Rye Girls Varsity Soccer polished a Garnet victory this weekend, bringing home the Class A State Final Championship after victories on Saturday and Sunday.
Semi-Final Saturday 3-0 Over Lewis Porter Buffalo
Rye entered the semi-final match with its offense on the prowl, and beaming energy from the bench — leading the hollers and cheers was junior Reese Lejeuz. Senior captain Isabel Harvey reached into her deep bag of evasive moves to set up first-year Charlotte Keenan with two goals. Charlotte would tack on one more, slotting home a late game penalty which served as insurance to the state finals, and secured her a hat trick.
Final Sunday 2 – 0 over Shoreham-Wading River Long Island
In the final matchup, senior captain Maddy Walsh rose to the occasion early in the second half — where the ball met her head — off a perfectly taken corner from junior Lyla Keenan. Although the goal was only a matter of time, as Rye once again had unparalleled energy. The Keenan powerhouse would not stop there, as Lyla’s younger sister, Charlotte, would score a screamer that left everyone in awe. Clare Nemsick also stood tall in the back, shutting down any opportunity the other team foresaw.
The two games served as the culture the team has built, with five unanswered goals over two matches.
First-year Charlotte Kennan did the unspeakable from 25-yards out in the state finals. She received a pass from Maddy Walsh before taking a touch and chipping the opposing keeper — extending Ryes lead to two unanswered, and giving every Rye fan the insurance they were seeking. It takes a special player to slot home a crucial goal in flashy fashion, especially in such a big game.
