The Rye Boys Soccer team rallied to take down Rye Neck on Monday, September 15, as the Garnets prevailed 2-1. Rye entered the second half trailing 1-0, but two clutch goals and some key defensive stands helped them earn their first comeback win of the 2025 season.
The match, which featured two defending Section 1 champions, “did not disappoint,” according to Garnets Head Coach Jared Small. “Both squads featured talented center midfielders who controlled the tempo of the match, and the first 20 minutes saw Rye Neck earn the majority of the possession and Rye mount occasional counterattacks.”
Even as the game evened out and the Garnets settled in, it was the Panthers who scored first off a corner kick. They nursed that lead into halftime, but hardly longer, as Rye tied the score at one thanks to Felix Wismer.
With the score still deadlocked, first year starting keeper Will Alexander saved Rye’s bacon with a remarkable stop. “Will’s upper-90 save of a Thomas McNiff free kick in the 57th minute proved to be a decisive moment for us as the match,” Small told MyRye.com. “The score was tied at 1-1 and truly could have gone either way, and within two minutes of his save we scored what proved to be the game-winner… While Will’s acrobatic save was the most highlight-reel-worthy of his actions in the match, I thought he played with vastly improved confidence and voice throughout. And this made a world of difference for us.”
Alexander dove to his left and deflected the powerful strike off the left post and out, causing the entire Panther sideline to bring their hands to their head in disbelief. Just after, Lex Cox buried a long free kick which the Rye Neck goalie misplayed to give the Garnets a lead they would not relinquish.
“Among the many defensive standouts for Rye were defenders Nico Etinger, Silas Kavanagh, and Will Christiansson Molin,” Small continued. “In the center of the park, Peter Wilmot continued his excellent form as a box to box, ball-winning center midfielder.”
Rye (4-1-1) continues to excel in the early season, and they will look parlay that into league play on Thursday, September 18, as they host Eastchester. The league opener is scheduled for 5:00pm at Nugent Stadium. Watch it here. Watch the dramatic win over Rye Neck here.
