(PHOTO: The 2025 Rye Girls Soccer team poses with their Regional Championship trophy on November 7, 2025. Credit: Aileen Brown.)
The unbeaten Rye Girls Soccer team kept marching forward in the 2025 postseason, sneaking past Sayville 2-0 in the Regional finals on Saturday, November 7. The Garnets scored twice in the second half and pitched their 17th clean sheet of the season to advance to the New York State semifinals.
“The first half proved to be a physical battle, with Sayville relying on long balls and aggressive play.,” Head Coach Rich Savage said after the victory. “At halftime, Rye focused on settling the game down, maintaining possession, and spreading the field.”
The chess match continued into the initial moments of the second half before Rye finally broke through. Charlotte Keenan set up Hannah Jachman in the box, who cashed in with her forehead to break the scoreless deadlock. Keenan added a later insurance tally courtesy of an assist from Clare Nemsick, slotting a shot into the upper 90. Rye’s defense held up for the rest of the game for their fifth straight playoff shutout.
“Rye’s defense – anchored by Ella Fleckton, Julia Carballo, Claire Nemsick, Parker Calhoun, and goalkeeper Tessa Labovitz – was outstanding,” Savage said. “[They] continued to dominate, denying Sayville any scoring chances and securing the shutout.”
Rye (19-0-3, 6-0 postseason) heads to the State semifinals in Cortland on Friday, November 14, where they play either Shalmont or Jamesville-DeWitt.
