Pharo Anchors No. 1 Trinity Hall in Division-Clinching Rout of No. 2 Southern

OCEANPORT — Every team has a set of goals before the season starts, and for the upper echelon of the Shore Conference, winning the division is usually the first one. In a matchup of the number one and number two teams in the Shore Sports Insider Top 10 rankings, the Monarchs jumped all over Southern, 15-4, clinching the American Division title outright.

​The Monarchs seized the lead quickly. Junior midfielder Chiara Donohue took the opening draw, sprinted downfield, and scored just seven seconds into the game. Thirty-three seconds later, Donohue struck again, finding space and firing home another goal. By 8:28, junior midfielder O’Malley Eldridge added a goal of her own, and Trinity Hall was well on their way to a comfortable victory.

Trinity Hall played efficiently and sharply all day, leading 4-0 after the first quarter and 8-1 at halftime. Southern scored three second-half goals, but the Monarchs stayed in complete control throughout.

This victory marked the Monarchs’ third straight division title, after sharing it with Rumson-Fair Haven in 2025 and winning outright in 2024. Since breaking through for their first division title in 2021, the Monarchs have claimed five titles in the past six seasons—an impressive feat for a school established in 2013, with varsity play beginning only in 2016.

The Monarchs’ roster consists of only 17 girls, a fact head coach Dana Lenneper has pointed out throughout the year.

“We don’t have a ton of numbers,” said Coach Lenneper, “But these girls hustle every day, and I think it shows on the field.”

While the Monarchs may lack numbers, they make up for it with an abundance of talent. That talent starts with their leading scorer, Donohue.

​Donohue delivered another standout performance, which has become routine for the Monarchs. The junior finished with seven goals, several highlight-worthy, bringing her season total to 64—second-most in the Shore Conference behind Manalapan’s Aryelle Stein, who has 67.

“Our goal was to push it all four quarters,” said Donohue. “I think we did a really good job of trusting each other, and we really set the tone from the beginning.”

​Eldridge, the Monarchs’ other top scorer, tallied ten points with four goals and six assists. Against the Rams, she consistently created opportunities for Donohue, Lyla Lu, Sarina Derosa, and others.

After winning one of the best divisions in New Jersey, Trinity Hall can check their first goal off the list.

“It solidifies how good we are as a team,” said Eldridge. “We really work together out there”.

Another standout in the win was sophomore goalie Anna Pharo. Though she plays alongside many talented teammates, she has flown under the radar. Yet her impact is clear: she has 110 saves, only 52 goals allowed, and a 67.9% save percentage. This is especially impressive given Trinity Hall’s schedule, packed with top teams from the Shore Conference and New Jersey. Against the Rams, one of the Shore’s better offenses, Pharo recorded nine saves.

Pharo’s efficiency in the net has not gone unnoticed by her team.

“We hear everyone talk about all these goalies, but no one talks about Anna, and that’s crazy to me,” said Coach Lenneper. “She’s just so mentally tough, she’s just that good”.

“She helps us tremendously,” said Donohue. “She sets the momentum for our team”.

“She keeps us in every game we play,” said Eldridge. “I’m so glad to see her get the recognition she deserves”.

Pharo, who picked up her 200th career save over the weekend and received praise for her humility from Donohue, Eldridge, and Lenneper, remained characteristically modest when asked about the milestone after the game.

“It means a lot to me to hit that milestone,” said Pharo. “I have a great team in front of me, they are a huge reason why I’m able to do what I do, I’m just really privileged and lucky to be here”.

Pharo, along with her defense, which includes several of the Shore Conference’s better defenders including a returning All-Shore honoree in senior Winnie Popham and junior Maddy Plank, have not allowed more than six goals against a Shore Conference team this season.

Looking ahead, with three more games against Shore Conference opponents in which the Monarchs will be favored, it appears likely that Trinity Hall will hold the number-one seed in the Shore Conference Tournament. This positions them well as they strive toward what is almost assuredly their second goal this season—a Shore Conference Tournament title.

The Monarchs (10-1, 5-0) travel to Paul VI on Friday. The Eagles are ranked nineteenth in NJ Advance Media’s latest statewide poll, making this a strong test.

The Rams (8-2, 3-2) fell to second in the division, tied with Red Bank. They return to action Monday at Manasquan and look to bounce back.