Bridgewater Girls Soccer Captures First Group 4 Title

Written by Mike Dennis

In a battle between Somerset County rivals, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School girls soccer team took on defending Group 4 champion Montgomery Saturday afternoon at The College of New Jersey. 

Behind the strong goalkeeping of senior Casey Murphy the Panthers outlasted the Cougars 1-0 to capture their first State Group 4 title.

Montgomery dominated ball possession and field position for most of the first half but the Panther defense limit the Cougar opportunities. Casey Murphy, the 6-foot, Rutgers-bound Panther keeper was forced to make a leaping fingertip save midway through the first period and senior defender Daniella Greco stopped a shot at the far post to keep the game scoreless after the first 40-minutes.

The Panthers came out in the second half putting a little more pressure on the Cougars and were able to capitalize on their only real opportunity of the game as Daniella Greco was able to head a loose ball into the back of the net in the 53rd minute.

"They stopped the first shot and when the ball came back to me I saw no one in front of me and I was able to get my head on it," said Greco. "That was definitely the biggest goal of my life."

Said Panther head coach Chris Gerber, "I told the team at the half to just get one and Casey will win it for us." 

Commenting on his defense he said "sometimes we may bend but we don't break."

With the 1-0 lead Coach Gerber's words were prophetic as the Panther defense and keeper Murphy made Greco's goal standup for the win. This was the third time this season the Panthers shutout Montgomery as the teams tied 0-0 in their first meeting and the Panthers prevailed 2-0 in the Somerset County semi-finals.