Central Valley. Monroe-Woodbury opens 2021-22 varsity girls soccer season with 7-2 victory over Washingtonville
| 10 Sep 2021 | 12:04
Francesca Donovan (7) got the Crusaders’ season started when she scored the first goal of the year. Photos by William Dimmit.
Strong play on the back line by Kaitlyn Nolan (29) kept the Wizards offense in check.
Anna Maggi (2) scored two goals and added an assist in the victory.
Ella Natal (25) scored twice in the first half to give the Crusaders a comfortable lead.
On Wednesday, Sept. 8, at Monroe-Woodbury High School, the Crusaders started the 2021-22 varsity girls soccer season when they hosted the Wizards of Washingtonville.
The Crusaders entered the season after losing in the Section 9 Title game to the Valley Central Viking 2-1 in last year’s shortened spring season.
The team looks to rebound and take back the Section 9 title after having won seven straight section championships dating back to 2013 season.
The Crusaders took control early in the game. Ella Natal hit Francesca Donovan with a perfect pass down the middle who then shot it into the Wizards’ net and the Crusaders were up 1-0 eight minutes into the game.
Ten minutes latter the team went 2-0 when Anna Maggi’s cross found Natal in front and she popped it into the net.
With ten to go in the first half Lindsay Sundheimer fed Sarah Hudson who beat the Wizards’ goalie from outside the box and the Crusaders were up 3-0. Two minutes latter Diane Lange got the ball to Natal who scored her second goal of the game for a 4-0 lead.
Then, with just 4 minutes left in the half, the Wizards got on the board when they scored off a corner kick, making the score was 4-1 at the half.
The Crusaders resumed control of the second half and scored just three minutes in when Donovan brought the ball down the side and made a beautiful crosss to Maggi who scored to make it 5-1.
The Wizards scored their second goal five minutes later and the score was 5-2 with 30 minutes left in the game.
Crusader Anna Maggi scored her second goal of the game on a beautiful shot from outside the box after a pass from Kaitlyn Nolan.
The Crusaders finished off the Wizards when, with less than a minute left in the game, Lange hit Hudson with a perfect cross that she headed into the Wizards net to finish off the scoring.
The Crusaders 7-2 victory brings their record to 1-0 on the season. Their next game will be against Middletown.
- William Dimmit