Sayreville girls soccer takes home win on meaningful night

Wednesday night's Greater Middlesex Conference White Division showdown against North Brunswick had meaning in more ways than one for the Sayreville High School girls soccer team.

The Bombers controlled the possession through the first 20 minutes. The clock was gently ticking away, but it was only a matter of time before someone on the Sayreville offense erupted and put one past the North Brunswick defense.

Junior Erin Wimmer filled in the scoring shoes for the night. Brianna Barbosa delivered a perfect pass to a wide-open Wimmer, who did the rest of the work by sending the ball into the back of the net with a header. The Bombers were able to stay focused for the rest of the contest and kept the Raiders from gaining any momentum on their way to a crucial 1-0 victory.

“The only thoughts that I had in my head was either the goalie is going to tackle me or I’m going to put the ball in the net,” Wimmer said. “Either way it was a win-win situation.”

With Sayreville sitting at 3-4 on the season entering Wednesday night’s contest, the girls played with a sense of urgency. The Bombers needed the win to keep the top spot in the division within their sights, and there was no looking back after the lone score of the game.

“We were really motivated after we scored our first goal,” senior captain Kaitlin Esposito said. “We were kind of out for revenge since they beat us the first time. Once we scored that first goal, we knew the game was ours — we were ready.”

The win also came on a special night for coach Jillian McGarry. It was the fourth annual Ovarian Cancer Night, a night dedicated to the memory of Bettylou Nagy, McGarry’s mother, who passed away after a long battle with cancer 10 years ago. The community came together to help support the cause with multiple fundraisers, the players put on teal shirts, and the stadium was decorated in matching colors.

“My mom battled cancer my entire life, since I was 1,” McGarry said. “She had breast cancer and ovarian cancer, so this hits close to home.

“We are young; we have our games where we come and we blow people away, and then there’s days where we are shaky. For them to maintain their aggressive play is important. We were here since 2:30 in the afternoon getting ready. For them to get this win and not get distracted is huge.”

The win is a reminder of how far Sayreville has come since its opener against North Brunswick, a game the Raiders won 3-0. The Bombers went into free fall after that game, dropping to 1-3 to start the year.

That’s when Sandra Mercadi began a daily ritual to boost the team morale. She began working on what she called “positive vibes” to help Sayreville develop a better mind-set. Mercadi carried out her campaign by depositing positive messages under McGarry’s door every morning. The team followed in her footsteps, and it has since turned into a motto to live and play by.

“Our motto for the season is ‘positive vibes,’” Esposito said. “This record is kind of tough because we were fighting with each other a little bit. It was getting frustrating. A win like tonight shows that we can play as a team. It was great to have everybody play for each other and not for themselves.”

North Brunswick never seemed to find a proper chemistry throughout the course of the game. The Raiders had scattered chances but for the most part were fighting to keep possession. Goalie Danielle Segerholm kept them in the game with several massive saves.

“The last few games we have played offensively we are sharing,” McGarry said. “It doesn’t matter who scores as long as it gets put in the back of the net. Everyone wants the stats, and we aren’t playing that way, I love to see it. Having them grow as a team and bond is important to me as a coach.”

Staff Writer Steven Macri: smacri@gannettnj.com