Losing three of your first four matches to can be a deflating experience to begin a new school year.
This is especially true in a situation where these losses not only are to three of New Jersey’s top-ranked high school teams from nonpublic powerhouses – not only even factoring in the Garden State’s top squad, but also including No. 1 team in the entire country.
On top of this, what if all three of these teams are also in your local division you were promoted up to because of how successful you were the previous season
Silver lining and good problems to have if you are the Bridgewater-Raritan High School girls’ soccer team.
After a crushing one-to-nil defeat in last season’s state sectional finals to eventual Group 4 state champion Westfield High School, the Panthers concluded a successful campaign with a 16-5-1 record: their best mark in six years. Their overall performance vaulted them up from the Skyland Conference Raritan Division all the way up to the Skyland Conference Delaware Division, which consists of three public Group 4 high schools in Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, and Hillsborough High School.
This also includes three nonpublic schools from Somerset County alone: Immaculata High School (ranked No. 12 in New Jersey), Pingry School (ranked No. 9 in New Jersey), and the United States’ top-ranked girls’ soccer team in Rutgers Preparatory School (ranked No. 1 in New Jersey).
Although it is not even midway through September, the Panthers have already squared off against each of these three teams over a grueling eight-day stretch after the conclusion of the first week of school. They may have come up empty in the standings, but Bridgewater-Raritan still produced strong performances in defeat under the guidance of head coach Sean Casey and his coaching staff.
For their perseverance, the battle-tested Panthers were rewarded against visiting Montgomery High School on Monday evening, September 15.
Anchored by its elite returning backfield rounded out by sophomore goalkeeper Brooke Engstrom (six saves), Bridgewater-Raritan (2-3) successfully extended its shutout streak against opponents from public high schools to begin the 2025 season. To complement three different players each scoring one goal on a Panthers’ offense that continued to blossom over the match’s 80 minutes of regulation, the Panthers’ defense only conceded eight shots by Montgomery (4-2) en route to a 3-0 shutout victory in Bridgewater.
“After losing [2-0 at Immaculata, 2-1 at Pingry, and 4-0 at Rutgers Prep], we felt that this was a team we would be able to dominate more,” explained of Monday evening’s victory by Bridgewater-Raritan senior Hayden Tormasi (one goal, one assist), who serves as a tri-captain for the Panthers with fellow seniors Reese Reimann (two assists) and Kayla Davidson. “We were able to play around them a little bit easier. Our offense was able to work together, and everyone got more comfortable.”
“After we scored one goal, we kept going and pushing at it.”
For a team like Bridgewater-Raritan that surrendered just 19 total goals in 21 matches last season, one goal scored on offense is usually enough to win many contests.
Two goals, three goals, or more goals?
A mission that is near impossible for anyone facing this type of deficit.
Hidden within the Panthers’ start to the season was a dominating four-to-nil triumph in their season opener over division rival Hunterdon Central. Even though this was their lone victory heading into Monday evening, this was Bridgewater-Raritan’s first time winning against the Red Devils since that aforementioned 2018 season, when the Panthers posted a 20-2-1 after falling to Eastern Regional High School, 1-0, in that season’s Group 4 state championship match.
While the Somerset County Girls’ Soccer Tournament includes both of the county’s nonpublic and public schools, they are split up within their respective brackets of the NJSIAA Tournament, but Bridgewater-Raritan is only a few seasons removed from winning four straight Somerset County Tournament crowns (2017-22). For these reasons, dominating 4-0 and 3-0 victories over fellow Group 4 contenders like Hunterdon Central and Montgomery, respectively, will bode well in the long run for the Panthers.
Consistent with the old saying: “If you want to be the best, then you have to play the best,” Bridgewater-Raritan has taken that message seriously out of the gate.
“Playing the [Skyland Conference Delaware Division’s] three nonpublic teams in a row all in one week was very challenging,” Tormasi went on to reflect on the Panthers launching their two-match, regular-season series against Immaculata, Pingry, and Rutgers Prep: all of them being scheduled for rematches with Bridgewater-Raritan from September 24 to October 1 alone. “It was also the very beginning of the season, so it was difficult, because our team isn’t used to playing with our younger girls. We had to figure it out and learn how to play against them.
“I thought that we were able to hold them off pretty well considering that they are very good teams, but we’re playing them all again the following week.”
Dominating to the tune of a 3-0 victory and a 20-8 shot advantage against Montgomery, notably following those three straight defeats, will definitely boost the Panthers’ confidence in bidding to take care of business now that they know what they are up against.
Even though they had some hiccups along the way on Monday evening, it took just two and a half minutes for Bridgewater-Raritan’s offense and junior Summer Winchock (one goal) to fire the match’s first shot. In the 14th minute, the Panthers set up their first corner-kick opportunity of the evening following a stop by Montgomery senior goalkeeper Victoria Formica (six saves).
Valuable pressure that automatically sets opposing defenses behind, even if it does not show directly on the scoreboard.
Ultimately, Bridgewater-Raritan struck first in the 16th minute, when Reimann and freshman Madison Brocklehurst (one goal) made passes in transition before Tormasi dished out an assist on the contest’s first goal by junior Summer Winchock (one goal). Playing with a coveted 1-0 cushion, Engstrom stopped a potential equalizer in the 18th minute before Bridgewater-Raritan thwarted a corner kick moments later.
Exactly 20 minutes into the first half, Engstrom went airborne and reached the top crossbar with both hands to deflect a potential equalizer that was fired by Montgomery in her direction.
Brocklehurst responded with her first career goal on a rocket from just past midfield in the 22nd minute for Bridgewater-Raritan, which took a 2-0 lead into the break after stopping a coast-to-coast chance by Montgomery as time expired in the first half.
That two-goal lead was very helpful in settling in the members of the Panthers’ offense, especially when they know that their reliable defense will always back them up.
“Our back line is very old now, and I think that is really good,” praised Davidson of Bridgewater-Raritan’s backfield. “We’re very mature and know how to play together.”
“I think that shows a lot on the field, too.”
With Bridgewater-Raritan still pitching a shutout and leading 2-0 heading into the 62nd minute after a corner kick by the Cougars sailed out of play, multiple Panthers players continued to shine via their crisp passing, aggressive attacking of Montgomery’s net, and even their individual ball-movement skills. Tormasi, for example, was able to dance around three defenders near Montgomery’s penalty box before firing a direct shot in the 67th minute, and this gave Bridgewater-Raritan even more momentum for its other offensive players to continue and attack until the match’s final buzzer.
In the 76th minute, Tormasi punctuated her team’s 3-0 victory over Montgomery with the match’s final goal on a feed from Reimann.
Next up for Bridgewater-Raritan (2-3, 1-3) is a trip to division rival Hillsborough (0-4, 0-4) under the lights of Raider Stadium starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 17, in Hillsborough. The Panthers will then travel to undefeated Howell High School (3-0) Saturday, September 20, before a road rematch at division rival Hunterdon Central (1-3, 1-3) Monday, September 22.
Massive rematches against Immaculata (3-2, 2-2), Pingry (4-0, 4-0), and Rutgers Prep (4-0, 4-0) then will await the Panthers, but given the valuable experience they are gaining in the first month of school alone, you can bet Bridgewater-Raritan will be ready no matter who is on their schedule.
“In the short term, we want to get through this week and play the nonpublic schools again,” Davidson concluded of the Panthers’ upcoming goals. “We want to see how we match up against them again. In the long term, we have to keep our heads up and look forward to the state tournament.”
“We want to make it really far into the end of that.”