Bjorndahl, No. 17 Point Pleasant Boro edge out Wall in PKs to win CJG2 crown

The dramatic conclusion to the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 2 championship game between top-seed Point Pleasant Boro and two-seed Wall came down to penalty kicks in Point Pleasant.
Senior goalkeeper Ava Bjorndahl of Point Pleasant Boro, the No. 17 ranked team in the NJ.com Top-20 rankings, was ready for the big stage.
“There was no fear in her eyes. She didn’t look scared at all,” teammate Gabby Mellett said of Bjorndahl before the shootout began.
Bjorndahl was ready for her moment to shine and showed it to help the Panthers edge out Wall, 4-3, in penalty kicks to score a 3-2 victory and win its first sectional title since 2015.
The senior made two stops during the shootout and even scored a goal to help Point Pleasant Boro win its third sectional championship in program history.
“It feels so good (winning a sectional championship),” Bjorndahl said. “This is something we have all been dreaming about since freshman year and it feels so amazing to get a ring on our finger.”
Point Pleasant Boro and Wall ended regulation all knotted up 2-2 with both teams scoring their goals during the second half.
Mellett got the Panthers on the board first during the 55th minute. The senior center-back came out of the scrum in the box with the ball off a corner kick and knocked home the game’s first goal for Point Pleasant Boro.
“I was in the right place at the right time and just flicked (the ball) into the net,” Mellett said. “It felt great.”
Wall quickly answered back two minutes later with Erin Farrell heading in her 14th goal of the season off a perfect corner kick to the box by Erynn Richey.
Point Pleasant Boro responded to retake the lead during the 61st minute.
Senior Abby Hannemann maneuvered her way into the Crimson Knights’ zone and lifted a perfect looping shot that went over Wall goalkeeper Madalyn Peterson and into the back of the net for her seventh goal of the season.
Once again, however, Wall answered back to tie the game in the 68th minute.
Senior Samantha Brett tallied her 15th goal of the season by redirecting a kick into the box by Madison Miller.
After both teams went scoreless during both 10-minute overtime periods, penalty kicks were called upon to determine a winner.
Bjorndahl was ready to go from the start of the shootout, making two stops through the first three rounds to give Point Pleasant Boro a 2-1 edge.
With penalty kicks tied at 2-2 in the fourth round, Bjorndahl helped her own cause by going top shelf to give the Panthers the advantage going into the fifth and final round.
The senior goalkeeper finished with 14 saves in the victory, which included a huge one-handed save with under two minutes to play in the first half to keep it a scoreless game going into halftime.
Even with this being the first game all season that Point Pleasant Boro had given up two goals, Bjorndahl said there was no wavering of confidence from herself or her teammates, and that helped them prevail come penalty kicks.
“We have confidence in each other and that’s what makes it easy to push through,” Bjorndahl said. “We all love each other so much and it’s amazing that we get to share this moment (winning a sectional championship) together.”
Coming up with a chance to send the Panthers to championship glory in the fifth round of penalty kicks was Mellett, who like Bjorndahl, was ready to take on the moment.
The senior “trusted her gut” and sent her shot to the right corner of the net to beat Peterson and bring home the program’s first sectional title in nine years.
“Something told me to go right and I did and it worked,” Mellett said of her game-winning penalty kick. “It feels awesome. I’m so proud of the entire team. Everyone has worked so hard since the preseason to win (the sectional championship).”
The sectional championship victory by the Panthers marked the 200th career win for head coach Mike Edolo, who called achieving the accomplishment during the sectional final a “beautiful moment” and a night he will never forget.
“Everything just fell into place,” Edolo said. “I couldn’t be more happier for this group with their performance (tonight) to beat a tremendous team in one of the best games I have seen at (the high school) level.”
Point Pleasant Boro (18-2-2) will face Haddonfield in the Group 2 semifinals.
Peterson had six saves for Wall, who finishes the season 18-3-1 after making it to the sectional final for the fourth straight year.
“It’s unfortunate,” Wall head coach Annie Menafra said about losing the sectional final in penalty kicks. “We were lucky enough last year to be on the opposite side of it. The girls played their hearts out. I know they gave it their all.”
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Steven Bassin can be reached at [email protected].