TOMS RIVER - Nothing comes easy at this stage of the soccer season.
Just ask Giuseppe DeLuca, Jeff Morgan, and Andrew Garcia.
The three Timber Creek players spent much of the Group 3 state semifinals on the turf at Toms River North.
But at the end of the night, all three were still standing - and so were the Chargers.
DeLuca and Morgan scored goals and Garcia made 10 saves to record the shutout as Timber Creek defeated previously unbeaten Princeton, 2-0, to advance to the state finals.
Timber Creek (19-3-3) will face Ramapo in the Group 3 state title game at 8 p.m. Thursday at the College of New Jersey.
"It was one of the most physical games I ever played in," DeLuca said. "We had to keep our composure."
DeLuca was elbowed in the jaw by a Princeton player who received a red card late in the game. Timber Creek was hit with three yellow cards. Princeton (20-1-2) was hit with two yellows and the red.
Garcia went down twice with apparent injuries. Garcia was knocked down and hurt his back during a scramble in front of the net midway through the second half. Garcia was down with Princeton in possession, but Timber Creek was able to clear the ball.
Moments later, Garcia collided with a Princeton player in a scramble off a restart. Garcia was down for a few seconds but got to his feet and stayed in the game.
"It was tough, but it was worth it," Garcia said.
Princeton held a clear size advantage, but Timber Creek's players, especially the diminutive DeLuca and Morgan - both of whom are around 5-foot-8 - held their own in physical battles.
"We knew they were a big team," Morgan said. "We wanted to show we could play physical with them."
Timber Creek took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute as DeLuca scored his 23d goal on a direct kick from around 25 yards.
"I knew where I wanted to put it, and that's where I put it," DeLuca said. "That's what we talked about, getting out and getting the lead."
Timber Creek held the lead thanks to some strong work from the backline and Garcia, whose best save might have come on Zach Halliday's point-blank blast in the 48th minute.
"Andrew really got knocked around," Timber Creek coach Sean Ortzman said. "But he kept battling."
Morgan sealed the victory with a nifty goal in tight quarters off a feed from Steve Karakitsios in the 72d minute.
"I had a guy on my back and just tried to get something on it, and it went in the net," said Morgan, who like DeLuca scored his 23d goal of the season.
Timber Creek 1 1 – 2
Princeton 0 0 – 0
Goals: TC-Giuseppe DeLuca, Jeff Morgan.
Saves: TC-Andrew Garcia 10; P-George Lesserow, 5.
Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com, or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter. Read his blog, "Jersey Side Sports," at www.philly.com/jerseysidesports
