’t pinpoint if we’re good here or there. Everyone has their moments at different points. I think we’re strong throughout. When maybe when one is struggling, we have another that can offset them.”
It has not been a surprise for the coach, who had a feeling that good things were coming.
“I thought going into our season we had the ability to have a successful season,” Bailey said. “We had the pieces for sure. It was just a matter of us coming together and playing the way we wanted to play and doing that on a consistent basis.”
Maddy Pieloch, who is headed for Youngstown State next year, has been an offensive force for SJV with seven goals and six assists. Photo courtesy of Steven Wojtowicz