The Garnets improved their record to 8-2 by beating a tough Arlington team October 7 in a hard-fought game that came down to the wire.
By Melanie Cane
The Garnets improved their record to 8-2 by beating a tough Arlington team October 7 in a hard-fought game that came down to the wire.
The Garnets came out strong, with Kiera Nemsick scoring two early goals, sandwiching a goal by Arlington.
Nemsick scored both goals on a nice cross from the corner to a one-touch shot from the side. Both were placed beautifully in the back of the net. The first goal was assisted by Hannah Krapes, the second by Caroline Hyland.
After the three early goals, neither team scored again in the first half, but not for lack of trying. The teams traded possession of the ball evenly, and Arlington had many scoring attempts, but Rye’s keeper, Maddie Eck, made a number of spectacular saves. Her game total was 15.
Rye applied constant pressure in the last 15 minutes of the second half. Strong leadership by Charlotte Tucci helped the defense stay effective. The second half remained scoreless until, with less than three minutes left in the game, Arlington tied it on a corner, following a failed corner attempt.
Destiny seemed to dictate overtime, but the Garnets did not give up. They played with excellent energy and come back with the winning goal with 32 seconds left in the game. Freshman Amanda Engels beat out a defender and snuck the ball past Arlington’s goalie in the corner of the net, despite the goalie’s excellent defensive position.
Coach Rich Savage said of Engels, “She demonstrated outstanding composure when she scored the final goal of the game. This was a tremendous goal!”
Rye will host Mamaroneck on October 9, post-press time, and John Jay Cross River on October 11.