All Daily Record Girls Soccer: Villa Walsh made history with magical run

At the start of the season the Villa Walsh girls soccer team knew that there was something special about its squad. Three months later, they would find out just how special.

The Vikings finished with a record of 17-3-2, won the NJAC-Liberty title for the fourth-straight year, won its fourth Non-Public North B title and capped it all off with the first Non-Public B title in school history.

Which is why Villa Walsh is the 2014 All Daily Record Girls Soccer Team of the Year.

“We all said it back in August during scrimmages that there was something about this team that feels different, we were clicking in preseason, clicking in our scrimmages and that carried us through,” senior midfielder and captain Lauren Longo said. “The main thing that stuck out to me was there was an unbreakable team dynamic. This year we started with the team bonding and we grew to be the best of friends, we’re always together and we’re not only friends on the field but we’re friends off the field.”

The Vikings started the season at 9-0-1 with 10 shutouts and an offense that scored a total of 35 goals. On Oct. 8 that winning streak came to an abrupt halt when Villa Walsh lost three-straight games, to Morristown-Beard, West Morris and a Morris County Tournament eliminating loss to Morris Catholic in the quarterfinals.

“I think it was one of those mid-season bumps in the road,” coach Kristin McCormick said. “You take out that one week and it’s a pretty phenomenal season. We were kind of in a funk and the girls were tired and things just didn’t go well that week. I think they really felt that they weren’t playing poorly, sometimes in soccer things don’t go your way and they didn’t get down on themselves, they dug deeper and they believed in each other and that kind of carried them through.”

Villa Walsh bounced back with a vengence and went on to finish the season at 8-0-1, outscoring opponents 17-7 with four shutouts. The Vikings earned the No. 3 seed in Non-Public North B, dispatching No. 6 Newark Academy 1-0, No. 2 Morris Catholic 3-2 in overtime and fifth-seeded Morristown-Beard 2-1 to earn the first sectional title since 2009.

The Vikings then earned a date with Non-Public South B champion Moorestown Friends in the Non-Public B final, and junior forward Kate Murphy came through with the only goal they would need as the defense picked up its 15th shutout of the season en route to the first state title in school history.

“It’s one of those things where I’m still kind of like, these girls really did it,” McCormick said. “When I look back at what they did and how they are as a team, it’s pretty remarkable.”

McCormick and Longo credit the nine seniors for helping the team find the drive and intensity in order to accomplish what Villa Walsh managed to accomplish this year.

“I think the seniors set a very high standard and in some ways made the coach’s job easy,” McCormick said. “They led the team, they wanted it, they set the example. They were there early making sure everyone was working hard, it was who they are and what their expectations were and I think it showed the underclassmen what they’re capable of if everyone is fully committed.”

Villa Walsh will have a very different look next season when those nine seniors depart, but Longo hopes the legacy left behind will keep inspiring future players and teams.

“Our senior class was really special, we all put everything we had into the season,” she said. “At the beginning of the season we sat down and said what do we want and we all said we want to leave a legacy, not only winning the state championship but leaving an example for the younger class to look up to.”

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: 973-428-6674; lknego@gannett.com