Three Hat-Tricks In One Game As Falcons Edge Wave

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Leading the Falcons of Monmouth Regional in the 11-6 win over Long Branch was sophomore Jules Emerson (1). She had three goals and three assists in the victory.

A hat-trick is when an athlete scores three times in a game. September 5, three players all achieved that goal during the 11-6 Monmouth Regional girl’s soccer win over Long Branch High School. One player was on the winning team and two were on the Green Wave squad.

Monmouth Regional, which had a 3-2 lead after the first half, scored eight second-half goals led by sophomore Julianna Emerson. She had three goals and assisted on three others giving her personally nine points on the day (assists points only apply to individual stats).

Angelina Funes, senior, and Ava Ciccone, sophomore, each had two goals for the Falcons. Funes also had an assist in the win. Senior Rebecca Nemeth had one goal and assisted on three. Angelise Marmolejas, junior, Sam Briggs, sophomore, and Rafiat Aro each had a single goal.

With the win, Monmouth Regional improved to 2-1 on the early season. They opened the season with a 3-2 loss against Barnegat. The Falcons play in the A Central division. Currently Colts Neck is on top followed by Marlboro, Trinity Hall, Monmouth, Ocean, Rumson-Fair Haven and St. John Vianney.

Layla Bland (13) a junior captain of the Long Branch Green Wave, had a hat-trick scoring three goals in the 11-6 loss to Monmouth Regional.

Leading the Green Wave were two juniors. Layla Bland and Adriana Ramirez each scored three goals in the loss to the Falcons. Bland, who plays forward and mid, had a total of nine goals as a sophomore and seven as a freshman. Last season, Ramirez who also plays in the midfield or forward, had 31 goals and 20 as a freshman.

Long Branch is in the B Central division of the Shore Conference. Matawan is on top at this point in the season followed by Ranney, Asbury Park, Keyport, Long Branch, and Neptune. Up next for the Green Wave is an away game at Keyport on September 9, at 4:00 p.m.

Alexis Corbett is in her first year as head coach of the lady Green Wave, who finished the 2024-2025 season at 5-12.

The Falcons will travel to Matawan on September 11 to face the Huskies with a 4:00 p.m. start.

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