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In a season where they managed so many times to pull out one-goal victories, the Lakeland girls' soccer team finally ended up on the wrong side of such a game. Unfortunately, their 1-0 defeat to Ramapo in the North Jersey Section 1, Group III final writes an end to the best girls' soccer season in school sports history.
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Ramapo dominated the first half of this contest, and could well have had more than the single goal they scored, which came off the foot of Janelle Biagini. Lancers' goalie Jessica Janosz had a couple of tremendous saves, and the Green Raiders also missed some good opportunities.
Lakeland had just one real chance before halftime, but they almost converted as the shot by Kristi Hegel hit the post. Early in the second half the Lancers came close again, this time denied by the crossbar on a sharp-angle shot by Lyndsey Capozzi.
The second half was more evenly contested, with each team creating opportunities even as the field conditions deteriorated. But Lakeland could never get the goal that so often came in other games this year. Ramapo managed to prevent any great chances in the final minutes and held on to capture the sectional title.
Lakeland's season ends at 20-1-2. Coach Paul Wood said it was without doubt the best Lancers girls' soccer team ever, and credited their hard work. "You ask a team not to come home with anything left in the tank," he said. "They did that every single game for 23 games." While they came up short of the sectional crown, the Lancers did earn the Passaic County soccer title and the Northern Hills Conference-Suburban Division championship and proved themselves one of the best teams in North Jersey. --Paul Mencher for Jersey Sports Now
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