By Jim Hintelmann
RED BANK –Following Rumson-Fair Haven Regional’s hard fought 3-2 victory over Red Bank Catholic Monday, both Rumson (10-4) coach Jon Reynolds and RBC coach George Black highlighted the positives.
“It was a good win,” said Reynolds, whose team gained the 16th seed for the upcoming Shore Conference Tournament. “There is a nice rivalry going between us. It was close to the end. We were able to withstand the pressure and come out with a victory, which was fantastic.”
Rumson’s Ben Alderoty scored a pair of goals including the game winner, but the key play in the game came with three minutes left when Rumson goalie Chris Tierney (13 saves) made a diving stop of a shot from in close by RBC’s EJ Sauer to preserve the win.
“He’s only a sophomore but he’s been tremendous for us,” said Reynolds. “I think that we can make a run in both the conference tournament and the states.”
“EJ has been our goal scorer all season,” said Black. “He’s a great leader and the hardest working guy out there. I thought that he was going to hook it inside the near post but it didn’t happen. Their goalie made a great save.”
Alderoty snapped a 2-2 tie at 9:46 of the second half when he lofted a line drive shot from about 20 yards out into the upper right corner of the RBC net for his 13th goal of the season.
“It was going across and no one was on me,” Alderoty said. “As I pushed out, I called for the ball and I got my right foot on it and curved the ball in.”
RBC (4-12-1), in a rebuilding season, played one of its best games despite the loss and took a 1-0 lead at 12:47 of the first half with a shot from five yards out.
Rumson, though, scored the next two goals with Harry Gassert tying the game at 1 with a shot from 15 yards away at the 28:18 mark of the first half followed by Alderoty’s first goal of the game, a long 40-yarder that went in.
RBC kept battling, however, and Sauer tied the game just before the half with a shot from in close after receiving the ball from Walt Culkin.
“Rumson played well today and has been a good club all season,” said Black. “We’ve had some tough one goal losses this season.”
“This was one of the best games we played all season as a team,” he said. “We moved the ball well and the boys played their hearts out, but their guy (Alderoty) hit a couple of long shots and that was the difference in the game.”
Black is optimistic that RBC will have a strong club in the near future.
“We start a freshman and use three or four sophomores,” said Black. “We’re in good shape going into the future. This program is in good shape and we will be a force to be reckoned with.”
[nggallery id=11] Photos by Sean Simmons
