After a 2-year losing streak against Roosevelt, the EC Varsity Girls’ soccer team was hungry for revenge this year as they ventured to Magnuson Park as visitors to clash with the Roosevelt Rough Riders. EC began the season with back-to-back wins over Ingraham and Garfield and would hope to take that momentum into an important game against a tough Metro League opponent in Roosevelt. The Rough Riders had enjoyed a 3-1 start to the season with their sole loss coming against a formidable Lakeside team in early September. With much of the season still to play for, both teams took to the field in hopes of earning a win and working their way up the league standings.
The contest got off to an ordinary start, and in the early stages of the game, Kardi Nicholson fired a powerful shot off the crossbar, sending the ball down — but not in — the net. But after weathering early pressure from the Crusaders, the Rough Riders won possession in midfield and set up Annabelle Bacchuber, who slotted the ball home and put Roosevelt up 1-0 on Eastside. Roosevelt took that lead into the half and made some crucial tactical adjustments that shaped the way a very-different second half would unfold.
A physical start to the second half saw EC’s Peyton Bentvelzen and Roosevelt’s Nora Snyder clash over a loose ball following a corner kick, with the Crusader needing to be helped off the field by teammates before play could resume.
Roosevelt’s attacks were relentless, as they kept possession and worked openings on the visitors’ goal. After earning a corner, EC’s keeper could only parry the ball clear, but not far enough, as Roosevelt”s Andrea Cummings headed the ball back into the goal to make it 2-0 and seal the game for the Rough Riders.
