WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – At first, it was meant to be serious. But now it’s become a running joke around the Immaculate Heart girls soccer team.
Coach Eric Pfeifer uses a cheeseburger analogy to describe his team’s championship pursuit. The Big North United title represented the first few bites. The Bergen County championship added a couple more. And Thursday’s sectional title? That was the third quarter of the meal.
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The Blue Eagles aren’t finished eating.
IHA showed as much Thursday, rallying from a halftime deficit to defeat No. 3 Pingry, 3-1, in the North Non-Public A final. The top-seeded Blue Eagles captured their third consecutive sectional championship and moved within one step of a state title.
The victory came less than two weeks after the Blue Eagles shocked Ramsey to capture the Bergen County championship. In soccer, long county runs can be a blessing or a curse. IHA chose the former.
“It’s definitely tough as a coach,” IHA coach Eric Pfeifer said of the quick transition from the county tournament to states. “The girls are on such a high, and then they’re back at a first-round matchup, and it’s tough. It was taxing on us and the girls to kind of hit the reset button a little bit, but this group isn’t satisfied.”
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A second-half spark
IHA needed a moment of inspiration, and star forward Madisyn Abella provided it.
With about 24 minutes remaining, Abella raced down the left wing and sent a high, looping shot underneath the crossbar to pull the Blue Eagles even. The senior now has 29 goals this season.
Senior Meryl Lawson gave IHA its first lead with 14:06 remaining. Abella served a ball into the box, where a Pingry defender headed it into the air. Lawson beat the oncoming goalkeeper to the ball and redirected a header into the open net.
Lawson put the game away in the 75th minute, using her speed to beat a defender on a long ball before dribbling around the goalkeeper and finishing.
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“She’s been looking for that goal, looking for that goal, clawing,” Pfeifer said. “To her credit, she has not given up. She’s a great head on her shoulder, always positive.”
Pfeifer credited a second-half formation change and the insertion of freshman Austin Mason into the holding midfield role for helping turn the game around.
Mason had spent the first half of the season on the freshman team before earning a late-season call-up.
“Literally one change changed the entire outcome of the game,” Pfeifer said. “She can literally play anywhere on the field.”
Immaculate Heart girls soccer players celebrate as they score against DePaul, Wayne, N.J., Sept. 4, 2025. Immaculate Heart went on to win 2-1.
Defense continues to deliver
IHA’s defensive consistency has been a major reason for its postseason success.
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The Blue Eagles have allowed just three goals over their last seven games, with Iona commit Aurelia Carolan, center back Mia McNeil and sophomore goalkeeper Ellie Alvarado among the leaders of a defense that has continued to deliver under pressure.
That unit was tested early against a fast Pingry attack.
“This Pingry team has speed on speed,” Pfeifer said. “The back line was under fire that whole first half. They did not stop fighting. We have leadership in the back, veteran players with multiple years on varsity. They’ve been through the grind of some games, so they know one play doesn’t define the game.”
The Blue Eagles will have a chance to add one more trophy Sunday, although the opponent will be different than expected.
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St. John Vianney knocked off Paul VI, the No. 1 team in New Jersey and No. 16 nationally, in the South Non-Public A final. Paul VI had defeated IHA in each of the previous two state championship games.
Pfeifer admitted he hadn’t spent much time thinking about Paul VI. His entire focus had been on Pingry.
“We’re not satisfied,” Pfeifer said. “We’ll get to work.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Why IHA soccer is still hungry after third straight sectional title
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
