LREI and Leman Manhattan have faced off three times in the last two seasons. First came their nonleague matchup in 2017 that was a back and forth game until Leman scored a couple late goals. Then came the 2018 regular season game in which Leman topped the Knights 3-0 on a frustrating afternoon. The last matchup was the 2018 ISAL championship game. LREI controlled much of the play and for large swaths of the game looked the better side. But a 36th minute goal was enough for Leman to win 1-0. It’s been three meetings in which the Knights felt they could have been better each time, but which they faced a good opponent playing tough soccer. So the matchup against Leman in the 2019 regular season was definitely one that the Knights circled on their calendar as an opportunity to make a statement, and possibly get one up on a team that had been one of their toughest opponents for several seasons. And it took just four minutes for LREI to lay down that marker. From the opening whistle they attacked, looking especially dangerous down the left flank where Josie Parks was able to outrace her defender several times and cut back for dangerous crosses. It didn’t take long to earn a corner. Midfielder Olivia Roederer, the team’s leader in assists, placed a perfect ball to the back post where Josie was able to guide it into the net. Leman scored a few minutes later on a well worked play into a space on the right of the Knights 18 yard box, but it was the only time all day that it felt like Leman were truly in the game. Not long after forward Cassidy Moskowitz would take a feed from right winger Mia Schulte and put the Knights ahead for good. The pressure kept piling on. The Leman keeper made several very good saves despite being down, and Leman did have speed on both ends of the field to threaten LREI with. But on 24 minutes midfielder Sarah Katz hit an absolute screamer from right around the top of the box that would prove to be the game winner. Schulte cut in front of her defender on the right and the ball found its way to Katz who hit it first time. The combination of the LREI forwards was quick and dangerous the entire first half, including winger Lily Parks who came into the game and got herself a goal in the 36th when Moskowitz beat her marker to the right side and slid a pass across for Lily’s back post run. Roederer was finding through balls at will, playing into the gaps for the quick runs and reactions of her forward and wingers. Also have a great game in the midfield was freshman Leah Maathey. Maathey was incredibly effective in transition, winning the ball and then either quickly moving forward or choosing a slower tempo when the space was right. In the second half the Knights would give up one goal to match one of their own, scored by Moskowitz, but the defensive pairing of Jane Olsen, who’s been so effective in marshalling the LREI defense this season as the team has improved over last year, and Charlotte Peyser proved able to handle. Peyser has paired Olsen this season on numerous occasions to bring someone who can match the senior’s tough tackling and progressive passing to the defensive end of the Knight’s formation. The win is a huge one this season as LREI looks to check off all the traditionally tougher teams in the ISAL. Next up is York Prep on Friday. Then the Knights will face Dwight in the last game of the regular season next week on Tuesday at Pier 40.