H.S. girls' soccer: Greco helps Millville draw up victory over rival Vineland

MILLVILLE – Whether it’s with a pencil and a sketch pad or a soccer ball, Mary Greco likes to show her creative side.

On Wednesday, the pitch was her canvas and she designed one of the best games of her scholastic career against her team’s biggest rival.

The senior delivered her first two goals of the season to power the Millville High School girls’ soccer team to a 5-0 win over Vineland under the lights at the Millville Soccer Association complex.

Greco says her love of drawing will likely point her toward a future in the arts. She’s going to attend Frostburg State University, a Division II school in Maryland, and play soccer.

“I like to draw anything really,” she said. “It’s just another chance for me to be creative, just like in soccer.”

Getting Greco to display that artistic side on the soccer field has been a work in progress, according to head coach Brian Sloan.

“(Assistant coach Anthony Ganci) has been talking to her for four years about going to the ball and winning the ball,” Sloan said. “Telling her you’re strong enough, you’re fast enough, you can get there for the overlapping runs, you can get to that far post.

“Sometimes she’s a little too reserved, but I think now she’s starting to get more confident. I honestly think this could be that game where it really sinks in. If she plays like that, she’s going to have a huge impact on this season, but she’s going to have a big impact at the next level too.”

Greco had a big influence in the victory over Vineland, scoring the go-ahead goal in the first half and an insurance goal as part of Millville’s four-goal eruption in the second half. Going into the game, Greco had nine career tallies.

“I’m just trying to be more creative and have fun, especially since it’s my senior year,” said Greco, a three-year starter who saw limited time as a freshman, too. “It’s not just about scoring goals, it’s making that connection with your teammates.”

Sloan praises Greco’s versatility as one of her strengths, but it’s her heightened level of aggressiveness that paid dividends in this game.

“When Mary’s winning those (50-50) balls, you can see what happens, so many things start to fall right into place,” Sloan said.

Millville (2-0), which hadn’t played since its season opener five days earlier, has high expectations for this fall after last year’s season came to a screeching halt with a penalty-kick loss to Absegami in the sectional semifinal round.

“Last year we expected a lot and we didn’t’ reach our full potential,” Greco said. “The expectations we have are higher than they’ve been in a long time. We feel we’re a lot stronger than we were last year.”

And it certainly doesn’t hurt having Olivia Giordano on their side, too.

The senior with jaw-dropping moves and a lethal shot scored twice against Vineland, raising her school-record for career goals to 50.

Aaniyah Street rounded out the scoring while Julianna Giordano contributed two assists and Addison Godfrey and Chelsea Dobrosky had one helper apiece.

Millville’s defense has been steady in the early stages of the season too as Cali Sloan and San’aa Doss have been providing strong play up the middle with Tanasia Stevenson, Reese Sheppard and Alexis West handling the outside chores. Junior Gabby Wheatly stopped three shots to earn her first varsity shutout.

If the Thunderbolts can continue their winning ways, the results will be more than just a pretty picture at season’s end.

It will be a masterpiece.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.