Defensive-Minded Livingston
Heads ECT Girls Soccer Field

It is a school with a ton of history in the event and now Livingston is once again the team to beat as the No. 1 seed in the Essex County Tournament as the field was assembled Wednesday night (Oct. 7) for the 2026 version.

The Lancers (9-0-1 overall, 4-0-1 in the Super Essex Conference-American Division), who own eight ECT championships, and have been in five of the last six finals, are unbeaten this season with the only blemish to date being an early-season 0-0 tie vs. division rival Montclair.

Livingston is directed for the first time this season by former longtime Glen Ridge coach Oscar Viteri, who had been a standout Livingston boys soccer player back in the 1980s, and previously turned Glen Ridge into a perennial Group 1 state tournament title contender as the Ridgers longtime head mentor.

Montclair Kimberley Academy drew the No. 2 seed in the ECT field followed by 3-Verona, 4-Montclair and 5-Mount St. Dominic, which is the defending ECT champion.

Preliminary round action commences Tuesday, Oct. 13, followed by the first round on Saturday, Oct. 17, and quarterfinals, Tuesday, Oct. 20, all at the higher seed, and then the semifinals, Saturday, Oct. 24, at Livingston’s Allen ‘Jake’ Jacobson Memorial Field, and the final 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Caldwell’s Bonnel Field.

Livingston, which has won eight games in a row and has outscored opponents, 26-1 with eight straight shutouts, are led by a balanced lineup including veteran senior performers in high-scoring forward Emily Fernandes (8 goals, 5 assists), steady midfielder-back Daisy Cheng (4 and 3) and reliable goalkeeper Ayla Sherman, along with standout junior defender Ariana Levitskiy and promising freshman forward Evie Wheeler (4 and 2).   

MKA (5-1-2, 3-1-1), directed by second-year head coach Tim Keegan, features a dynamic striker in junior Shirley Rivera (6 and 2), other strong players in the field including senior midfielder Caroline Cuneo and freshman forward Ngozi Dike (4 goals) and strength in the back anchored by senior goalkeeper Olivia Davis.

Verona (7-2-1 and 4-1 in the SEC-Liberty Division), is led by the outstanding juniors Natalia Ross (14 and 5) up top and Ella O’Donnell at midfield.

Montclair (6-4-2, 3-1-1), under the direction of its experienced coach Rob McOmish, dropped a 1-0 decision to Verona and defeated the fifth-seeded Mount 2-1, while also earning the deadlock with Livingston and posting independent victories vs. solid programs such as Bridgewater-Raritan and Northern Highlands.

The Mounties are led by senior forward Raina Ali (4 and 5) and junior defender Kaitlyn Moskovos.

The Mount, guided by first-year head coach Jordan Alexander, has one of the county’s premier goalkeepers in junior Isabella Raju and has solid talent in the field including senior midfielders Reina Casas and Tatiana Cunha and junior midfielder Izzy DeLorenzo (2 and 5).   

Upcoming prelim and first round ECT matches: Upper bracket: (17 Belleville vs. 18-Cedar Grove, winner at 1-Livingston; 9-West Orange at 8-Columbia, 12-West Essex at 5-Mount St. Dominic; 20-Irvington at 13-Nutley, winner at 4-Montclair.

Lower bracket: 18-Payne Tech at 15-East Side, winner at 2-MKA; 10-Glen Ridge at 7-Bloomfield; 11-Caldwell at 6-Newark Academy; 19-Newark Tech at 14-Millburn, winner at 3-Verona.

Essex County Girls Soccer Tournament Finals:
2025: Mount St. Dominic def. Livingston
2024: Livingston def. West Orange
2023: Livingston def. West Orange
2022: West Orange def. Glen Ridge
2021: West Orange def. Livingston
2020: no tournament due to covid
2019: Montclair 1 Livingston 1 (Montclair wins on PKs)
2018: West Orange def. Glen Ridge
2017: Livingston and MKA share title
2016: Livingston def. Montclair
2015: Montclair def. MKA
2014: Montclair def. Glen Ridge
2013: Montclair def. Livingston
2012: Montclair def. Livingston
2011: Montclair def. Livingston
2010: Livingston def. Montclair
2009: Millburn def. Montclair
2008: Montclair def. Livingston
2007: Montclair def. Livingston
2006: Montclair def. West Essex
2005: Montclair def. Nutley
2004: West Essex def. Caldwell
2003: Millburn def. Montclair
2002: Millburn def. Glen Ridge
2001: Montclair def. Millburn
2000: Montclair def. Millburn
1999: Montclair and Millburn share title
1998: Montclair def. Millburn
1997: Montclair def. Columbia
1996: Montclair def. Columbia
1995: Caldwell and Bloomfield share title
1994: Columbia def. Livingston
1993: Livingston def. Nutley
1992: Livingston def. Nutley     
1991: Livingston and Nutley share title
1990: Columbia def. Montclair
1989: Columbia def. Bloomfield
1988: Columbia def. Montclair
1987: Columbia def. Millburn
1986: Montclair def. Columbia
1985: Columbia def. Millburn
1984: Millburn def. Columbia
1983: Columbia def. Millburn

Most Titles Won:
Montclair- 17
Livingston-8
Columbia-7
Millburn- 4
West Orange- 3

Most Consecutive Titles:
Montclair- 6 (1996-2001)

Most Appearances In Final:
Montclair- 23
Livingston-17
Columbia- 11
Millburn-11
West Orange- 5  
Nutley- 4

Most Consecutive Finals:
Montclair- 12 (2005-2016)
Columbia- 8 (1983-1990)

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