TOMS RIVER - Bill Mulvihill couldn't watch.
The Moorestown coach could only listen.
"He gets nervous," Moorestown junior Nicole Varela.
Varela made the play that was music to Mulvihill's ears in the Group 3 state semifinals in girls' soccer on Tuesday night at Toms River North.
Varela buried a penalty kick with 12 minutes, 55 seconds to play to lift Moorestown to a 1-0 victory over Matawan and propel the Quakers into the state finals.
Moorestown (16-3-2) will face Northern Highlands (23-0) for the state championship at 12:15 p.m. Saturday at The College of New Jersey.
"I had to turn away," Mulvihill said of the penalty kick. "I was listening for the roar of the crowd. Somebody said, 'You can open your eyes now, Coach.' "
Varela's goal extended a remarkable run by a Moorestown team that has been on a season-long mission to make amends for 2010.
A perennial power, Moorestown slumped to 5-9 last season, raising questions about the Quakers' ability to compete with the best teams in South Jersey.
"To get to the state final a year after going 5-9 with basically the same team says something about these girls," Mulvihill said. "I can't say enough about these girls. They were not going to be denied. They came here to win this game, and they were going to find a way to do it."
Moorestown dominated play for long stretches of the first half but couldn't find the back of the net. Matawan (13-8-1) made a strong counter and nearly took the lead when Krista Conzo fired a shot just high with 0:20 on the clock.
"Typical soccer," Mulvihill said of the startling turn of events.
Matawan's Rebecca Labinger almost scored early in the second half, but Moorestown goalie Rebecca Schultz made a sliding save, colliding with Labinger in a bang-bang play that ended with three athletes on the turf.
"Rebecca Schultz has to be one of the most underrated goalies in South Jersey," Mulvihill said. "She has been tremendous. We wouldn't be here without her."
Moorestown had a couple of good chances midway through the second half as sophomore Megan Kelly fired a shot off the crossbar, and sophomore Frankie Angelieri took a shot on the doorstep that Matawan goalie Karen David smothered.
The Quakers finally broke through on a play that started with Angelieri taking possession in midfield and feeding a nice pass to Kelly, who dished to senior midfielder Steph Toy.
Toy made a move past a defender and broke in alone. She was pulled down from behind in the box.
"My first thought was, 'That has to be a PK,' " said Toy, a top athlete who has committed to attend Notre Dame on a lacrosse scholarship.
Mulvihill never hesitated to designate Varela to take the penalty kick.
"She's our girl," Mulvihill said.
Varela buried the shot into the upper left corner of the net.
"I knew where I was going with it," Varela said. "I was so ecstatic to be the one to do that for my team."
Moorestown 0 1 – 1
Matawan 0 0 – 0
Goal: Moor-Nicole Varela.
Saves: Moor-Rebecca Schultz 2; Mat-Karen David 8.
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
