Girls soccer team’s start best in 3 years

Monica Curry has picked up right where she left off.

Curry, a sophomore forward, had back-to-back hat tricks in her team’s first two games of the season to help lead the Vernon Township High School girls soccer team to its best start in three years.

Curry, who totaled 33 goals and eight assists as a freshman, had all three goals in Vernon’s season-opening 3-0 decision over Wallkill Valley on Thursday, Sept. 7 in Hamburg. Goalie Caitlin Hart made thee saves to earn the shutout.

Curry then had three goals and assisted Grace Dobrzynski on her goal as the Vikings defeated High Point, 4-0, on Saturday, Sept. 9 at home.

Hart, a junior, posted her second straight shutout with a five-save effort.

Vernon, which last started 2-0 in 2020, is scheduled to play at Hopatcong at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14; at Hackettstown at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16; and at Sussex Tech in Sparta at 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18.

Here is how other Vernon sports teams fared last week:

Boys soccer

The Vikings suffered two one-goal defeats to open their season.

On Sept. 7, Vernon bowed to Newton, 1-0, at home. The game’s only goal was scored in the first half for Newton (2-0). Vernon’s Carlo Cipriani made seven saves in the loss.

On Sept. 9, High Point pulled out a 3-2 victory in overtime at home against Vernon.

Sebastian Alvarez and Gavin Lewis each scored for Vernon with Zack Mountain registering an assist and Cipriani saving eight shots.

Vernon will play host to Jefferson at 4 p.m. Sept. 14 before playing at Lakeland at 10 a.m. Sept. 16.

Field hockey

Vernon is scheduled to play at Pequannock at 10 a.m. Sept. 16 before returning home to play host to Jefferson at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19.

The Vikings went 12-7-1 last season, reaching the quarterfinal round of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex and NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 tournaments.

Seniors Sidney Van Tassel (13 goals, 11 assists), Jalyn Day (nine goals, one assist), Michaela Wooley (eight goals, two assists) and Bailey Mann (seven goals, eight assists) and junior Abigail DeYoung (nine goals, four assists) are the top returning scorers.

Girls tennis

The Vikings are scheduled to play host to Lenape Valley at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 as a warm-up to the 13th annual Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament, which begins Sept. 18 at Pingry High in Martinsville.

Hunterdon Central is seeking its third straight team championship.

Girls volleyball

Vernon battled but came up just short in its season-opening match against High Point on the road Sept. 7.

The Vikings bowed, 26-24, 25-23, to High Point (1-0).

Vernon is scheduled to play host to Hackettstown at 4 p.m. Sept. 15.