DePaul girls soccer shuts out Saddle River Day to win third straight sectional title
WAYNE – It figures in the final home game of their careers, it was a trio of DePaul Catholic seniors who stole the show.
Maggie Blum set the tone and fellow seniors Lexie Kui and Tami Adedeji followed in a 6-0 rout of Saddle River Day on Tuesday in the Non-Public B North girls soccer championship on Alumni Field at DePaul Catholic High School.
It is the Wayne parochial school’s third straight sectional title. They have shut out all three opponents this postseason and have pitched five consecutive shutouts overall.
The win pushes DePaul’s overall record to 17-1, while Saddle River Day ended its campaign with a 10-6-1 mark.
DePaul will face Rutgers Prep on Sunday in the Non-Public B title game at Kean University in a rematch of the 2021 final in which the Spartans won, 4-2. The top seeded Argonauts defeated second seeded Holy Cross Prep, 5-1 on Tuesday in the Non-Public B South title game.
“I’m just so proud of the seniors, all of us. We played amazing today. Honestly, I didn’t realize this was the final time playing on this field until coach Steve [Beneventine] said something to us earlier,” said Blum, who scored three goals. “That’s when it hit me. We ended it in a really good way.”
After opening the scoring just three minutes into the game and following with a second goal minutes later, Blum completed the hat trick in the 42nd minute when she slipped a through ball from Adedeji past SRD goalkeeper Jillian Gomez in front of the box for a 4-0 lead.
Kui put the Spartans up by three in the 37th minute when she blasted a shot from the right side of the field and into the top left corner of the net.
“I’m proud of all of us. We kept building it every year and we just keep getting better and better. The bond just shows on the field,” Kui said. “We’re happy and we’re going to enjoy this one, but we still have work to do. We want to finish the job on Sunday.”
Adedeji made it 5-0 with a goal in the 57th minute and freshman Alexis Kochan completed the scoring with her team-leading 19th goal off a corner kick feed from Blum.
Freshman goalkeeper Ella Guarini needed only one save and was credited with her third win and clean sheet of the tournament.
“I pulled the seniors aside before the game and told them that they’ve had an unbelievable run and that they should enjoy their final game playing on this field and to have some fun,” DePaul coach Steve Beneventine said. “It’s so fitting because Maggie, Tami and Lexie have been such a huge part of this program over the years and in building the team.”
What it means
DePaul has now won the last three Non-Public B North titles going back to the 2019 season.
Last fall the Spartans defeated Morris Catholic, 1-0 in the 2021 North final. There was no tournament in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
DePaul has pitched shutouts in five straight games, outscoring teams 26-0 during the stretch. DePaul received a bye into the quarterfinals where they blanked ninth-seeded Villa Walsh, 6-0 on goals from six different players and followed with a 8-0 win over fifth-seeded Gill St. Bernard’s where eight players found the back of the net.
In six sectional playoff games dating back to last year, the Spartans have shut out every opponent by a 29-0 margin.
So they say
“I’m just so satisfied with the way this team is playing. I could never ask for a better team. We all click so well together. Getting the quick lead was important. It immediately set the tempo and it built our momentum.” – Adedeji.
“I don’t think anyone expected this kind of season after starting this many underclassmen. I didn’t even expect it. It’s about leadership. Without leadership you can’t win. This team doesn’t feel the pressure. They’re a lot of fun to watch.” – Beneventine.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: DePaul girls soccer shuts out Saddle River Day, wins third straight title
