Roadrunners Advance to Region Championship Game

The 2011 GCC Women's Soccer Team. Photos from Tuesday's game can be found on our Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/gccathletics

October 26, 2011 Deptford, NJ

Gloucester County College   1   Middlesex County College 0

A goal by mid fielder Julia Cendejas in the forty first minute, a key save by keeper Lauren Haynes in the eighteenth minute, and a stingy defense, carried the #2 seed Roadrunners to a 1-0 win over the #3 seed Middlesex County College "Colts" and a berth in the NJCAA Region XIX Women's Soccer Finals.  The game will be played this Saturday, October 29, at Ocean County College in Toms River.  Kickoff is at 1:30 PM.  The Roadrunners will face top seeded Ocean County College, a winner in penalty kicks [3-2] over #4 seed Brookdale Community College after the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie after regulation time and two overtimes.

Julia Cendejas' goal at 40:16 of the first half was the only shot the Roadrunners could get past the Middlesex County College goalie despite constant pressure.  The Roadrunners enjoyed a 10-1 advantage in corner kicks, but could not find a way to finish their shots.  Early in the first half GCC Keeper Lauren Haynes made a superb stop on a breakaway by Middlesex's Sarah Barnes to keep the game scoreless.  Gloucester County's stellar defensive unit of Cristina Wright, Missy Trafton, and Becca Gibson kept any advancements by MIddlesex at a minimum, and maintained the shutout.  The old axiom that if the opponent does not score you cannot lose, was in evidence today.

Coach Megan Ruttler's teams have an enviable 16-4 record against Region XIX opponents in the last two years.

Roadrunners Prepare for Region 19 Semifinal
Posted October 23, 2011 Deptford, NJ

Gloucester CC will host the semifinal round of the NJCAA Region 19 Women’s Soccer Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at 3pm. The #2 seeded Roadrunners will face #3 Middlesex CC for a chance to play in the Region Championship Game next Saturday at Ocean CC. The Regional Champion advances to the NJCAA Division III National Championship held in Dryden, NY November 3-6.

GCC earned the home field advantage by winning 8 of 10 NJCAA Region 19 matches during the season. The Roadrunners defeated Cumberland CC on Saturday 1-0 in the first round of the tournament. Sophomore Lyndsay Valentine (GCIT) provided the lone goal in the game.

GCC and Middlesex played once during the season, a 2-0 home win by GCC on October 6^th. Including that game, GCC has won five of their last seven contests. Middlesex has also played well winning four of their last six contests. Valentine scored the first goal of the game against Middlesex on October 6^th and the Laura Rathof (Gateway Regional HS) put the game away when she scored to make it 2-0.

The Roadrunners have played a very difficult schedule this season in hopes of being in top shape for the Region 19 Tournament. In some ways that has worked well preparing them for the physical tournament style but GCC also has had some injuries that could slow them down, losing sophomores Ali Luketina (Clearview Regional HS) and Morgan Hepler (Paul VI HS) to injuries along the way this season. The Roadrunners will look to their stalwart defense to lead the way against Middlesex. Freshman goalie Lauren Haynes (Williamstown HS) has improved steadily over the season and has four good backs in front of her in Cristina Wright (Gloucester Catholic HS), Christiana Unger (OLMA), Missy Trafton (Clearview Regional HS), and Rebecca Gibson (Gateway Regional HS). GCC has allowed one goal or less in eight of their last eleven contests. Middlesex two strikers, Brenna Aiossa and Briana Politi, each boast 15 goals on the season and will be the key players to stop for GCC.

Over the last two seasons GCC has a 15-4-1 record in Region 19 competition under Head Coach Megan Ruttler and has now reached the Region 19 Tournament Semifinal Round each season. Ruttler is also an Admissions Counselor at the college. She is assisted by Julie Chini, a former Head Coach at Glassboro HS.