By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
Ever since her first career varsity game more than three years ago, Olivia Capecci had one special milestone in mind: 100 career goals.
She wasted no time getting started, scoring in her debut game as a rookie against Triton back on Sept. 9, 2022.
Fast forward 1,123 days to the present, and the Delsea Regional High senior finally made that goal come to fruition.
Capecci scored her 100th career goal in the 63rd minute as the Crusaders cruised to a 5-1 triumph over Tri-County Conference Liberty Division rival Deptford on Monday.
“It means a lot. I’ve been working really hard since I was young,” Capecci said. “I just remember coming out as a freshman and my main goal was wanting to get 100 goals. To finally get here and to be with the people I love, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Capecci, a Monmouth University commit, is averaging 2.5 goals per game and has 28 goals this fall, which leads the entire Tri-County Conference. She also has 48 career assists, including 10 this season, tied for second on the team. Delsea owns a 9-1-1 overall record with an 6-0 undefeated divisional mark.
“I’m extremely proud of Liv,” Crusaders coach Christian Cortese said. “She does everything the right way. She’s not someone that just only cares about scoring. She loves setting up her teammates and doing everything that’s needed to help the team win. It’s just something that throughout the last four years, she’s done everything the right way to help lead us and herself to this moment. I’m extremely happy for her, and it couldn’t have happened to a better kid.”
It’s often you see players get nervous leading up to a milestone. You can just ask assistant coach Tori Miller, a 2015 Delsea graduate who scored 105 career goals but stalled leading up to her 100-goal mark.
“I think it’s nice to be able to relate to them when they are struggling to kind of get to that point because it is a little nerve-wracking,” Miller said. “I got 97 my senior night, got to 99 and then I was stuck on 99 for a couple games.
“So, I just explained to them how important it is to not really think about (the milestone) too much and just play. It’s just a regular game.”
Capecci scored four goals against Deptford earlier in the season, but it took her until the second half to knock the milestone shot in this time around. She had a few early opportunities that just didn’t convert.
“I wouldn’t say nervous,” Capecci said when asked on how she was feeling leading up to the milestone strike. “I think I was just thinking too much. My mental block is a big part (of the game) a little bit. I just need to get past the mental side of the game sometimes, but once I get past it, I’m good.”
Added Cortese of Capecci: “She’s kind of quiet. Especially when she was younger as a freshman and sophomore. I think really over the last two years, she’s been one of the leaders of the team. When people are feeling stressed or tense, she brings that calmness to everyone.
“She has a special talent. Her work ethic day in and day out. She does everything that she can in practice to help elevate her and her teammates’ game.”
Capecci scored only 13 times her freshman year, making her ultimate goal of reaching 100 an uphill battle from the start. After all, 87 across three seasons is no easy task.
However, Capecci had no doubt.
“Yeah, definitely (thought I could still reach it),” she said. “I was always in my head thinking I could get there if I just work hard. A lot of it was my dad (Mike Capecci) pushing me, because he always saw my potential even when I didn’t.”
That 14-year-old frosh just learning how to play varsity soccer would be proud of the 17-year-old player she’s become.
Now, there’s one thing left for Capecci as Delsea prepares for a deep playoff run in South Jersey Group 3:
“I’m hoping to just keep scoring,” she said. “The main goal is to get as many as I can.”
Delsea girls soccer all-time leading scorers:
Jenn Stephenson, 163 goals, 1994 (Graduation year)
Peyton Gilmore, 113 goals, 2020
Tori Miller, 105 goals, 2014
Olivia Capecci, 100 goals, 2026
