By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Beth Batchelor treated the fans in attendance to a couple of spectacular goals. However, it wasn’t enough as the Washington Pam Pack fell 7-3 to the West Carteret Patriots in Thursday’s season finale.
Batchelor, who scored a school-record six goals in Washington’s 8-0 win over South Central on Tuesday, finished the season with 32 goals. The goals she scored Thursday at J.G. “Choppy” Wagner Stadium were a couple of her finest.
“Beth had a tremendous season,” Washington coach Jimmy Kozuch said. “She just played out of her mind every game. She has great work ethic and deserved every goal she scored this year.”
The Pack (6-9-2, 5-8-1) missed out on the playoffs this year.
West Carteret (9-9-1, 8-5-1) earned the final seed out of the Coastal Conference.
“To make a good playoff run next year we’re going to have to put in a little more time in the offseason,” Kozuch said. “A lot of our girls don’t really play soccer until soccer season. We need to put in a lot more time, get in a little more conditioning and a little more playing.”
Batchelor closed her third year of soccer in style.
With 14 minutes remaining in the first half and her team down 4-0, Batchelor put on a show for the fans. The junior spun away from a defender, stopped in her tracks, split two more defenders and rocketed a shot into the left corner of the net.
Batchelor’s second goal may have been even more impressive. The athletic Pam Pack star zipped away from one defender, juked a couple others and freed herself for a shot. Batchelor then popped the ball over a leaping goalie to pull the Pack within 5-2.
“I just go out there and do what I can,” Batchelor said. “I just want to help my team win.”
Batchelor believes there will be more of that next year.
“I think we can go really far next year,” Batchelor said. “We have to keep training and keep working.”
Washington’s other goal came off the foot of Noelle Gargaro, which pulled the Pam Pack within 5-3 just before the half.
West Carteret scored twice early in the second half to gain some breathing room.
The Patriots took a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the first four minutes. It was 4-0 before Washington got on the scoreboard.
With all of his players returning next season, Kozuch believes his team could be a force.
“We got a lot better this year, but we had a ton of tough breaks,” Kozuch said. “We’ll have one more year of wisdom and one more year of maturity in the girls. That will help them got more comfortable on the field. We had a young team with no seniors on the team. I think we’ll have more confidence next year.”