TOMS RIVER, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy’s Sky Blue Women’s soccer team picked up where it left off last season with a 0-1-1 start to their 2020 season. On Saturday, the team lost 0-1 to the Utah Royals at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, UTAH. The team took a moment before the game to kneel in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
The game itself was uneventful and SkyBlue had just three shots on goal in the match.
In New Jersey, during the COVID-19 outbreak, professional sports were among the first activities to resume. Murphy’s Sky Blue got the green light to get back in business back in May when most of New Jersey was still wondering when they can leave their homes.
The team is playing a condensed tournament season in Utah. What happens after that is unknown at this time, but if they were to come back, they’d have to quarantine because Utah is one of high-risk states identified by Governor Phil Murphy.
“As of Tuesday, June 30, there are currently 16 states total that meet the criteria stated above: Alabama; Arkansas; Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Iowa; Idaho; Louisiana; Mississippi; North Carolina; Nevada; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; and Utah,” Murphy said last week.
“If an individual is traveling to New Jersey from one of these sixteen states, he or she should self-quarantine period of 14 days,” he added. “Our collective efforts to flatten the curve and beat the virus, in coordination with our neighbors in New York and Connecticut, have led to a steady decline in COVID-19 positive cases, hospitalizations, and rate of transmission. However, many states across the country are experiencing a significant uptick in this data and we must remain vigilant to continue our progress against the virus. I urge those who are arriving from a hot spot to get a COVID-19 test while they are here to ensure their health and safety, and that of those around them.”
Travelers and those residents who are returning from impacted states should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of self-quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.
Correction: NWSL has created a modified season with all games being played in Utah. Ticket and schedule websites still list their games as being in New Jersey, but that is not the case.
