By BRIAN TORTELLA

Correspondent

On X @tortreports

MULLICA HILL — In 2023, the Clearview Regional High girls soccer team had a pair of one-goal losses to Tri-County Conference Royal Division rival Kingsway Regional.

The Pioneers finished with a disappointing 5-10-4 record last year, including six one-score setbacks. 

A lot can change in a year, though, and Tuesday was an eventful day for the Pioneers. Not only did Clearview get some revenge on the Dragons, but they also passed last year’s overall win total with a 1-0 victory over Kingsway.  

“It was awesome,” said Pioneers coach Dan Matozzo. “A conference game, it gives us a chance to maybe win. It’s a Group 4 school, so power points are big, and a win. We needed to beat another good team, and that’s a very good team.

“Look, they hit the crossbar five times. One of those drops, it’s tied. One of those drops, they win. The soccer gods wanted us to win today.”

That they did. Kingsway (6-3-1, 2-2-1 Tri-County Royal) had 14 shots on goal to just eight for Clearview (6-4-1, 2-2-1 Tri-County Royal), but freshman Sienna Maysonet found the net on a shot from 30 yards out in the 45th minute for the game’s lone score.

“Today was a very important conference game for us,” Maysonet said. “Kingsway played a great match and defensively kept us out of their 18 the majority of the game. We were moving the ball well and I had an opportunity to take a shot from 30 yards out and took it, which gave us the 1-0 lead. Our defense ended the game strong, giving up no goals.”

“Also, for me personally, this goal meant a lot, being a freshman and playing a rival,” she continued with a smile. “Helping my team get the win meant everything.”

Said coach Matozzo, “we’ve been begging her to shoot more, so she hit it from a really good distance and it was an awesome shot.”

Maysonet, who has three goals and an assist, isn’t the only underclassman to make noise for the Pioneers though. Sophomore Ava D’Alessandro currently leads the team with six goals. Despite that fact, she credits the whole team for their success. 

“The team’s amazing,” D’Alessandro explained. “We all work really hard together. It’s a big win (against) our biggest rival. Sienna had a great shot. I think we all worked as a team very well to get the win.”

One thing is for certain — if the Pioneers play as a team, they’ll undoubtedly have continued success. Both teams are looking up at Williamstown (3-6-1, 3-1-1 Tri-County Royal) in the division, but Clearview and Kingsway both play the Braves again in the next two weeks, Clearview on Thursday at Williamstown and Kingsway at Williamstown on Oct. 22.  

GAME NOTES: Nora Klase recorded nine saves for Clearview. Mackenzie Barry tallied eight for Kingsway.

Click this link to watch the new ‘Sideline Snippets’ series, where correspondent Brian Tortella hands a Go-Pro video camera stick to players after the game and they talk about the victory:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA4azQ2Sfwx/?igsh=MTcwZnU5c290cW8yOA==

WHAT’S NEXT: Kingsway hosts Riverside on Friday at 4 p.m. Clearview travels to Williamstown on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Contact Brian Tortella: btortreportssj@gmail.com